BOY SCOUT EAGLE ADVANCEMENT
Service Projects for the Eagle Scout Rank
Reference:
Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures version "E" of the 2004
printing or the 1989 revision
NEGA Advancement Guidelines
Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook
NOTE: Page numbers below reference the
Advancement Committee Policy & Procedures publication.
Bold print indicates national guidelines while
unbolded text is the NEGA Council’s understanding of that guideline.
For a service project to qualify as an Eagle Scout project, the Scout, while
a Life Scout, must plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service
project benefiting any religious institution, school, or community. These
projects, of course, must conform to the wishes and regulations of those for
whom the project is undertaken. (p27)
The Scout is working on behalf of the organization and must abide by their
wishes. The project should identify the tasks necessary to implement his project.
The Eagle Scout service project provides the opportunity for the Eagle Scout
candidate to demonstrate the leadership skills he has learned in Scouting. He
does the project outside of the sphere of Scouting. (p27)
The Scout must consider his project his own personal endeavor, not a part of his
duties within his troop. Participants do not necessarily need to be members of
his troop.
As a demonstration of leadership, the Scout must plan the work, organize the
personnel needed, and direct the project to completion. (p27)
The Scout is in charge, regardless of his position within the troop. Workdays
are not to be supervised by the SPL, Scoutmaster, parent, or anyone other than
the Eagle candidate. Adult attendance is required, but supervisory involvement
should be limited to incidents where a person's safety is in danger.
Service to others is important. Work involving council property or other BSA
activities is not acceptable for an Eagle Scout service project. The service
project also may not be performed for a business, or be of a commercial nature,
or be a fund-raiser. (p27)
Fund-raisers are allowable for obtaining the necessary funds to implement a
project; however, the sole purpose of the project cannot be to raise funds for a
cause.
A Unit Money Earning Application must be filed with the Scout Service Center
prior to the fundraiser.
Routine labor, a job or service normally rendered, should not be considered.
There is no minimum number of hours that must be spent on carrying out the
project. The amount of time spent must be sufficient for the Scout to clearly
demonstrate leadership skills. (p27)
Routine service such as helping with a blood drive is not permitted. Picking up
litter, providing assistance for motorists, and other "good turns" do not
qualify.
Fund-raising is permitted only for securing materials or supplies needed to
carry out the project. (p27)
As stated above, the project cannot be a fund-raiser. Time spent raising funds
cannot be included in project time. Time spent securing funds is not considered
demonstrating leadership. Any excess funds should be donated to the organization
benefiting from the project.
The Scout must secure the prior approval of his unit leader, his unit
committee, and the benefactor of the project. The project must also be reviewed
and approved by the district or council advancement committee or their designee
to make sure that it meets the stated standards for Eagle Scout service projects
before the project is started. This pre-approval of the project does not mean
that the board of review will approve the way the project was carried out. (p27)
Written approval from each official must be affixed on the appropriate page in
the Eagle Workbook.
Funds should not be collected until the project is approved; however, requesting
commitments for materials, services, and financial support is encouraged.
Although the project idea must be approved before the work is begun, the
board of review must determine the manner in which the project was carried out.
(p28)
The purpose of the project is for leadership development and demonstration. If
the completed project did not allow for his leadership skills to be
demonstrated, the candidate may be required to re-address his project, or plan,
develop and implement another project.
The project should allow the Scout or Venturer to demonstrate planning and
leadership while performing no more than 50% of the work himself (exclusive of
planning time).
All work on the project must be done while the candidate is a Life Scout and
before the candidate's 18th birthday, unless a time extension has been allowed.
(p28)
All requirements for rank advancement must be completed in accordance with
national guidelines. Extensions may be granted under certain situations.
If a Scout or Venturer foresees that he will be unable to complete the
requirements for the Eagle rank prior to his 18th birthday, he may file a
petition in writing with the National Boy Scout Committee through the local
council for special permission to continue to work toward the award after
reaching age 18. The petition also may be filed by the unit leader or unit
committee. The petition must show good and sufficient evidence and detail the
extenuating circumstances that prevented the Scout or Venturer from completing
the requirements prior to his 18th birthday. Extenuating circumstances are
defined as conditions or situations that are totally beyond the control of the
Scout or Venturer. (p25)
Requests should be first made to the district advancement committee who will
forward the request to the council advancement committee before it is sent to
national.
If not approved at the District or Council level, their decision can be appealed
to the National Boy Scout Committee.
If circumstances should also prevent a Scout or Venturer from requesting the extension before he is 18, it is still permissible to ask for the extension, detailing the extenuating circumstances that prevented him from completing the requirements and from requesting the extension before age 18. (p25)
The Eagle Scout project is an individual matter; therefore, two Eagle Scout
candidates may not receive credit for working on the same project. (p28)
For example... two Scouts desire to paint Sunday School classrooms for the same
church. Each project may be approved, but the Scouts must work separately. To
avoid potential problems, their projects should be worked on different days.
For example... A large park desires a 10-mile hiking trail cut through the woods.
Two Scouts decide to work together and each build 5 mile trails. Each project
must be developed and implemented independently of the other.
The variety of service projects performed throughout the nation by Scouts earning their Eagle Award is staggering. For ideas and opportunities regarding service projects, the Scout can consult people such as school administrators, religious leaders, local government, department directors, or a United Way agency's personnel. (p28)
The district or council advancement committee also can be helpful by
identifying possible projects. (p28)
The NEGA Advancement committee voted at its March 2003 meeting that no project
benefiting a home owners association will be approved.
Before the project is started...
The project idea must be approved by the unit leader, unit committee, and
council or district advancement committee before the project is started. The
following questions must be answered before giving this approval:
- Who will benefit from the project?
- How will they benefit?
- What official from the group benefiting from the project will be contacted for guidance in planning the project?
- How many people will be recruited to help carry out the project?
Questions that must be answered at project completion: (p27)
- What was the project?
- How did it benefit others?
- Who from the group benefiting from the project gave guidance?
- Who helped carry out the project?
- Sign in sheet with hours and date worked.
- What materials were used and how were they acquired?
- Did the candidate demonstrate leadership of others?
- Did he indeed direct the project rather than do all of the work himself?
- Was the project of real value to the religious institution, school, or community group?
- Who from the group benefiting from the project may be contacted to verify the value of the project?
- Did the project follow the approved plan or were modifications needed to bring it to its completion?
