Glaciers Edge Council, B.S.A.

Strategic Plan 2016-2020

The Glaciers Edge Council, Boy Scouts of America developing a well-earned
reputation as a Gold Journey to Excellence Council under BSA Guidelines.
Through an outstanding program, our youth within our council are experiencing
Scouting in increasing numbers, helping us to provide young people with the
opportunity to join Scouting and to grow into strong leaders.
To ensure that our youth continue to receive a strong, value-based program, our
Strategic Long Range Planning Committee has analyzed data and looked over
facilities to create a vision of what our Council must address, and ultimately,
implement during the next few years.
Our Council has made great accomplishments since it and its predecessors were
originally chartered. Our goal is to build on that foundation with a bold and
meaningful vision that will lead to significant accomplishments in the future.
The Committee covered all facets of our Scouting program. The analyses,
recommendations and strategies contained in this report projects growth in
membership and quality programs, a strong financial base, and steadfast support by
our Executive Board and volunteer leaders to guarantee the excellence in Scouting
for which our Council is known.
I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all who served on the Strategic
Planning Committee and a special thanks to all the volunteers that helped develop
our plan and will carry our vision forward.
Sincerely,
Bill Steckelberg
Vice-President Strategic Planning Committee

Mission of the Glaciers Edge Council:

To be the foremost youth development organization in South Central Wisconsin
and Northern Illinois

Vision of the Glaciers Edge Council:

To prepare todays youth for tomorrows challenges
Glaciers Edge Council Core Purpose: Develop Good Leaders and Citizens
Glaciers Edge Council Core Values: Self Sufficiency, Duty, and Character
Glaciers Edge Council Core Vision: 10,000 Total Youth Served in our Programs
by 2020

Enough Youth Members

Objective: Provide an opportunity for every eligible youth to be involved in a
quality Scouting experience. Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venture
Crews and Exploring Posts provide age appropriate leadership and skill
development.
Membership
1. Increase membership and growth through year-round recruiting at all
levels of Scouting.
2. Grow Membership volunteer teams on all levels: units, districts, council.
3. Identify and secure new charter organizations to partner with the
council.
4. Aggressively pursue New Unit development and increase the number of
traditional units in each district.
Goals:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Increase Council membership by 5% each year for the next 3 years.

Have complete district membership committees in place by June 2016
Achieve Gold status in December 2016.
Increase net units by 15 over Dec 2015 by December 2016

Enough of What Makes Youth Want to Be Members

Program
Objective: To develop a program that is ever-changing and evolving that will
help to instill a high moral compass and will help to guide todays youth on a
daily basis.
Camping
Develop a strong OA program that is fully integrated into the Council
performing the National and Council expectations as dictated by the
Camping Committee, VP of Program and Scout Executive.
Implement new and adventurous programs in Cub Scout & Boy Scout
camp operations on a continuous basis
Increase youth activity levels in all programs by minimum percentages
as prescribed
Develop a working committee and have representation from each
District
Develop a 3 year Road Map for The Future investment of capital into
the program
Advancement
Develop a program to increase Cub Scout and Boy Scout advancement
to outpace the National averages on an annual basis.
Implement STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
programs within the Council annual programs and partner with local
educational facilities in doing so.
Develop a working committee and have representation from each
District
Training
Be 100% Board compliant with Youth Protection Training on an annual
basis
Increase Youth Protection training percentages to be at, or exceed,
National minimum expectations
Create a Training Plan for each District and Council to outline
milestones to meet expectations

 Develop a working committee and have representation from each

District
Activities
Develop a rotating activity program that is adventurous for Cub Scouts
and Boy Scouts
Have an increase participation level Year Over Year in all activities
Create activities and programs that are Profit/Loss positive
Develop a working committee and have representation from each
District

Enough of the Right Places to Deliver Scouting

Council Properties
Have adequate number and type of properties to provide quality outdoor
camping and activity programs for a growing membership in Scouting.
Objective:
To offer our youth the best and safest program experiences on our Council
owned properties.
Properties:
Our Council properties are the most visible representations of our Scouting
program. Our Council currently operates two camps: Camp Indian Trails in
Janesville, WI, and the Ed Bryant Scout Reservation on the Castle Rock
Flowage northeast of Mauston, WI. The camps contain many support
buildings and program areas, as well as water fronts and campsites. Youth,
volunteers, and parents all spend time at our camps. Camp maintenance and
upkeep are very important for the delivery of a quality program. Our Council
Service Centers in Madison and Janesville, WI are open for Scouting business
Monday through Saturday and are invaluable in continuing to support our
growing membership.
Key Issues:
Originally developed as Camp Castle Rock in the late 1950s, Ed Bryant Scout
Reservation has been a tremendous asset to our Council. While in good
overall condition, portions of its infrastructure are in need of replacement
and/or updating. Additionally, as the Boy Scout Program has developed and
expanded, the existing buildings and configurations are in need of updating.
Camp Indian Trails was also developed in the 1950s and has been a great
year round asset for our Council. However, it is in serious need of
improvements, the replacement or updating of many existing facilities, and
the addition of several new facilities as the camp transitions to its primary
summer usage as a Cub Scout camp as well as its continued year round use by
all Scout programs.

