Endowment

Encouraging gifts to the endowment fund is one of Scouting’s highest priorities. It is one of the best ways to ensure that the Cradle of Liberty Council can continue to offer the outstanding programs it now has long into the future and also grow to meet the needs of the youth and communities it serves.

Most of us have heard of the term endowment, but what does it really mean? An endowment is a fund is held in perpetuity to provide interest and dividend earnings for the benefit of a charitable cause. That is the textbook definition, but in reality, an endowment is the life preserver of a charitable organization. To be healthy and stable, Cradle of Liberty Council needs to meet its current operating budget, without exerting 100% of its energy on fundraising. Approx. 5% of the operating budget is provided from investment income. After all, our mission is not to raise funds, but rather to continue our strong movement and build a foundation that provides our youth with a quality, values-based program.

Endowment gifts come in many forms beyond an outright cash or stock gift. Many donors name the Cradle of Liberty Council as a beneficiary owner in the following:

  • Wills or codicils
  • Charitable trusts, such as Unitrust, annuity trusts, and lead trusts
  • Scouting America Gift Annuities or Scouting America Pooled Income Fund gifts
  • Life Insurance/retirement plan designations
  • Other deferred gifts approved by the council

For more information or to make a gift to the endowment fund, please contact Brian.Pinto@scouting.org or call him at 484-654-9209.

In its gratitude for such support, the Scouting America nationally offers two distinct endowment recognition awards which are all a part of the Heritage Society. The Cradle of Liberty Council presents these awards to donors who support Scouting’s financial future through gifts to the endowment.

James E. West Fellowship

This award is named after James E. West who was the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America. Dr. West exemplified Ralph Waldo Emerson’s observation that “an institution is the lengthened shadow of one man.” Scouting today is the “lengthened shadow” of more than three decades of the farseeing and dedicated leadership of Dr. James E. West. Those who are recognized by the James E. West Fellowship Award will cast their own “lengthened shadow” as they help ensure the Scouting legacy for future generations of young people and create the financial stability of the program for the Cradle of Liberty Council.

Recognition

There are now four levels of the James E. West Fellowship Award, which is the national recognition for individuals who contribute $1,000, $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 or more in cash or marketable securities to the Council’s Endowment Trust Fund. This gift must be in addition to – and not replace or diminish – the donor’s annual Friends of Scouting support. Many individuals and organizations make these gifts on behalf of someone else – such as in honor of an Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver recipient, Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, a retirement, a special accomplishment, or anniversary – or in memory of a special individual.

The James E. West Fellowship Award is recognized with a personalized certificate. In addition, a distinctive lapel pin ($1,000 -bronze pin, $5,000- silver pin, $10,000-gold pin, $15,000-diamond pin) and an exclusive knot for the uniform are presented at a special recognition program. The recipient will also be included in special Cradle of Liberty Council events and mailings in the future.

Click here for the James E. West Application

Click here for the James E. West Giving Circle Application

For online giving to the James E. West, click here

Happy Holidays 

Please visit colbsa.org/hours for the holiday hours of the resource center and the scout shop.

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