What would we fund?

Once you know how much you think you can safely afford to grant, the next to thing to consider is what you would be prepared to fund. It is really important to give clarity to Groups about what you are willing and able to fund, otherwise a lot of energy might get wasted. As we said earlier, this guidance was originally written during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. As such, the sort of requests you might get right now are like to be the continuation of local Scouting, which might include:

• The membership fee for some or all members
• Rents, rates and utility bills due to a loss of income
• Equipment to allow leaders to deliver digital programme and join digital meetings
• Equipment to allow young people to join in digital programme
• Costs of cleaning buildings and equipment
• Personal protective equipment and other coronavirus related costs

As we start to move past coronavirus, or any similar major incident, things you might look to fund in the long term could include:

• Everything on the list above plus
• Small or large events that get Scouting going again
• Internet access at scout premises
• Expenses for volunteers who can no longer afford to take part
• Recruitment materials for Groups who have lost members
• External learning for Groups that cannot afford to pay
• Programme equipment and material
• And much, much more.

Try not to be too restrictive, you might be really surprised by interesting and innovative ideas that come forward. Encourage Groups to talk to you informally about what they would like to do so you can give them an idea of whether you think this is something the District would be willing to fund.

Another important matter to consider is the difference between providing support for an entire section or Group, or support for individual young people or families. This might ultimately come down to the support you can afford to give or the economic situation of the area you cover, and anything in between. Remember that any conversation with individuals or families about their financial circumstances must be done in the most sensitive way possible, and really should only be done by local leaders that they know well. Grants should ideally be paid to Groups, not to individual families. The District might be in a position to cover the membership fee, uniform or activity costs for young people or families who cannot afford them, but Groups should have this conversation with families locally and the Group Lead Volunteer or Group Trustee Board should approach the District for support on their behalf.

Updated: 22 November 2024