Boy Scouts of America - Essay Example

Executive Summary The last 100 or so years have seen nearly 50 million young boys go through the ranks of the Boy Scouts of America, going on to become reputed businessmen, politicians and well-respected and productive citizens of this country. The Boy Scouts of America prides itself as an organization which has become more than just that; and has become an iconic brand, depicting the values that the American’s hold as a nation. These last hundred years for the organization have been instrumental in instilling the values of leadership and strength of character in millions of young boys around the country and coming this year, hundreds of events are being planned, all over the country, to commemorate the Gold anniversary of the BSA. The organization seeks a grant for the Jamboree celebration that has been planned from the 24th of July to the 4th of August, an event in which approximately 50,000 scouts from all over the country will take part. The Jamboree is planned to be an event which will be an experience of a lifetime for the young boys in attendance, and is an inimitable opportunity for the introduction of life skills to the 50,000 scouts, leaders and visitors who will take part in the commemorative events1. The provision of this grant will ensure that this event is carried out in the finest way possible and will allow the Boy Scouts of America, both as an organization and a foundation, to cherish and spread its message all over the world. Celebrating 100 years - An year of celebration The event for the 100th anniversary shall be carried out in Virginia and will be a celebration of the diverse values that are a system of learning which become a part of the Boy Scout training. For this purpose, a wide variety of activities shall be arranged for the scouts and visitors in attendance. To aid in the provision of these activities and for the construction of the basic infrastructure required for the event, a grant of $1,500,000 is being sought which shall make it possible for the organization to plan and carry out the monumental task of the successful execution of the jamboree. The Proposal Statement The 100th anniversary celebrations will begin early on the day of July 26,2010, and will be a 10 day long event which shall include all manner of activities. The plans for the commemorative event includes offerings such as swimming, rappelling, kayaking, canoeing, fly fishing, archery, scuba diving, snorkeling, shooting, buckskin games and four 5 kilometer runs. Apart from that there will be hands-on merit badge demonstrations for the 17-acre conservation trail, various rotating stages of evening entertainment and a live broadcast of the 100th Anniversary ceremony to fellow scouts that are gathering throughout the world2. The jamboree will be a monumental event with the opportunity for the BSA to spread its message to the youth across the country and to reach out to communities far and wide. To aid in the provision of the activities that have been mentioned formerly, the organization has the esteemed support of a number of sponsors who have provided the necessary funds for the purpose of the arrangement of these educational activities. However, the BSA is seeking a grant that can aid in the provision of the basic infrastructure that will have to be erected for the whole event -and it’s activities- to be carried out. To make sure that there are sufficient support programs and services to accommodate fully some 18,000 campers lodging 50,000 scouts and leaders, the construction of a fool-proof infrastructure at Fort A.P. Hill will be mandatory, so that the provision of a safe and secure environment can be made possible. For this reason the plans include services such as a bus system, telephone, internet, patrol kitchens, first-aid stations and concession stands etc. Apart from those, support from a hospital, respective police and fire departments, post offices, food warehouses, radio stations, a daily newspapers and a trading post will also be quite necessary if the event is to be carried out in a most exceptional manner3. This event holds, for obvious reasons, a lot of importance for our organization. The 100 years of the BSA’s existence only proves that ethics, morality, strength of character, leadership and service for the community are principles that hold just as much importance as they did a hundred years before, and not only that, the fact that the organization has helped shape these values as the foundation and building blocks of this country’s youth in the past decades is what truly makes this event so auspicious. The help from your esteemed organization will ensure, not only the possibility and success of this monumental task ahead of us, but will also make it possible for the young scouts and leaders who will be a part of this event to have the unique opportunity to be a part of a thriving and rich tradition. The Budget The grant provided shall be allocated for the procurement and implementations of the infrastructure at the proposed site of the jamboree, which shall be called Jamboree city. A portion of this amount shall be directly allocated for the instatement of telephones and internet facilities for the camp. Other major expenses will include the arrangement of transportation facilities for the visitors and the instatement of patrol kitchens and first-aid stations. Following is a breakdown of the needs and the amount required for it in a simple budget statement. Figure 1: Budget Plan Activity Expense Instatement of Telephone & Internet facilitie $150,000 Renting of Transportation & Buses $ 200,000 Instatement of Patrol kitchens $ 150,000 First-aid stations $ 200,000 Lodgings $ 500,000 Misc. expenses $ 300,000 Event Co-ordination Staff Following is a brief overview of the people directly in-charge of the planning and co-ordination of the jamboree event: Ramona Skein: The chief of operations, Ramona Skein is BSA employee with a long experience with event management and co-ordination. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from Texas A&M, she also has a Master’s Degree in Management from Boston University. Bruce Hamilton: In-charge of the administration of the Jamboree city activities, Bruce Hamilton is also a BSA employee with considerable experience in the field. He hold a degree in Business Management from Merritt College, Oklahoma and an MBA from University of Long Island. Rhys Skye-Everett: In-charge of the finances in this project, Rhys Skye-Everett is a consultant who has formerly worked for a major wall-street firm and is a financial advisor of great repute. A graduate of Brown University, he also holds an MBA from University of Pennsylvania. BSA: The Mission: The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. These values, and the ensuing morality are the very basis of this organization‘s existence, which, for the last one hundred years has strived to instill in each American youngster the courage to seek for themselves the right path. Your esteemed organization, with it’s history of support shown towards organizations that merit and enhance the value-system of this country’s youth, will be proud to be a part of the Boy Scout of America and the rich tradition of bravery, courage and achievement that each Boy Scout of this country seeks to be a part of. Bibliography Boy Scouts of America. 2010. Celebrating 100 Years - A Year of Celebration. From Boy Scouts of America website: http://scouting.org/100years/100years/ayearofcelebration.aspx Boy Scouts of America. 2010. About Us: Scouting. Retrieved July 2010, From Scouting : http://scouting.org John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. 2010. About the Foundation. From : http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.855245/k.588/About_the_Foundation.htm Appendix: Chosen Foundation: The foundation for which this grant proposal has been prepared is the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world and this grant is in-line with the foundations granting policies, as The Boy Scouts OF America is an organization which works mainly for the youth and for the betterment of community through teaching firm moral values to young boys. MacArthur is one of the nation’s largest independent foundations. Through the support it provides, the Foundation fosters the development of knowledge, nurtures individual creativity, strengthens institutions, helps improve public policy, and provides information to the public, primarily through support for public interest media. The Foundation has 4 basic programs under which it makes grants and donation; among these, The Program on Human and Community Development is the program that is line with the work BSA performs. The Program on Human and Community Development addresses issues in the United States, including community and economic development; housing, with a focus on the preservation of affordable rental housing; juvenile justice reform; education, with an emerging interest in digital media and learning; and policy research and analysis. (macfound.org/About) The Non-Profit Organization Chosen: The organization that has been seeking a grant in this proposal is The Boy Scouts of America. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was incorporated in the year 1910 as one of the leading youth service organizations in the United States. For 100 years, the BSA has been a volunteer-based fee driven organization, with close to 50 million living alumni having been through its programs. The BSA is made up of over 120,000 scouting units that are owned and operated by chartered organizations throughout the United States. Each organization provides educational programs and grooms boys and young adults in the age group of 7 to 20 years. The various programs under the organization help youth to develop skills for their future careers, become responsible citizens and in their overall personality development. It operates six programs: Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Webelos Scouts, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting and Venturing. Volunteer adult leaders serve at all levels of scouting in more than 300 nationwide councils. The organization also publishes two magazines: Boys Life and Scouting (scouting.org/About). Read More