The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America is to provide an educational program to develop in our youth the qualities of character, to teach and promote the skills of Scouting, to train our youth in the responsibilities of good citizenship, to develop strong personal fitness, to build character, and to promote self-reliance and family living. Right now, in your neighborhood, there is a young person with the potential for either greatness or destruction. We need to reach them before the moment passes!
Support Local Scouting Now!
Make a new donation or make a payment on an existing pledge.
Your donation provides support for programs such as Camporees, Cub Scout Day Camps, Cub Scout Family Weekends, and Scouts BSA Summer Camps. Your contributions help maintain our Council Office and our five camp properties (Camp Alafia in Lithia, Camp Owen J Brorein in Odessa, Flaming Arrow Scout Reservation in Lake Wales, Camp Soule in Clearwater and Sand Hill Scout Reservation in Brooksville). It also provides crucial infrastructure such as field staff, support staff, registration, this website, liability insurance, and other services and resources.
All pledges received by the Greater Tampa Bay Area Council remain in the 9 county Tampa Bay Area. Over 94% of the pledges go to support our programs. Your gift will make a difference to the future leaders of your community.
Special Events
The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council is fortunate to host several fundraising events during the year. Come out and meet like-minded people while supporting Scouting.
Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner/Auction
An incredible evening featuring a keynote speaker and both a silent and live auction.
Distinguished Service Award
Celebration of Scouting in the St. Petersburg community.
Boy Scout Golf Classic
Hit the greens to support Scouting. Contact Katie.Sheffield@scouting.org for more information.
Fishing Tournament
Grab your fly fishing gear and join us for our Annual Fly Fishing Tournament. Proceeds will go towards youth in our community, assisting them to become a part of the scouting program.
Whitney M Young, Jr. Awards
This Annual Breakfast enables our ScoutReach program to continue to grow and serve more youth in historically underserved areas of our community.
Merit Badge Sponsorships
Every year, young people are introduced to life-changing Adventure, Education, Leadership, and Community Service experiences through the Boy Scouts of America’s Merit Badge program.
District Friends of Scouting Events
Many of our Scouting communities have local fundraising events. Please check with your local Scouting professional or call 813-872-2691 to find out more information.
Invest in Scouting
The Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. In the future, Scouting will continue to offer young people responsible fun and adventure, instill lifetime values and develop their ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law, and train them in citizenship, service and leadership. There are numerous ways to invest in Scouting. Investments that can benefit youth today, as well as into the future.
It costs roughly $250 per year to provide services to a youth in Scouting. Please consider supporting one or more Scouts.
You may want to consider making a donation to Scouting by memorializing someone, or as a way of celebrating an achievement (i.e. attaining Eagle Scout), or by enabling a less fortunate family to send their child to camp. Camp scholarships are always appreciated.
Ways To Give
There are a variety of options for you to help support Scouting.
Outright Gift – An outright gift allows you to give to Scouting while qualifying for income tax and charitable deductions, including possible avoidance of captial gains taxes. Gifts can include cash, appreciated securities, personal property and appreciated real estate.
Bequests – A will makes a statement about what matters most in your life. By making a will you ensure that your intentions are clearly expressed and will be followed by those administering your estate. That gives you the flexibility to provide for family, friends and charities such as Scouting. Gifts can be for a stated amount, a percentage of your estate or specific property.
Charitable Gift Annuity – This form of giving allows you to make a gift to Scouting while receiving a fixed income for life. It usually works best for people 65 plus years of age. To qualify, you must be age 50 or older. You’ll receive a guaranteed fixed income for life, income tax charitable deduction and no capital gains tax on transfer of assets.
Deferred Gift Annuity – This type of gift allows you to make a gift and receive a fixed income for life, payable at 50 plus years of age. You must be 30 or older to fund a deferred gift. You’ll receive an income tax charitable deduction and avoid capital gains tax on transfer of assets.
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust – This vehicle allows you to make a gift and receive fixed income for life or a designated period of years. You must be 50 years of age or older to establish this trust. You still receive an income tax charitable deduction, no capital gains tax on transfer of assets, possible estate tax savings and fixed income for life.
Charitable Remainder Unitrust – Allows you to make a contribution and receive a fixed percentage for life or a designated term of years. You must be 50 years of age or older to establish this trust. You’ll receive an income tax charitable deduction, no capital gains tax on transfer of assets and it provides flexibility to meet your needs with a variable income for a set period of time.
Growth & Income Fund – You can give a gift where the rate of your income for life is determined by amount of contributions and earnings of the fund. You must be 50 years of age or older to establish this fund, and it is best for individuals looking for income growth over time. You’ll receive a variable income for life (initially low, but increasing over time), income tax charitable deduction and avoid all capital gains tax on transfer of assets.
Charitable Lead Trust – This is an individual trust with income coming to the Boy Scouts for the duration of the trust. It is benificial for those seeking to pass on assets at reduced estate and those who do not depend on current income. The income goes to the Boy Scouts and you may receive estate, gift and income tax deductions and avoid capital gains tax on the transfer of assets.
Retained Life Estate Gift – This is a gift of real estate that allows you to remain on and live on the property for life. It is a useful vehicle for those who wish to give real estate and receive the tax deduction now. It removes the real estate from your taxable estate, you’ll receive an income tax charitable deduction, avoid all capital gains tax on transfer and maintain the right to live there for life or an agreed upon number of years.
Most of these gifts will go to our endowment fund, unless specified otherwise by the donor. To establish one of these gifts, please contact Ward Bramlett at ward.bramlett@scouting.org.
Donate Securities
Please contact Mike Butler at Mike.Butler@scouting.org.
Endowment Fund
Help ensure that our council can continue to offer outstanding program for years to come.
Memorials and Honorariums
The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council gratefully accepts donations given in memory of a loved one.