Research Services

A full scope of research services are provided in support of local councils. Services include:

• Supporting local councils with data regarding the outcomes of the Scouting program
• Targeting research projects that will aid the BSA in strengthening and improving specific areas such as program, marketing, funding, and image
• Consulting with local councils on the development of council research plans
• Interfacing with students, professors, and researchers requesting BSA data
• Tracking membership-retention patterns
• Analyzing secondary data to identify national trends among youth as a resource for local councils

Outcomes Studies

Demographic Information

ESRI Local Council Planning Data, distributed to SEs, is provided for council planning purposes. Data such as the demographic trends associated with total available youth within the council area can be used in target marketing to achieve your council goals.

• ESRI Local Council Planning Data (distributed to SEs annually)
• Environmental Scan [PDF] (also available on CD-ROM)
• Year in Review [PDF] Card (02-030)
• Hispanic Demographics Fact Sheet
• New Survey Results on the Needs of Americans [PDF]
• Characteristics of "Generation X" [PPT]
• Reaching the New Generation of Parents – Presented at 2008 National Annual Meeting [PPT]
• Reaching the Next Multicultural Generation [PPT]
• Generational [PPT]

Surveys

The BSA Research Service has developed a number of surveys for local council use. These resources include the following:

• Local Council Research Guide [DOC]
• Assets Surveys—United Ways and foundations are adopting the assets model developed by Search Institute. These surveys help measure how Scouting impacts key assets. A key to which assets are being measured by each question is included.
• Outcomes Surveys—United Ways and other funders are looking to fund programs that can show positive outcomes for youth. These surveys are designed to measure outcomes in each of the traditional Scouting programs.
• Retention Surveys—Are you trying to improve your council's retention rate? Do you know why boys are leaving Scouting? These surveys help you examine the reasons boys leave the Scouting program. The Cub Scout survey is designed to be sent to parents, and the Boy Scout survey is designed to be sent to youth.
• Attitude, Awareness, and Usage Surveys—What is the image of Scouting in your council? How much do parents know about Scouting in your area? How likely are parents of Scout-age boys to encourage their sons to join? These questionnaires help you examine the image of Scouting in your council area and why boys are likely or unlikely to join.
• Customer Satisfaction Surveys—What do boys think about the camping experience provided by your council camps? What do district volunteers feel are the priorities in their district, and what areas do they feel need to be improved? Are roundtables meeting leaders' expectations? Are Scouting programs in your council meeting the needs of chartered organizations? These surveys will help you answer all of these questions and more.
• Survey data collection tools are also available so your council can enter data and print a council report.

Values of Americans Research Kit

• Values of Americans - Full Study [PDF]—This version is the most detailed discussion of the entire study and its findings.
• Values of Scouts - Scouting Highlights [PDF]—This version is a comparison of Scouts and non-Scouts.
• What Will Your Son's Future Hold—This is an overview of the benefits of Scouting:
• Hispanic Emphasis, 02-789 [PDF]
• African-American Emphasis, 02-1084 [PDF]
• Asian Emphasis, 02-1085 [PDF]
• Caucasian Emphasis, 02-1086 [PDF]
• Values of Americans [PDF]—A study of ethics and character fact sheet.
• Values of Americans [PPT]—A PowerPoint presentation for use when presenting the study.

Other Research Information

• 92% of Americans Give to Nonprofits
• Forecasting Total Available Youth Projections by Region
• Strategic Plan Research [PDF]
• Successful Recruiting: Tapping Into Diverse Markets [PDF]

The Merits of Marketing (marketing.scouting.org) is a resource for local councils, developed by the Marketing & Communications Division of the National Council, Boy Scouts of America.