Council Refund Policy

Suwannee River Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
Activities and Training Refund Policy
Effective July 1, 2015
Last updated August 20, 2021

The Suwannee River Area Council, through its Executive Board, has adopted this policy in order to provide maximum flexibility to participants, while protecting the council’s pre-paid program expenses based on registration numbers and requirements beyond our control. Once adopted, this policy supersedes all previous refund policies for events and camps within the council. The Suwannee River Area Council will consider and process refunds for fees paid for activities and training under the following conditions:

• By adoption of this policy, the Council Scout Executive or his designated staff member will have the authority to make refund approvals outlined in the policy.
  • Requests must be made in writing to the Council Service Center via mail, fax, or email. All emails must be sent to jimmy.henderson@scouting.org. Only written requests will be considered for approval.
  • All refund requests must be received NO LATER THAN ONE WEEK (7 calendar days) after the event is completed. Requests received after this time will not be processed.
    • Requests for refund for most council events/activities will be considered/processed, based on the “Refund Schedule” below. So long as the request is made:
      • One week or more before event = 100% Refund
      • Less than one week and up to the event = 85% Refund
      • Up to one week after the event = 60% Refund
      • More than one week after the event = No Refund

This schedule does not include “special events/activities” such as National Jamboree, High Adventure contingents or other similar events/activities.

• Fee transfers for these events/activities from one participant to another may be made without penalty as long as the council is not expected to refund/re-imburse the original participant.
• For Council High Adventure Contingents, National Jamborees, and other similar events, refunds of any costs already incurred will be considered only if another paid participant has replaced the participant that has cancelled. The refund will be less any costs incurred by these changes that cannot be transferred/refunded (non-transferable/refundable deposits, airfare, activity fees, transportation, etc).
  • The replacement participant will be expected to pay all fees directly to the council office, in order for the original participant to be considered for a refund. Refunds cannot be considered if the parties involved have worked out any sort of private financial arrangement.
  • Refunds cannot be issued to the original participant, until all fees are caught up in full by the replacement.
• Reasons for requesting a refund, include:
  • Illness or injury preventing attendance
  • The event or activity is cancelled or rescheduled
  • Work or Family Emergency
  • Other reasons may be requested, but may require longer processing/approval time

No request is automatically guaranteed to receive approval

• Refunds for fees of $10 or less will not be issued.
• Refunds are not given for no shows (except as permitted within this policy) or for bad weather that does not warrant event cancellation
• If an activity is postponed and the participant cannot make the alternate date, then refunds will be considered based on the refund schedule above. If postponed just one week, 100% refunds may be requested up to 4 days before the event, 85% refunds at 3 days or less.
• Refunds for Order of the Arrow events are subject to all of the above and will be issued only with the approval of the Lodge Staff Adviser.
• Approved refunds will be processed within thirty (30) days of the approval and made via check or credit card reversal, at the discretion of the Council staff, to the original payer for individual registrations or to the unit, in the case of fees paid as part of a unit registration, i.e. Summer Camp, Camporees etc. NO CASH REFUNDS will ever be made, regardless of the method of original payment.
• Regardless of the above, special hardship case requests can be submitted and up to 100% refunds may be processed in the event of certain serious personal injury or family emergency cases. If requesting a special hardship, please note in the request. These cases must be reviewed individually by the Scout Executive in consultation with the Council President and Council Vice President of Programs.ji