Boy Scouts of America

Analysis

Boy Scouts of America is a registered charity in United States, based in Des Moines, IA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in November 1965, 61 years ago. Its declared purposes cover youth development, which this site groups under children and youth development. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, Boy Scouts of America reported income of $2.1m and spending of $3.4m, spending 161% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income fell from $3.6m to $2.1m (-42%), an average of -13% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income dropped by 33%. Over the whole period it spent 141% of the income it received.

Among 14,332 United States charities whose main cause is children and youth development and that reported income, Boy Scouts of America sits at the 92nd percentile: it is larger than about 92% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 86th percentile, and in the 88th percentile within IA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Girls Inc of Chicago ($2.1m), Gateway Mountain Center Inc ($2.1m) and Pittsburgh Botanic Garden ($2.1m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 35% and program service revenue 20% of the total. Other salaries and wages came to $1.3m. At year end it held assets of $14.5m against liabilities of $567k, net assets of $14.0m. It reported 105 employees.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.