Eagle Scout Application Guidelines and Procedures

Eagle Scout Rank Application Guidelines and Procedures

Note:  Merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms may only be earned by registered Scouts, and qualified Venturers and Sea Scouts. They may earn these awards until their 18th birthday. Any Venturer or Sea Scout who achieved the First Class rank in a Scout troop or as a Lone Scout may continue working for the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks and Eagle Palms while registered as a Venturer or Sea Scout up to their 18th birthday. 

In order for a Life Scout to appear before a district Eagle Scout board of review, the Life Scout’s completed Eagle Scout Rank Application, Supporting Documentation, Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook must be submitted to the Great Rivers Council Scouting Adventure Center for review and approval.  Depending on completeness and need for corrections or additions, review may require 1-2 weeks.

The highest rank in Scouts, BSA, that of Eagle Scout, is a significant honor that only a few scouts will attain.  We must be certain that each of us will maintain the high standards of the Eagle Scout rank, with all the requirements being met.  The following instructions should serve as Great Rivers Council specific guidelines.  The 12 steps to the Eagle Scout Rank are:

1. Upon elevation to Life rank, the Life Scout should download the current version of the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook from the Great Rivers Council (GRC) website. It shall be the responsibility of the Life Scout to read and understand the entire workbook before starting the process of selecting an Eagle Scout Service Project.  You may wish to mark and make notes of details as you read.  The Life Scout should record the time it takes to read and understand, to write the project, to secure donations, to make changes or corrections, and all time spent preparing the project for approval
2. The Life Scout is responsible for choosing an Eagle Scout Service Project with the concurrence of his unit leader and the approval of the unit committee.  An acceptable project must include:
   • Documentation in writing using the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook. The workbook must be used throughout the entire process of writing the proposal, developing the plan, and completing the report when the project is finished. The information must be clear and concise with enough detail that anyone reading it can understand what is going to be done.  The Life Scout should not make the project sound as though the Life Scout is working on the project alone. The Life Scout is leading a group of volunteers to complete the project. Therefore, the Life Scout should refrain from using ‘I’ too much.
   • This must be a project that will benefit a school, community, or religious group other than the Scouts, BSA. It must demonstrate the Scout’s ability to plan, budget time and money, direct, and give leadership to others.
   • Use drawings, photographs, and any other supporting documentation necessary to clearly define the project including, but not limited to:
     • Number of people to be used
     • Estimated time to perform the project
     • Date you wish to start the project.
     • A tentative deadline for project completion
     • Materials needed to do the project-give the estimate of the cost and where you got the estimate. Materials lists need to have at least one estimate of the cost from local vendors even if all the materials are to be donated.
   • Tools needed to do the project (include a first aid kit and refer to the Guide to Safe Scouting – Age Guidelines of Tool Use and Work at Elevations or Excavations for guidance on who can operate any power tools needed for the project.)
   • A statement that permission has been granted by the beneficiary and any municipal permits needed have been identified and will be obtained by the beneficiary.
   • Written approval from the institution or organization must be attached to the workbook if the beneficiary representative’s signature is not present on page E of the proposal.
3. Once the Life Scout has completed the Proposal through page E, the Life Scout must sign the proposal first (before presenting the proposal for any other signatures) and then present the project for approval through the following channels-gaining approval at each level
   • To the religious institution, school, or community representative
   • To the Unit leader—you must have his/her signature.
   • To the troop committee or its designated representative(s)—corrections will be made at this level before proceeding.  The troop committee chair should sign the corrected proposal.
   • The Eagle Coach or Troop Eagle Advancement Coordinator, or in their absence the unit leader, will assist the Life Scout in presenting the Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal to the district Eagle Scout Board of Review, its chairman, or the designated district Eagle Coordinator.  According to district practice, in-person presentation of the Project Proposal may be required. The Life Scout may be required to mail or e-mail the Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal to the approval authority.  Mail delivery may cause delays in completion of the process.
   • In each district, the designated Eagle Advancement Coordinator, a designated committee, or The District Eagle Scout Board of Review will review the project and return it to the Life Scout with approval signature or rejection.  If it is rejected, the reason, along with suggestions of what might be done to bring the project to a satisfactory level, will be attached to the workbook.  A rejected project will be returned to the Life Scout for the necessary corrections.  When it is corrected, the Life Scout will return it to the designated District Coordinator for approval.
   • If, or when, the proposal is approved, the project may begin.  The scout may not begin his project, or required fundraising, until the district Eagle Scout coordinator Board of Review approves it.
4. Once the Proposal is approved, complete the Project Plan portion of the workbook working with your unit coach, advisor, or scoutmaster to attain sufficient detail to complete the project
5. Do Your Project!
   • The Scout may ask for donations from local businesses but only for the cost of or in-kind supplies.
   • The fillable.pdf workbook will add additional pages as needed with additional page numbers included.  If further pages of plans, tables, pictures, or other materials are included they should be sequentially inserted and referenced in the presentation (F, G, H to follow C, D, E; or C2, C3 to follow page C).  The Scout may use a table of contents to reference where everything can be found.
   • Keep notes
   • Take pictures of the project if at all possible.
   • Upon completion of the project, the Life Scout will complete the Eagle Scout Service Project Report and sign page C of the report; then secure the signature of his/her unit leader and the representative of the beneficiary organization.  A letter of completion is necessary only if the beneficiary representative signature is not present in the workbook.
6. When all merit badges, leadership requirements, and the project are completed, the Life Scout completes the Eagle Scout Rank Application with the assistance of the unit leader.
   • If not using the fillable form on computer, complete the printed application legibly in ink.
   • Check to be sure the dates of joining, advancement, and birth date are correct.
   • Requirement 1.  Fill in Life Scout board of review date.  Assure at least six months elapse before Eagle board of review
   • Requirement 2.  List the full address of each person—street, city, state, zip code, phone number with area code, and e-mail address.  Any information not available or not disclosed should be indicated.  Your unit leader or unit Eagle Coach will advise on how to obtain recommendations.  If they are unsure, they should contact the District Eagle Coordinator.  In no case should the letters be directed to the Scout or his/her parents; they should be delivered to a third party unit Scout leader or the District Eagle Board of Review (GTA 9.0.1.7)
   • Requirement 3.  Carefully record month/date/year on all merit badges, along with the troop number where the Life Scout earned the merit badge.  Do not use ditto marks.
   • Requirement 4.  The begin date for leadership must be after the Life Scout board of review date.  (Leadership positions are at least six months of leadership: example of dates:  correct January 1, 2000 to July 1, 2000, not January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2000.  A combination of shorter leadership roles may total six months or more).
   • Requirement 5.  Complete the Eagle Service Project and all portions of the Workbook and enter date of completion, project name, and Grand total of hours
   • Requirement 6.  While a Life Scout, complete a unit leader conference.  Be sure to write the required Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose, list of any leadership positions held outside Scouts, and list of any Honors and Awards received during service outside Scouts.  If no leadership or Honors & Awards outside Scouting, you should state this.
   • Make sure all signatures are filled out and dates are completed.
7. Upon completion of the Eagle Scout Service Project and all other requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout, the Life Scout will be required to submit the completed Eagle Scout Application (Revised June 2022) with supporting documentation to the Scouting Adventure Center in Columbia, including the
   •  Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook.
   • Supporting documentation consisting of letters of recommendation collected by the Troop Advancement Chair or Eagle Coach,
   • Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose
   • List of leadership positions held
   • List of Honors & Awards received
8. The completed packet (see paragraph seven) is then reviewed by the Eagle Scout Service Team. Upon review and acceptance, the approval for the District Eagle Scout Board of Review is granted and the complete packet is returned to the unit leader of record or Eagle Coach, who contacts the District Advancement Chair or District Eagle Board Chair to schedule a Board of Review.