Our Council Service Center in Janesville is small, with little parking on the
main level. While we are fortunate to have this facility with easy access off the
interstate, several improvements may be needed to keep it up-to-date, both
visually and functionally, as well as make more use of the facility.
Our Council Service Center in Madison is approximately ten years old. While
it is currently meeting our needs, a continual review is needed to determine if
it will continue to meet our needs as the Council membership grows.
Strategies to Address Key Issues:
*Continually evaluate the use of our Council-owned properties to determine
future improvements developments, needs, or divestment of them.
*Develop an on-going, year-round repair and maintenance plan to support the
day-to-day and annual needs of all camp building, facilities, and program
areas as well as the Council Service Centers.
*Determine Best Uses of our facilities.
*Determine improvements needed as part of the Continuous Camp
Improvement Plan.
*Develop resource allocation plan.
*Continual evaluation of plan.

Enough Volunteers, Staff, and Service Areas

ADMINISTRATION

Objective:
Increase number of engaged, trained volunteers and staff
Volunteers
Volunteers are the fuel that keeps the Scouting machine running. How our
council is put together and who helps manage and supervise its many parts,
are important to the Glaciers Edge Councils operation. Volunteers from
communities ultimately control Scouting through our Council Executive
Board. Our Executive Board is responsible for the creation of a Scouting
Districts. A District is comprised of dedicated volunteer leaders and youth
who belong to units in a specific geographic area and are responsible for
delivering a quality program through the units in that area. Chartering
organizations work to select the best leadership possible for their units. They,
in turn, also nominate and elect leaders to administer the District and our
Council.
Key Issues
While the Glaciers Edge Council has a growing, influential, and committed
Executive Board, it must better represent our territory in terms of gender,
geography and race.
None of our Districts have a sufficient number of District-level volunteer
personnel and commissioners.
Based upon shifting demographics, Total Available Youth, and registered
youth members and units, our Districts do not meet BSA national standards
for districts. These standards are one district executive for every 8,000 Total
Youth population. Most of our Districts are becoming too large in number of
volunteers and youth served to be effectively led by a single District Executive
who can properly support volunteers.
We need better communication with all volunteers, especially at the unit level.
Current District names lack meaning or marketing appeal to the non-Scouting
segment of the community and tend to confuse new volunteers.
Strategies to Address Key Issues

 Strive through our Council Nominating Committee to identify and

recruit leading citizens for our Executive Board, who are committed to
Scouting, including those who come from minority groups in
communities we serve, are female, or are otherwise from areas outside
of Madison and Janesville.
Continue to expand the use of electronic media to communicate with
our customers. While electronic communication is growing with many
of our Scouting customers we must still be mindful that some of our
clients do not have reliable access to an all-electronic system.
Increase involvement of parents and knowledge of the benefits of Cub
Scouting through better communications and marketing.
Increase tenure of adult volunteer leadership through better
relationships with Chartered Organizations.
Have Council President appoint a representative ad-hoc committee to
study our current District boundaries and have that committee make
recommendations to the Executive Board to ensure that all of our
Districts meet BSA standards.
Seriously consider changing District names to be more identifiable with
the specific communities they serve. Our current district names have
meaning to our district volunteers, they do not have any significant or
identifiable meaning to the majority of our customers.
Should an opportunity occur to expand our boundaries, our Council
should be receptive to the expansion so long as the expansion is
beneficial to, and not a financial burden upon, our Council.
Develop, engage and recognize Scouting alumni through Eagle Scout,
Scouting alumni and camp alumni searches.
Increase the number of commissioned staff members to better serve the
Glaciers Edge Council. Create a succession plan to ensure that

successful staff are rewarded for their efforts and commitment to the
Glaciers Edge Council.

Enough Financial Assets to Make it All Happen

Financial Sustainability
Objective:
Meet the needs of Scouting through growth in operating, capital, and
endowment funds to significantly increase resources, Council properties and
Council staff in service to our youth and communities.
Key Issues:
While in recent years the Glaciers Edge Council has seen significant
improvement in many areas of fundraising, it is has not been enough to move
forward fast enough. Our Council must create additional sustainable revenue
streams that will grow to meet the needs of today and in the future.
Strategies to Address Key Issues
The creation of an active Finance Committee is needed to work with the
staff to help develop new revenue streams and to recruit leadership to
achieve the financial goals of the Glaciers Edge Council.
Our annual Friends of Scouting campaign must grow at significant
levels, particularly in the Community phase of the program. The
campaign needs to grow from its current level to $800,000 per year.
Growth in revenue from the annual popcorn sale must continue to grow
over the next three years to reach levels comparable to like-sized
councils. The sale should top $2,000,000 by 2020.
The Glaciers Edge Council must maintain a balanced budget.
Development of a cash reserve must be implemented that will allow the
council to have the flexibility to attempt new and innovative programs
as well as to prepare for potential shortfalls.
Increase revenue from camping and activities budgets due to higher
youth membership totals and increased participation.

 Through the leadership of an active endowment committee, grow our

current endowment fund from $1.6M to $5M by 2020.
Create a Development staff who will be responsible for Major Gifts,
Product Sales, Foundations, Grants, and Special Events. Fundraising
must be a year round job. A Development Staff would ensure focus on
finance year round and would allow us to remove a significant burden
off of our field staff. Removing this burden from our field staff would
allow them to focus on membership growth, volunteer cultivation, and
unit service.