The World Scout Foundation

About the Foundation

The World Scout Foundation develops and strengthens the impact of Scouting worldwide through the provision of financial and other resources to the World Organisation of the Scout Movement. It unites select philanthropic institutions, corporate investment and government support with a phenomenal global network of passionate and dedicated individual supporters of Scouting, "Baden-Powell Fellows", who give their time and resources, and lend their name and networks to help young people to create a better world.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do, driving the Foundation’s goals by generously giving to the cause of World Scouting, and helping us to continue growing our network. Together, we have embarked on an ambitious Strategy 2022–2030 to raise an additional USD 100 Million and further engage an enlarged network of incredible supporters to boost the resources that we provide to World Scouting, so that more young people and their communities worldwide can benefit.

The Foundation itself is an international non-profit institution, incorporated under Swiss law, based in Geneva, Switzerland. It was established on 14 February 1969, and then re-organised into its current form in 1977, under the patronage of His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, The King of Sweden, who has been the Honorary Chairman since 1977.

The original investment of USD 10,000 has now grown to over USD 68 million. In fact, the Foundation has provided millions to Scouting since its founding, including over USD 75 Million over the past 10 years, through direct grants to the World Organisation of the Scout Movement and project grants to global and national-level Scouting. It manages capital investments from individuals, foundations, corporations, governments and members of the Scout Movement who all wish to empower young people with critical skills, values, confidence and knowledge to develop as active citizens who lead positive action in their local communities, both during their time in Scouting, then throughout their lives. The Foundation also seeks non-capital investments to support specific global projects, such as Scouting’s Messengers of Peace, Ticket to Life and Scouts for SDGs and capacity building projects for National Scout Organisations based on World Scouting's quality standard, the Global Support Assessment Tool.

Organisation

To support our global network of inspired donors, the Foundation is organised as follows:

The Foundation Board, is comprised of around 25 appointed Board Members and ex-officio Members including the World Scout Committee Chairperson, a World Scout Committee Vice-Chairperson and the Secretary General of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement.
The Executive Committee, ensures the proper functioning of the Foundation between meetings of the Board.
Board Sub-committees, such as the Audit Committee, Investment Committee, Nominations Committee, Oversight Committee, and four Fundraising Committees (Institutional, High Value Donors, Honours Programme and BP Fellows).
The Secretariat, in Geneva & Kandersteg, Switzerland, is composed of a Chief Executive Officer and five staff members, who manage the daily business of the Foundation. The CEO is appointed by the Executive Committee.