Under no circumstances will the District Eagle board of review be conducted prior to step eight.

1. Upon successful completion of the District Eagle Scout board of review, the Board of Review chairman signs and dates the Eagle Scout Rank Application and then returns it to the Eagle Scout Service at the Great Rivers Council Scouting Adventure Center.  It is the responsibility of the troop to retain supporting documents until the Eagle Scout Rank Application is approved by the National Eagle Scout Service Center of Scouts, BSA.
2. Upon receipt of the board of review approved Eagle Scout Rank Application, the Eagle Scout Service will review and sign as Great Rivers Council representative.  The application is then forwarded to the Great Rivers Council Scout Executive for certification and approval.
3. The certified application is submitted to the National Eagle Scout Service Center for final review and approval.

9.0.1.5 Submit to Council Service Center
 A copy should be made of the application; service project workbook; the Scout’s statement of ambitions and life purpose; and listing of positions, honors, and awards. Once copies are in safekeeping, the originals should be delivered promptly to the council service center. The candidate should not be delayed. Timeliness is especially critical if the candidate is approaching, or has already turned, 18. Sending materials late can imply the work continued afterward. If possible, everything should be hand-delivered. Otherwise it should be sent by registered or certified mail or as instructed by the local council. There is no requirement that the application must be completed or submitted before the 18th birthday. Councils do not have the authority to reject applications submitted on or after that date.

8.0.3.1 Eagle Scout Board of Review Beyond the 18th Birthday 
An Eagle Scout board of review may occur, without special approval, up to 24 months after a Scout’s 18th birthday. See “Boards of Review Must be Granted When Requirements are Met,” 8.0.0.2. Even if there are some concerns that requirements have not been fulfilled, the Scout is entitled to a board of review.