Fundraising

Aim

To raise vital funds for Scouts through partnerships, funders and donors to give young people the practical skills, confidence, and experiences needed to thrive both now and in the future.

Working with a diverse range of partners, we’re continually creating new opportunities and expanding our reach, making sure every young person has the chance to thrive in Scouts.

Goals

By 2026, we’ll:

• Generate a sustainable net income that contributes to Scouts’ core costs.
• Strengthen and grow relationships with our key corporate partners, so we can keep creating fun, adventurous activities and experiences for our
  young people.
• Secure funding to support projects that help Scouts to grow, particularly in Black, Asian or minority ethnic communities.
• Collaborate with key strategic partners to unlock new funding opportunities that’ll support Scouts’ emerging priorities in the next strategy.
• Continue to make sure all fundraising activities are cost-effective, generating a high return on investment, so every pound raised directly benefits young people and supports the growth of Scouts.

Progress a year on

Thanks to the continuing generosity of our supporters, we’ve created more opportunities for young people, supported our volunteers, and strengthened the foundations for our long-term fundraising growth.

Our corporate partnerships help deliver memorable, movement-wide moments. They show Scouts is as vital today as ever, helping young people build skills for life through having fun, getting outdoors, and making friends.

• Our partnership with Omaze raised an incredible £3.5 million. This relationship, our most successful corporate campaign to date, is helping to grow Squirrels, sustain places across Beavers and Cubs, invest in volunteer training, and help us support young people’s mental health.
• In association with the UK Space Agency, we launched our Space Activity Badges. With events at The National Space Centre and Science Museum, over 108,000 young people have earned badges so far.
• Our ongoing partnership with GO Outdoors supported more young people to get outdoors as part of our Outdoor in 24 initiative, and contributed to 399,000 badges being awarded. This relationship also helped generate record TikTok engagement for Scouts, as we’ve had over 240,000 views of our sleeping bag rolling competition.
• Our ‘Platforms for Change’ campaign, as part of our partnership with The Rail Industry, promoted railway safety alongside community impact. It won multiple prizes at the Corporate Engagement Awards 2025, and ‘National Partnership Champion’ at the Charity Times Awards.
• Our partnership with HSBC UK resulted in 40,000 Beavers and Cubs earning Money Skills badges, setting them up with lifelong financial skills. In addition, 2,600 young people got to learn directly from HSBC staff volunteering in their local Scout groups. We joined HSBC UK at the Labour and Conservative party conferences to promote financial skills for life alongside our Scouts’ Manifesto.
  
  

Working alongside statutory partners, trusts, and foundations helps Scouts to open new Sections to reach underserved communities and offer the life-changing opportunities that help our young people gain skills for life.

• The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Uniformed Youth Fund enabled 155 new Scout and Explorer Sections to open across England this year. This created over 3,100 new places for 10-18 year olds to gain skills for life. Crucially, this funding also helped recruit 460 new volunteers. DCMS funding plays a key role in reducing waiting lists, expanding access, and strengthening Scouts’ offering in underserved communities.
• ‘Generation Green 2’ funding, from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), enabled 3,350 young people from disadvantaged communities to get outdoors and enjoy nights away. Generation Green 2 provided fully-funded, two-night residentials where young people got to build lifelong connections to nature through activities.
• A grant from Rewilding Britain enabled us to pilot new plans around how we can actively support nature to thrive, while creating new opportunities for young people to develop green skills for life.
• We’re proud to have become long-term partners of Postcode Children Trust, supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. This funding played a pivotal role in our Skills for Life strategy, supporting our ambitious growth plans and enabling more young people to benefit from Scouts.
• Generous support from Islamic Relief UK (IRUK) has continued to help more young people in Muslim communities to join Scouts.
• Developing new fundraising initiatives help us to create sustainable ways for Scouts supporters to invest in the future of young people and keep membership fee increases to a minimum.
• We launched our Scouts lottery. By donating just £1 a week, participants stand a chance of winning up to £25,000.
• We encouraged more people to remember young people and Scouts in their wills by offering a free will-writing service. Leaving a legacy makes it easier for future volunteers and secures the future of Scouts in more communities.

Scouts remains committed to cost-effective fundraising that delivers the maximum impact. We were recognised as a sector-leading team and took home ‘Highly Commended Fundraising Team of the Year’ at the Charity Times Awards 2025.