Today, Scouting America has 236 local councils, compared to 543 in 1949. This steady consolidation is part of a long-term strategy, and the pace has picked up recently, with five major mergers announced or completed between 2024 and 2025. If you’ve heard about mergers in your council or nearby, you’re seeing a planned effort to make Scouting’s infrastructure stronger and more sustainable for the future.
This guide provides unit leaders, volunteers, and Scouting families with foundational knowledge about why councils merge, how the process works, and what changes to expect. Understanding these mergers helps leaders communicate confidently with families and position their units to benefit from expanded resources and opportunities.
What Is a Scout Council Merger?
A Scout council merger occurs when two or more local councils combine into one unified organization. The consolidation creates a single council with expanded geographic boundaries, combined assets, and unified leadership while maintaining all existing unit charters and youth programs.
Councils are the backbone of Scouting America. Across the country, 236 local councils organize programs through a three-level structure: councils oversee districts, and districts support individual units such as packs, troops, crews, and ships. Each council is led by a “Key 3” team: the Council President (a volunteer), Council Commissioner (a volunteer), and Scout Executive/CEO (professional staff).
When councils merge, they bring together their boards, staff, properties, and budgets while continuing to serve units as usual. The merged council usually gets a new or existing name, combines headquarters and service centers, and sets unified program fees and policies.
The main thing for unit leaders to know is that your unit will keep running as usual during and after the merger. You’ll keep your charter, committee, meetings, and program calendar. The main changes are the council office you contact for help and the new resources available for camps, training, and volunteer support.
Why Councils Are Merging Now
Scouting America’s national office encourages councils to merge to improve service and address infrastructure challenges. Several factors are pushing this strategy forward.
Membership trends are the main reason for these changes. Scouting has seen a slow drop in youth participation over many years. Families now have more choices, like sports and other activities, but busy schedules make it harder to join. Some people also see Scouting as old-fashioned, which makes recruiting tougher. The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse by disrupting meetings, outdoor programs, and recruitment from 2020 to 2023.
These membership changes have led to a mismatch with council infrastructure. Many councils built their camps, offices, and staff teams when membership was larger. Now, councils may have properties and staff sized for much bigger groups than they actually serve. This can waste money and divert resources from youth programs.
Merging councils helps solve these problems by making operations more efficient. Combining offices, accounting, and technology systems saves money without cutting staff who work directly with youth. Merged councils can use their resources more effectively across larger areas and make a stronger case for support from sponsors, partners, and donors.
The benefits of merging go beyond saving money. Merged councils can recruit more effectively across larger areas and offer better volunteer training with professional staff. Technology upgrades are also more affordable when shared by more members. Most importantly, merging creates a stronger financial base to keep Scouting’s mission going as programs change.
Recent Merger Examples (2024-2025)
Several high-profile mergers illustrate current consolidation trends and provide models for understanding the process.
The Great Falls Council emerged from the merger of Five Rivers Council and Western New York Scout Council, becoming effective November 1, 2024. The new council serves the Buffalo area, Southern Tier New York, and Northern Tier Pennsylvania. It operates three Scout shops in Cheektowaga, Elmira, and Oakfield, and maintains three camp properties: Camp Gorton, Camp Scouthaven, and Camp Sam Wood.
Long Island Council represents a merger in progress. Theodore Roosevelt Council and Suffolk County Council’s voting members approved the consolidation on October 22 and October 28, 2025, respectively. The merger awaits New York State regulatory approval and Scouting America national approval, with finalization expected in the first quarter of 2026. The merged council will serve approximately 10,000 youth and 5,000 adult volunteers across Long Island. Council presidents Mike Malloy (TRC) and Lou Scotti (SCC) emphasized anticipated benefits, including enhanced recruitment capacity, improved volunteer development systems, and more effective technology implementation. The combined council will operate Theodore Roosevelt Council’s Onteora Scout Reservation near Livingston Manor and Schiff Scout Reservation in Wading River, along with Suffolk County Council’s programs at Baiting Hollow Scout Camp.
