Strategic Plan 2026-2030
Scouting America Mission
The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
Scouting America Vision
Scouting America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.
Grand Canyon Council Mission
The mission of Grand Canyon Council is to strengthen and expand Scouting in Arizona by building strong units, empowering leaders, and delivering programs and camps that enrich the local Scouting experience.
Grand Canyon Council Vision
Together, volunteer and professional Scouters create an environment where every young person can discover their path, live the ideals of the Scout Oath, Law, and Motto, and grow into the best version of themselves.
Grand Canyon Council Long-term Goals
- Families will look first to Scouting for leadership and character
- Every youth will have the opportunity to participate and have meaningful growth
- We will serve 32,000 youth by 2040.
- We will raise capital for a permanent Service Center at the Heard Scout Pueblo, with sufficient endowment for the annual maintenance of the facility.
- We will take in sufficient funds annually to support maintenance and improvements on other Council properties.
- We will have 100% of our adult volunteers engaged and trained.
- Scouting is a recognized provider of service in all our communities.
Grand Canyon Council 5-Year Strategic Plan Elements
Membership: We achieve continuous growth and retention of our membership and units.
Key Strategies:
- Strengthen partnerships with schools, community groups, and chartered organizations to expand access, grow new units, and ensure every youth has the opportunity to join Scouting.
- Foster a culture of growth and retention through aligned staff and volunteer leadership, supported by training, clear performance expectations, and data- driven accountability.
- Equip volunteers with the tools, resources, and guidance needed to deliver inclusive, high-quality programs that engage families, retain members, and build strong, lasting units.
Metrics:
Me1 Increase overall membership by 8% annually.
Me2 Increase the number of packs participating in recruitment training and hosting Back to Pack events each year, with the goal of achieving 100% participation.
Me3 Demonstrate growth by tracking the following annually:
- The number of units hosting Join Scouting
- The number of units using Council-provided recruitment plans and
- The average number of new youth recruited per
Me4 Increase unit retention through enhanced unit service: Increase the number of logged Unit Connections for units with assigned Coaches: a minimum of 4 Connections per year for small units, and 2 contacts for large units. By year-end, 100% of units with assigned Coaches will have documented Unit Connections.
Me5 Increase the total number of units in the Grand Canyon Council by 10% annually (as of December 31).
Me6 Increase number of partner organizations (schools, community groups, religious institutions, and chartered organizations) by 5% annually (as of December 31).
Program: We deliver attractive, relevant programs that are deemed best choice for youth leadership development.
Key Strategies:
- Maintain a training strategy that establishes a significant presence in our communities and promotes Scouting as a safe, inclusive place for everyone.
- Expand the Service Center online resources for direct contact unit leaders, supported by Unit Coaches to help units get what they need.
- Offer robust and exciting camp programs for all membership
- Improve camp property experience and sustainability.
Metrics:
P1 Expand Service Center online materials for Pack and Den meetings and senior Scout outing plans and grow usage of those resources.
P2 Increase attendance at GCC long-term and short-term events (overnight programs in Blackpug) by 3% annually.
P3 Increase utilization of all GCC owned camps by reporting quarterly on camper days and camper nights and increasing 3% annually.
P4 Net promoter scores for events remain positive year over year, with no more than 10% drop in attendance from previous year. Net promoter info is annually supplemented by surveys of participating and non-participating units on their needs, and by Unit Coach activity feedback.
P5 Annually review EMA and other funding streams for council properties to ensure they sufficiently support ongoing maintenance and improvement needs.
P6 Increase service hours contributed to our communities by 5% annually.
Leader Development/Talent Management: We are recognized as the organization with the best trained and most engaged volunteer and staff leadership team in the communities we serve.
Key Strategies:
- Operate and develop a Talent Management process for identifying and developing individuals with the potential to fill key leadership positions in the council.
- Recruit adult volunteer and staff leadership who reflect the communities we serve.
- Use Scouting America and Grand Canyon Council datastreams to make informed decisions about human capital needs and objectives.
- Reenergize the NESA and Scouting Alumni networks within the footprint of the Grand Canyon Council.
- Work to fill critical roles as determined by the council operating committee leadership.
Metrics:
TM1 At least one iteration of Wood Badge and two iterations of other youth and adult training opportunities are offered per year, geographically distributed where feasible to do so.
TM2 Remote (e.g. Zoom or Microsoft Teams) access is provided for all council meetings and events except those whose purpose specifically requires face-to- face engagement.
TM3 GCC Scouters will complete position-specific training within 90 days of registering for a Scouting role.
TM4 The Talent Management volunteer pipeline process is reviewed annually to ensure it is maintained and consistently seeks the best and most capable leaders to serve.
TM5 Increase the number of Unit Coaches, through recruitment, by 10% annually until every unit has an assigned coach. Simultaneously, increase the number of units that have an assigned coach by 10% annually either through new recruiting or assigning existing Coaches.
TM6 Host a minimum of two Alumni and/or Eagle networking events per year, rotating through the communities we serve, increasing events each year to a maximum of 6.
Fund Development: We seek to achieve financial sustainability, ensuring we can invite and serve all youth across Arizona through Scouting.
Key Strategies:
- Transparently communicate the council’s financial position to internal and external stakeholders at least quarterly.
- Implement a comprehensive philanthropic development program that meets the council’s funding needs across operations, capital improvements, and endowment growth, through continued growth in the development staff.
- Foster a culture of philanthropy within GCC through a collaborative partnership between professional staff and volunteers.
Metrics:
FD1 Grow number of discrete donors and overall fundraising by 10% annually.
FD2 Increase financial sustainability by increasing the number of 1993 Society monthly donors by 10% annually, with balanced growth in the number of Bronze, Silver, and Gold members.
FD3 Establish and execute annual fundraising events in all major communities to generate annual operating support, identify potential new philanthropic supporters, and grow / refine Scouting’s image, awareness, and brand in our communities.
FD4 Develop a Steps to Success capital plan that will lead to successful establishment of a long-term Scout Service Center at Heard Scout Pueblo.
FD5 Build a culture of philanthropy across GCC, achieving 100% annual giving by all staff, board members, and non-unit Scouters.
Marketing: We consistently and effectively communicate with our internal stakeholders and external audiences to build our brand, strengthen relationships, and drive customer retention.
Key Strategies:
- Extend our brand awareness and reach into all of our communities, including those not traditionally served by Scouting.
- Improve member engagement with online council resources.
- Build public positive perception and trust of the Scouting movement.
- Positively influence youth and adult recruitment and retention.
Metrics:
Ma1 Grow media mentions, social media shares, and external website traffic by 10% per year.
Ma2 Increase overall HUB usage by 5% annually above growth of adult members.
Ma3 Conduct periodic surveys of communities and parents to gauge trust and awareness of Scouting.
Ma4 Establish mechanism for tracking new member conversions from marketing efforts.