Purpose The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America--incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916--is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.

Chartered Organizations
Community-based organizations receive national charters to use the Scouting program as a part of their own youth work. These groups, which have goals compatible with those of the BSA, include religious, educational, civic, fraternal, business, and labor organizations; governmental bodies; corporations; professional associations; and citizens' groups.

Program Tiger Cubs BSA. A school-year program for first-grade (or 7-year-old) boys and their adult partners that stresses simplicity, shared leadership, learning about the community, and family understanding. Each boy-adult team meets for family activities, and twice a month all the teams meet for Tiger Cub den activities.
Cub Scouting. A family- and home-centered program for boys in the second through fifth grades (or who are 8, 9, and 10 years old). Fourth- and fifth-grade (or 10-year-old) boys are called Webelos Scouts (WE'll BE Loyal Scouts) and participate in more advanced activities that begin to prepare them to become Boy Scouts. Cub Scouting's emphasis is on quality program at the local level,
where most boys and families are involved.

Boy Scouting. A program for boys 11 through 17 designed to achieve the aims of Scouting through a vigorous outdoor program and peer group leadership with the counsel of an adult Scoutmaster. (Boys also may become Boy Scouts if they have earned the Arrow of Light Award or have completed the fifth grade.)

Varsity Scouting. An active, exciting program for young men 14 through 17 built around five program fields of emphasis: advancement, high adventure, personal development, service, and special programs and events.

Venturing. A program for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age to provide positive experiences through exciting and meaningful activities that help youth pursue their special interests, to grow, to develop leadership skills, and to become
good citizens.

Volunteer Leaders
Volunteer adult leaders serve at all levels of Scouting in approximately 327 local councils, 28 areas, and four regions, and nationally with volunteer executive boards and committees providing guidance.
Each autonomous local council is chartered by the BSA, which provides program and training aids along the guidelines established by the National Executive Board and the national charter from Congress.