Commissioner

Rechartering What is it?

On June 15, 1916, the United States Congress granted a federal charter to the Boy Scouts of America.

This charter can be found in the United States Code, Title 36 (Patriotic Societies and Observances), Chapter 2 (Boy Scouts of America).

As stated in the U.S. Code regarding the BSA: "The purpose of the corporation shall be to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys:

to do things for themselves and others,
to train them in scoutcraft, and
to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues,
using the methods which were in common use by Boy Scouts on June 15, 1916."

The Boy Scouts of America renews its federal charter each year through a formal reporting to Congress. They (the BSA,) in turn, have granted charters to sponsoring (chartered) organizations. And like the BSA and the U.S. Congress, these chartered organizations must report to Scouting once each year to renew their local charters.

Chartered organizations are issued a charter, effective for one year, to operate a Scout unit.

The charter year is not necessarily the same as the calendar or program year (the current Pack charter indicates the charter expiration date.)

In the months prior to the charter expiration date, the District Executive, Unit Commissioner, Unit Committee, and Top Unit Leader all play an important role in the preparation and execution of the rechartering process.