Colonial Virginia Council and Heart of Virginia Council entered a formal merger evaluation during the summer of 2025. If approved, the councils would operate with unified program fees of $85 annually for youth and $25 for adult leaders. The combined council would maintain Heart of Virginia Council’s significant camping assets, including a $20 million investment in facilities such as T. Brady Saunders Scout Camp in Maidens, Virginia, and Cub Adventure Camp. Clinton Hammett was proposed as the Scout Executive to lead the merged organization, replacing retiring Scout Executive George McGovern. The proposal initially maintains eight districts, with plans to evaluate the district structure after the transition period.
The Mountaineer Area Council absorbed the Ohio River Valley Council in a merger announced in October 2024. The consolidated council operates under the Mountaineer Area Council name with headquarters in Wheeling, West Virginia. It maintains service centers in both Fairmont and Wheeling to ensure geographic accessibility. Scott Hanson continues as Scout Executive/CEO, providing leadership continuity through the transition.
These examples demonstrate common patterns: mergers maintain facilities across the geography, combine financial resources for capital improvements, preserve local access through multiple service centers, and emphasize continuity of youth program delivery.
The Merger Process: How It Works
Council mergers use a straightforward four-step approval process.
Step 1: Executive Board Vote. Both councils’ executive boards conduct comprehensive due diligence, including reviews of operations, finances, property assessments, and cultural compatibility. Boards evaluate membership processes, capital maintenance needs, legal considerations, and administrative redundancies. Following this assessment, each council’s executive board votes on whether to proceed with merger discussions.
Step 2: Voting Members Vote. All at-large voting members from both councils participate in formal votes. This broader membership group includes unit representatives, district leaders, and council-level volunteers. The merger requires the approval of a majority of the voting members of each legacy council.
Step 3: National Scouting America Approval. The national office reviews merger proposals to ensure alignment with organizational policies, financial standards, and strategic priorities. National approval confirms the merger serves Scouting’s mission and follows appropriate governance procedures.
Step 4: State Regulatory Approval. State-specific requirements vary but typically involve nonprofit corporation filings, asset transfer documentation, and regulatory compliance reviews. Some states process these approvals quickly, while others require more extensive review periods.
The entire process typically spans 6 to 12 months from initial announcement to official finalization. However, implementation continues for months after the effective date as councils integrate systems, align policies, and merge operations.
Good communication with members is key. Successful mergers include listening sessions, fireside chats, and online forums where volunteers and families can ask questions and share concerns. Councils also share detailed FAQs about program changes, property plans, and staff updates. Being open about finances, operations, and the reasons for the merger helps build trust and support during the transition.
Order of the Arrow Lodge Mergers
National policy requires only one Order of the Arrow lodge per council, meaning OA lodges must merge within 12 months of council consolidation. The official Lodge Merger Handbook recommends an optimal 6-to-8-month timeline to ensure thoughtful integration without rushing important decisions.
The lodge merger follows a four-phase framework developed by the national OA program.
Phase 1: Pre-Merger focuses on preparation. Legacy lodges continue normal operations while leaders review the cultures, events, and practices of all merging lodges. The Scout Executive of the merged council appoints a new lodge adviser and staff adviser to guide the combined organization. The new lodge adviser notifies the OA LodgeMaster team at least three months before the planned effective date.
Phase 2: Planning represents the heavy lifting of identity creation and structure building. Each legacy lodge appoints 3 to 5 youth and 2 to 3 adults to serve on a merger task force. An impartial facilitator appointed by the region guides all conversations and decision-making. The task force creates the new lodge identity, including name and totem, establishes officer positions and committee structures, determines chapter boundaries, develops the program calendar and induction processes, and drafts bylaws with position guides.
Phase 3: Transition serves as an experimentation period lasting 2 to 4 months. The lodge operates under co-officers drawn from the legacy lodges. Youth leaders host joint events, including kickoff fellowships, regular fellowships, and conclaves. Chapters form their identities within the new structure. The transition period allows leaders to test new systems, gather member feedback through surveys, and adjust approaches based on what works.
