Eagle Scout Advancement

The aim of this page is to provide our Council members with valuable insights from the Council Advancement Committee. We believe this information is essential for alleviating the frustrations experienced by both Scouts and adults who are new to the "Eagle Scout Process."

All forms should be downloaded from the BSA National Website to ensure you are using the most current version

Overview

The journey on the "Trail to Eagle" can often feel overwhelming and filled with paperwork for aspiring Eagle Scouts, their parents or guardians, and leaders.

This page was updated to follow our Council’s Life to Eagle Trail Presentation. This Presentation outlines the applicable Council procedures and processes, provides helpful hints, and hopefully addresses many of the questions that scouts and leaders have about the process. If you have additional questions, please reach out to a member of your local District Advancement Committee listed at the end of this page.

Eagle Scout Project Proposal

The Prospective Eagle Scout (working with Unit Leadership) must plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project must benefit an organization other than Scouts BSA.).

You will use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook (512-927) throughout this process. Please read the entire workbook and make sure you are using the CURRENT workbook. There are FOUR sections to the current workbook with places to put the appropriate information

  • Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal
  • Eagle Scout Service Project Plan
  • Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraising Application (if required; see below)
  • Eagle Scout Service Project Report
  • Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, No. 512-927

The FIRST step not listed specifically in the Eagle Scout Workbook is to review your ideas with either your Troop's Eagle Advisor or your Troop Committee Chair. They will have some expierence in helping you craft your idea from a concept to your written proposal.

To get your project approved, you would first need to fill out the PROPOSAL section and review it with the TROOP EAGLE ADVISER (or their delegate). When completed to their satisfaction, seek approval from your troop’s leadership and the benefiting organization. .

Once you have your troop’s and benefiting organization’s signatures on the original workbook proposal section, please contact a member of your District Advancement Team to review/grant approve to start your project.

Once your project is approved , you should next fill out the project PLAN and FUNDRAISING APPLICATION (as needed). You only need a District or Council approval if your projected fundraising will exceed $1,000.

  • Eagle Scout Service Project Fundraiser Application (Page 19 & 20 of above workbook)

When you have completed your project, you will need to fill the REPORT which is the recap on how you executed your plan. Please pay careful attention to fill out all of the requested details.

The Prospective Eagle Scout Completes their Work

Once the Prospective Eagle Scout has completed all of their project (and its write-up), they should continue on the other requirements for the Rank of Eagle Scout.

The following items need to be completed BEFORE their 18th Birthday:

  • Eagle Scout Leadership Project (and its write-up)
  • Completion of all other rank requirements needed to obtain the rank of Eagle Scout
  • Scoutmaster Conference

The Prospective Eagle Scout should start requesting Letters of Recommendation from 5 (or 6 if employed) different individuals as soon as possible. Sample templates are below. These letters should be returned to the Unit Committee Chairperson (or designee) in a sealed envelope which will be opened at the Eagle Board of Review by the District Advancement Committee member.

To be clear, these letters should not be given back to the Eagle Scout Candidate by the Recommending individuals.

The Troop (and the Scout) should fill out Eagle Scout Rank Application in PDF format and send it to the Angela Emer, Council Registrar for verification.

Requesting the Eagle Board of Review

Although the above requirements must (no extensions are possible) be completed by the Scout’s 18th birthday, and the BOR should be held by then, under extenuating circumstances, and with the consent of the District, Council, or National Office, depending on the length of time requested, the BOR may be held shortly after the youth turns 18.  Further details on these limited administrative time extensions (which are to allow for the arranging of the BOR) can be found in the Guide to Advancement.

Please have all of the following paperwork in order before contacting a District Advancement Committee member to schedule a Board of Review. We will convene the Eagle Board of Review as quickly as possible, but some time may be required to obtain qualified personnel to hold the board.

  • The Verified Eagle Scout Rank Application (completed with all of the needed information and required signatures).
  • Letters of Recommendation as requested by the verified Eagle application
  • the Original Eagle project workbook (with all of the required original signatures and parts)
    • Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal (pages Proposal A through E)
    • Eagle Scout Service Project Plan (pages Project Plan Page A through E)
    • Eagle Scout Fundraising Application Page A & Page B (as applicable)
    • Eagle Scout Service Project Report (Project Report Page A through C)
  • The prospective Eagle Scout’s ambition statement.

The Eagle Scout Board of Review

Once you have conferred with your District Advancement Committee on a time/place to hold the Board of Review, please keep in mind the following key rules as defined by the Guide to Advancement:

Who Needs to Sit on it?:

  • Two to five adults to be members of the Eagle Board or Review. Members can include troop committee members,troop parents, adults familiar with the ideals of Scouting.
  • One member from your local District Advancement Committee to represent our Council.

Who Can Not Sit on the Board?

  • Troop Scoutmaster, Troop Assistant Scoutmasters; parents/guardians or relatives of the Eagle candidate.
  • The Scout’s parents, relatives, or guardians should not be in attendance in any capacity–not as members of the board, as observers, or even as the unit leader.

How can my child prepare for their Eagle Scout Board of Review? 

  • We are asked this question a lot by parents and unit leaders.
  • The Scout should be confident in being able to discuss/evaluate their Scout project. There is no other preparation that should be done.
  • The Scout should work with the Troop’s Leaders to make sure all of the paperwork is in place for the Board of Review (including their own Ambition Statement)
  • The National Office strongly discourages units holding mock eagle boards of review as you are taking away from the experience from the young individual.

Additional Eagle Scout Resources

Eagle Scout Palm Resources