Boy Scouts of America
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA IS TO PREPARE YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE ETHICAL AND MORAL CHOICES OVER THEIR LIFETIME BY INSTILLING IN THEM THE VALUES OF THE SCOUT OATH AND LAW.
- Income
- $4.9 million
- Spending
- $5.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 0.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 96
- Volunteers
- 1,878
- Highest pay
- $246,428, scout executive/secretary
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 58 out of 100.
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2532 of 33 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $4.0 million spent. TRADITIONAL SCOUTING: PROGRAMS ARE YEAR-ROUND SERVING BOYS AND GIRLS AGES 5-21 YEARS OLD. OVERALL GOAL IS TEACHING LEADERSHIP, OUTDOOR SKILLS, AND SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. EACH PROGRAM COMPONENT LEADS EACH PARTICIPANT THROUGH A MEASUREMENT ADVANCEMENT CURRICULUM. PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATE EACH LEVEL OF THE ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM BEFORE CONTINUING. DEMONSTRATION OF INTENDED OUTCOMES FOR EACH OF THE ADVANCEMENT COMPONENTS ARE TABULATED AND OBSERVED BY MENTORS AN PEERS. PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED AFTER SCHOOL AT SCHOOL SITES AS WELL AS IN THE EVENINGS AT SITES OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS. PROGRAM OBJECTIVE/GOAL IS FOR YOUTH TO LEARN ALL ASPECTS OF TEAMWORK, TRUST, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, PROBLEM SOLVING, OUTDOOR SKILLS, AND LEADERSHIP.
- $818,885 spent. SCOUT REACH AT-RISK: THE GOAL IS FOR OUR CLIENTS TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE, LEAD, HAVE EMPATHY AND SHOW ACADEMIC SUCCESS. WE COLLABORATE WITH TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND BOYS AND GIRLS AGES 5-11 YEARS OLD. PROGRAM CURRICULUM IS BROUGHT TO STUDENTS TWICE A MONTH INSIDE THE SCHOOL DAY AND DURING AFTER-SCHOOL SESSIONS AT THE SCHOOL WHERE OUR YOUTH PARTICIPANTS ATTEND SCHOOL. SCHOOLS THAT OFFER THE SCOUTING PROGRAM DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, WHICH ALLOW AL YOUTH TO ATTEND SPECIAL CLASSES OF WHICH SCOUTING IS ONE OF THE CHOICES. SCOUTING SPECIAL CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY FACILITATORS PROVIDED BY THE SCOUT REACH PROGRAM AND EMPLOYED BY THE INDIAN NATIONS COUNCIL. THIS IS FREE TO PARTNER SCHOOLS AND TEACHES YOUTH RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, AND TO SEEK POSITIVE CHARACTER TRAITS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1965.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.