Resources for United Methodist & Catholic Church Units

The Greater Alabama Council is focused on finding a solution for your Scouting unit that works best for all parties. These solutions are the culmination of a lot of discussions at all levels of the United Methodist Church (UMC), the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Boy Scouts of America. All Scouting is local and our Scouts benefit from the relationship with the church and the volunteers that operate the unit’s program.

In focusing on supporting our units, we emphasize that our unit leadership should remain focused on providing, and planning, a quality program for your Scouts as we work together to find the best option for each unit. Units chartered by the United Methodist Church or the Catholic Church will have some decisions to make regarding how proceed with your unit’s renewal. Below is information that will help guide and support this decision. 

Please reach out to your Unit Commissioner, District Commissioner, or District Executive with any questions you may have. 

Key Items with Affiliation Agreements

If your Church will be going with the new Affiliation Agreement than these instructions are VERY IMPORTANT. Before beginning the online re-charter process, you MUST get your new Chartered Organization Representative (COR) assigned by our Council. After this person is assigned the MUST be registered in your unit as the COR via an Adult Leader Application (this can be completed through the online application system). Only after the COR is assigned, registered, and is showing up on your online roster, should you begin the online re-charter process. If this is not completed in this order, your online re-charter will need to be approved by the currently registered COR. This may or may not be a problem but could require significant time and energy to fix.  

Please contact your District Executive to request a new COR for your unit.

Resources for United Methodist Church Units

Decision Tree for UMC Units:

Option 1

Unit can still meet at the UMC and will find a new Chartered Org. The Facility Use Agreement is signed by the UMC. The new Chartered Org fills out the New Unit Application and the Annual Charter Agreement. 

Option 2

Unit can still meet at the UMC and will become Chartered by our Council. Affiliation Agreement is signed by the UMC.   

Additional Information on Council Chartered Units: Institution Head & Chartered Organization Representative will be assigned by our Council. Trailer Tags and Insurance will be provided by the unit. Units will need their own EIN. Units will submit a yearly annual program plan with proposed budget, along with a final accounting from the previous year.    

Option 3

Unit will no longer meet at the UMC and needs a new Chartered Organization and a new meeting location. UMC signs the Unreregsitered Unit Report (Red Sheet). A new Chartered Organization is found and fills out the New Unit Application and the Annual Charter Agreement.

Resources for Catholic Church Units

The BSA has been working in partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to establish new agreements that enables us to continue our long-standing relationship. We are extremely grateful for the efforts of everyone involved who assisted in the development of the Annual Charter Agreement, Affiliation Agreement, and Facilities Use Agreement for Catholic Dioceses/Parishes/Schools.

Option 1- Continue to Charter

Maintain your current charter and partnership with the Parrish and utilize the new BSA Charter Agreement with Catholic Diocese/Parishes/Schools. 

Option 2 - Affiliation Agreement

Unit will continue to meet at the church and will become Chartered by our Council.

Additional Information on Council Chartered Units: Institution Head & Chartered Organization Representative will be assigned by our Council. Trailer Tags and Insurance will be provided by the unit. Units will need their own EIN. Units will submit a yearly annual program plan with proposed budget, along with a final accounting from the previous year.    

Option 3 - Facility Use Agreement

Unit can still meet at the church and will find a new Chartered Org. The BSA and Catholic Church Facility Use Agreement is used. The new Chartered Org fills out the New Unit Application and the Annual Charter Agreement. 

Option 4

Unit will no longer meet at the Catholic Church and needs a new Chartered Organization and a new meeting location. Church signs the Unreregsitered Unit Report (Red Sheet). A new Chartered Organization is found and fills out the New Unit Application and the Annual Charter Agreement.