I'm an adult leader with Venture Crew 491, a high adventure branch of the Boy Scouts of America, and we have about 15 boys and girls between the ages of 14-20 that are involved in this outdoor recreation group. We have been canyoneering in Zion National Park, rock climbing and snow-shoeing in Yosemite, climbed Mt. Whitney, and more. The kids learn invaluable mountaineering and leadership skills, self-reliance and teamwork, and loads of self-confidence through these activities. What's more, we contribute back to local communities with training seminars and service projects.

We will attempt to summit Mt. Shasta in Northern California this June, and are looking for Sponsors to help with equipment and trip costs. Mountaineering can be costly and the crew would like to continue offering high adventure excursions to young adults. Any sponsorship help would be very much appreciated and will go a long way to keep youth involved in outdoor recreation and conservation. We are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

showlett wrote: We are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Your scout troop is 501(c)(3) ?

How difficult was it to get 501(c)(3) status?

Does it involve a lot of paperwork?

Kai wrote:How difficult was it to get 501(c)(3) status?

Does it involve a lot of paperwork?

They're not too bad. Some paperwork but not crazy amounts. Maybe a couple of phone calls with the IRS but maybe not. I did one for a client once and it was straightforward. If you're serious, it's probably worth going to the library or bookstore and getting a Nolo Press book on the subject.

I would identify 15-20 companies that would you like have sponsor your adventure, then just get on the phone and start calling them. A lot of companies have charity/sponsorship dollars build into their budgets. But with June just a few weeks away I wouldn't waste any more time.

Kai wrote:

showlett wrote: We are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Your scout troop is 501(c)(3) ?

How difficult was it to get 501(c)(3) status?

Does it involve a lot of paperwork?

I don't have experience with explorers, but when I was a leader, individual scout units were not considered non-profits but the council was. We were able to handle donations that were made to the council in our name, and the council added it to our account (same as the did with the dues paid by the boys).

http://www.post58.org/Post_Index/About_ ... st_58.html

Note: Post 58 is a "Venture Crew", but we have been around so long we have not changed our name.

I am a FARMERS insurance agent. The state office contributed support for one of our summer trips to Canada a few years ago.

ClimberJoe wrote:As to the fund raising effort for the boyscouts... ummm I thought the boyscouts were kind of a yesterday thing since everyone found out they hate gay people? What's up with that btw?

They still do discriminate against gays and also non-religious folks like me (non-religious I mean)! A friend of mine actually runs an alternative organization here in New York City: http://navigatorsusa.ning.com/page/history-1.

If you want to learn more about exclusionary practices of BSA, you can read here: http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/

(edited to add links).

mconnell wrote:

Kai wrote:

showlett wrote: We are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Your scout troop is 501(c)(3) ?

How difficult was it to get 501(c)(3) status?

Does it involve a lot of paperwork?

I don't have experience with explorers, but when I was a leader, individual scout units were not considered non-profits but the council was. We were able to handle donations that were made to the council in our name, and the council added it to our account (same as the did with the dues paid by the boys).

Where I live (Utah) the council won't allow you to use their non-profit status for fund raising. If you want 501(c)(3) status you've got to go and individually get it for your particular unit. I didn't even bother to look into how difficult it might be to get 501(c)(3) status because I figured it was probably a big hassle. If the original poster's unit has done it, however, it might be worth looking into.

Time may be very short to get sponsorships and/or donations. Most companies require 60-90 days to respond and others have a defined window in which they will accept applications for sponsorship. The big question for the company is "What exposure will my marketing dollar get me?" In the end, the only "outdoor" sponsorships I got were from Backwoods and Superfeet. Unless you are breaking new ground and/or your scouts are extreme athletes, it is difficult to get the corporate money.

I fundraised for Big City Mountaineers to climb the Mexican Volcanoes in 2009 and had very little luck with corporate sponsorships from "outdoor" companies. I had good success however getting sponsorship/donation from companies that believed in the cause. I suggest you focus your case on the cause and the benefit to the youth.

I am also the Scoutmaster of Troop 17 in Fort Worth, TX. We have been fundraising for almost a year to reduce the direct costs to the scouts and adults for a trip to Kandersteg Switzerland. As my experience with BCM showed me, corporate sponsoship is very difficult to come by. We've had better luck providing our services as a labor force, i.e. cleaning up after events, event concessions, etc. When it's all totalled up, I estimate the trips will cost $120,000 US and we will have raised around $30,000 US through fundraising efforts.


If you're looking for gear, you may be able to pick up some used gear at decent prices from Whittaker Mountaineering, Rainier Mountaineering or Alpine Ascents. They periodically have sales of their used rental gear.

mconnell wrote:

Kai wrote:

showlett wrote: We are a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Your scout troop is 501(c)(3) ?

How difficult was it to get 501(c)(3) status?

Does it involve a lot of paperwork?

I don't have experience with explorers, but when I was a leader, individual scout units were not considered non-profits but the council was. We were able to handle donations that were made to the council in our name, and the council added it to our account (same as the did with the dues paid by the boys).

Actually, our Venture Crew is chartered through the Lions Club, and they carry the 501(c)3 for our organization.

robertjoy wrote:http://www.post58.org/Post_Index/About_Explorer_Post_58.html

Note: Post 58 is a "Venture Crew", but we have been around so long we have not changed our name.

I am a FARMERS insurance agent. The state office contributed support for one of our summer trips to Canada a few years ago.

Great pictures! We are still working on our website. By the way, who was your contact at the state office? If you can email me the contact information, I'd really appreciate it.

showlett wrote:[
Actually, our Venture Crew is chartered through the Lions Club, and they carry the 501(c)3 for our organization.

That's the answer right there. The local businessmen who are in the Lion's club are your best shot at sponsors. Hit them up. Also hit up the local newspaper about your efforts (and the help you are getting from XYZ Tires, and Tony's restaurant (whatever). Think of it like a little league team sponsorship for these businesses.

ClimberJoe wrote:How come no one will answer my question about my dog?

Why are you discriminating against me?

I'm not even gay.

Why the hate?

Private club. If they don't want you in, that's up to them.