Phase 4: First Lodge Year finalizes the merger. The first full Lodge Executive Committee meeting approves the bylaws. The lodge holds elections, facilitated by an impartial section representative, using an electoral college system that grants each legacy lodge 10 votes to ensure fair representation. The newly elected chief appoints the chairpersons of the committees and the associate advisers. Finally, the Scout Executive provides formal approval of the bylaws, and the lodge conducts comprehensive training for all new leaders.
The handbook emphasizes youth leadership as the cornerstone of successful lodge mergers. Youth members make all decisions not explicitly mandated by national policy. Adult advisers provide counsel only when asked but do not direct decisions. The Scout Executive holds the only authority to override youth decisions. This approach prepares youth for real-world leadership challenges and ensures the merged lodge reflects the priorities and culture that youth members want to create.
Communication determines merger success. The task force communicates transparently with committees, chapters, and general membership throughout the process. Councils host announcement events to unveil the new lodge name and totem with appropriate ceremony and excitement. Leaders collect feedback after major events to understand what worked and what needs adjustment. The handbook recommends focusing on combining the best practices from legacy lodges rather than preserving old traditions, with the mindset centered on long-term lodge success.
What Changes for Unit Leaders and Scouts
Knowing what will change and what will stay the same helps leaders talk confidently with families during council mergers.
What stays the same: Your unit charter continues uninterrupted through the merger. Youth advancement requirements, rank procedures, and program guidelines remain unchanged. Unit committee structures, meeting schedules, and leadership positions continue exactly as before. Recharter processes follow the same annual cycle, though you’ll work with updated council staff contacts.
What gets better: Merged councils give you access to more camps and properties across the new, larger area. Units can plan trips to places that used to be part of another council. All units can use new discount programs, like season passes and equipment rentals. Program resources are more consistent, no matter which district you’re in. District event calendars may have more options as good ideas spread across the merged council. Volunteer training also improves, with more sessions offered to a bigger group of leaders.
What might change: District boundaries could be adjusted to balance membership and geography, but councils usually keep strong local ties. Council contact details, staff roles, and office locations will change as teams combine. Online systems, websites, and registration will be merged into a single system. Program fees may change to make pricing consistent across the new council. The volunteer board at the council level will also change as the two boards become one.
The timing for these changes can vary. Most day-to-day changes happen in the first 12 months after the merger. District restructuring is usually reviewed after the initial transition. Major camp improvements may take 1 to 3 years as councils plan and budget for upgrades.
Benefits of Council Mergers
When done well, mergers bring real benefits to youth programs, volunteers, and councils.
Youth programs benefit from enhanced camping facilities through combined capital investments. The Great Falls Council merger, for example, brought together $20 million in camp properties and ongoing improvement projects. Merged councils deliver more consistent program quality across their geography by adopting the best practices from both legacy councils. Resource allocation shifts toward youth-facing services as administrative redundancies decrease.
Volunteers gain improved training infrastructure with professional staff serving larger networks. Better technology platforms streamline administrative tasks like advancement reporting, event registration, and recharter processes. Stronger recruitment systems help units find new volunteers through coordinated council-wide campaigns. Merged councils have invested in volunteer development as a strategic priority, since larger volunteer networks require robust support systems.
Councils achieve financial sustainability, ensuring long-term mission security. Streamlined administrative operations reduce overhead costs while maintaining or improving service delivery. Enhanced community partnerships and corporate sponsorship opportunities arise when councils present unified fronts to potential supporters. Economies of scale generate cost savings that can be redirected to program enhancements.
Research on city mergers shows lessons that apply to nonprofits, too. Studies find that mergers improve service by sharing resources, cutting wasteful spending, supporting bigger-picture planning, and making organizations more sustainable in the long run.
