The Role of the Unit Advancement Coordinator

The Unit Advancement Coordinator provides a smooth implementation of the advancement process and is knowledgeable of the Scouting America Guide to Advancement. This includes working with the Life Scouts, unit leader and the Unit Eagle Advisor/Mentor if your unit has one.

  1. Maintain all accurate reports of all advancements, merit badges, positions of responsibility, and any other awards and submits them to the Council Service Center in a timely manner. A best practice is to electronically process all unit advancement on a monthly basis.
  2. During Boards of Reviews for all ranks, talk to the Scouts about their progress and expectations. At the Life Scout Board of Review specifically ask about the Scout’s desire to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
  3. Direct the Life Scout to the council website to download all documents needed for their Eagle Scout rank advancement, as well as the step-by-step procedures for the Eagle Scout Service Project and the Eagle Rank Application.
  4. Advise the Scout to attend the next Council or District Life to Eagle Seminar, when available. It is suggested that you attend as well.
  5. Direct the Scout to the unit leader, or your Life to Eagle Advisor/Mentor if applicable, to discuss their project ideas. Suggest the Scout also find a project coach (a project coach is a registered adult who is very familiar with the Eagle Scout Service Project process and the workbook contents).
  6. As a unit committee member, you should participate in the review and approval of the Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal.
  7. Ensure that the Scout has all the necessary contact information completed on the Contact Information page of the Project Proposal.
  8. Ensure that the Scout submits the Project Proposal, including the signature page and Contact Information sheet, to the District Advancement Chair.
  9. The unit’s advancement coordinator must be sure all the Eagle Candidate’s advancement records are submitted to the Council Service Center prior to the Scout handing in the Eagle Scout Rank Application, including the Contact Information page. You can ask the Registrar for an electronic copy of the Scout’s official record to confirm all advancements are recorded.
  10. Decide who will chair the Eagle board of review after the District Advancement Chair contacts the unit. In most units, either the advancement coordinator or the unit committee chair will be the Eagle board of review chair. A district advancement committee representative must attend the Eagle board of review, in a process oversight capacity representing the District.
  11. The Board approval must be unanimous. If so, the Eagle board of review chair and the district representative signs the application. If the vote is not unanimous, the reasons must be given to the Scout in writing. The procedures for this process are clearly outlined in the Guide to Advancement, Section 8.
  12. If the Scout is approved for the rank of Eagle Scout at the Eagle board of review, the application is returned to the Council Service Center by the district representative or a designee for final processing. When complete, the Council will notify the advancement coordinator that the documents are available at the Council Service Center for pick up. Only at this time, the Eagle Court of Honor can be scheduled.