Common Questions and Concerns
“Will our camp close?” Mergers typically retain all camp properties, as facilities are core assets for youth programming. The Great Falls Council merger preserved three camps, and the Colonial Virginia proposal emphasizes maintaining and improving existing properties. Combined councils often invest in facility improvements using pooled capital budgets. Strategic evaluation focuses on maximizing youth access to outdoor experiences, not on reducing the number of available camps.
“Will staff lose jobs?” The emphasis is on better staff utilization rather than workforce reduction. Professional staff may shift roles or cover different geographic territories as the council optimizes service delivery. Administrative consolidation may eliminate redundant back-office positions, but councils preserve youth-facing staff who support units, districts, and programs. Scout Executives and key professional leaders typically transition into defined roles in the merged structure.
“How does this affect my unit’s recharter?” Recharter continues on the same annual cycle with updated council contact information. Units experience no disruption to their recharter timeline or requirements. The process may actually improve as merged councils implement better technology systems. You may gain access to new resources during the recharter process as the combined council offers enhanced training and support.
“What happens to council properties and assets?” All properties and assets transfer to the merged council through the legal consolidation process. Service centers typically remain open in strategic locations to maintain geographic accessibility. The Great Falls Council operates three Scout shops across its territory to ensure all units can access supplies. Councils may eventually consolidate some facilities if maintaining multiple locations proves inefficient, but they prioritize member convenience in these decisions.
“Can our district maintain its identity?” Initial mergers typically maintain existing district structures. Councils evaluate district organization after the transition period when leaders better understand the merged geography and membership distribution. The focus remains on preserving local connections between professional staff, district volunteers, and units. District names, boundaries, and leadership may adjust, but the core district function of supporting units continues.
“How long until everything is ‘normal’ again?” Most transitions are completed within 12 months of the effective merger date. Order of the Arrow lodge mergers conclude within 6 to 12 months. Full integration of complex systems, processes, and cultures may take 18 to 24 months for larger mergers. During this period, councils work to minimize disruption to unit operations while methodically integrating administrative functions.
How to Prepare Your Unit
Unit leaders are key to a smooth merger. Stay informed, keep families updated, and make sure your program stays strong.
Stay informed by attending council listening sessions and town halls, where you can hear about the merger and ask questions. Read FAQs and official updates on the council website. Ask questions at district roundtables to get the latest information. Being involved shows leadership and helps you share accurate details with others.
Share council announcements with families using your unit’s usual communication channels. Focus on the fact that programs will continue and may even improve. Be honest if you don’t know an answer, but point families to resources where they can find out more. Present the merger as an opportunity to secure more resources and deliver better programs.
Update your unit’s records by saving the new council website when it’s available. Change your contact lists to include new staff names and phone numbers. Add merged council events and camp dates to your unit calendar. Make sure your advancement chair is aware of any changes to reporting systems or procedures.
Look for new camp options for outings and summer camp. Check out new training opportunities that may come with the larger merged council. Get involved in district and council events to meet more volunteers and build connections across the new organization.
Help youth members by explaining changes in a positive, age-appropriate way. Let them know they’ll have more resources, camps, and opportunities after the merger. For Order of the Arrow members, please encourage them to join lodge merger task forces, where youth lead the process. Keep your unit’s traditions and culture, but also welcome the new council identity as it develops.
Looking Forward
Council consolidation has been underway nationwide for over 75 years, reducing the number from 543 in 1949 to 236 today. These strategic mergers help Scouting stay strong by aligning its infrastructure with current membership and preparing for future growth. Through all these changes, the primary focus remains the same: building youth character, leadership, and outdoor adventure.
As a unit leader, your job is to support positive change with your families, use new resources to improve your program, and stay involved with the new council leadership. Mergers may feel uncertain at first, but they help councils serve youth better for years to come.
Council mergers are a strategic investment in Scouting’s future. By bringing together resources, expertise, and infrastructure, merged councils build a stronger base to deliver Scouting’s mission: helping young people make ethical and moral choices throughout their lives by teaching the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.