irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0TO PROMOTE THE BASIC PURPOSE OF THE SCOUTING MOVEMENT BY PROVIDING AN OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN CAN EXPERIENCE THE BASIC VALUES OF THE PROGRAM. APPROX. 2,500 SERVED.
- #2 $0TO PROVIDE A COMMUNITY WIDE SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO ASSIST ALL VOLUNTEER ADULT LEADERS IN PROVIDING MEANINGFUL SPECIAL EVENTS THAT INSPIRE AND EDUCATE SCOUTS BEYOND THE RESOURCE OF THE LOCAL UNIT. APPROX. 3,500 SERVED.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Camping Program
Provides outdoor experiences for youth to develop Scouting values through in-person camping activities; served approximately 2,500 youth annually pre-pandemic and during recovery
MESH (Mental, Emotional & Social Health)
Initiative to equip leaders with skills to support youth mental wellness, manage stressors, and address youth-on-youth abuse
Special Events & Activities
Supports volunteer leaders in delivering community-wide events that extend Scouting education beyond local units; served approximately 3,500 youth annually
Youth Protection Training
Mandatory annual training for all adult volunteers focused on preventing abuse, ensuring two-deep leadership, and promoting youth safety
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Youth Scouting Leadership Programs 4 activities
- Geographic district support structureOrganizes Scouting programs into six geographic districts to support local units and deliver age-appropriate, safe, and affordable programming across Western New York and the Twin Tiers.
- Scout camp operationsOperates three Scout camps—Camp Gorton, Camp Scouthaven, and Camp Sam Wood—for youth programming in Western New York, offering outdoor camping experiences where young people engage with the core values of Scouting. Resumed in-person camping programs for approximately 2,500 youth after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.
- Volunteer recruitment and managementDistributes membership flyers to local school students to recruit new participants and supports volunteer leaders through training and administrative systems. Recruits staff and Counselors-in-Training (CITs) for summer camp programs at three Scout camps.
- Youth Scouting programsProvides youth development programs for boys and girls ages 5–20 through Scouting units focused on building friendships, life skills, leadership, and community. Serves over 5,300 youth and 3,000 adult volunteers across more than 300 units in Western New York and the Twin Tiers, including parts of Pennsylvania.
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Facility-Based Service Delivery 1 activity
- Administrative office operationsOperates administrative offices in Buffalo, Oakfield, and Elmira, NY to support regional Scouting program delivery and volunteer coordination.
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Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
- Community service initiativesConducts an annual Scouting for Food drive that supports regional food pantries, mobilizing youth to collect and distribute food within their communities.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Council-wide Scouting eventsOrganizes large-scale Scouting events including Adventure Fest 2026 at Watkins Glen International and other special in-person activities supported by a community-wide structure for volunteer leaders. Resumed in-person special activities for approximately 3,500 Scouts after pandemic restrictions eased.
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Guided Outdoor Expedition Programs 1 activity
- High-adventure outdoor programsRuns high-adventure canoeing programs through Birchbark Expeditions in Western NY, the Adirondacks, and Ontario, Canada, and organizes youth participation in national High Adventure programs such as Sea Base, the Summit, and Philmont.
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Youth Safety and Protection Programs 1 activity
- Staff and volunteer safety complianceImplements comprehensive youth protection policies including mandatory annual Safeguarding Youth Training (with membership suspension for non-compliance), Two-Deep Leadership policy requiring two registered adults at all activities, national criminal background checks, screening against Ineligible Volunteer Files, and Pennsylvania Act 153 background clearances. Uses an online database to manage volunteer clearance documents with automated renewal reminders.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$5.72M
Contributions & grants$721K13%
Program service revenue$655K11%
Investment income$3.79M66%
Other revenue$552K
expenses
Total expenses$2.26M
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$1.28M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$19.10M
Cash$1.36M
Investments$14.61M
Liabilities$2.75M
Net assets$16.35M
Liquid reserves84.8 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +258.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY DECKER | CEO & SCOUT | 40 | $180K |
board members · 17
- ANTHONY RUPP — VP- FUND DEV
- BEN LINK — VP- DIST. OP
- BOB CONFER — EXECUTIVE VP
- BRIAN D'ARCY — VP- PROGRAM
- DARLENE SPRAGUE — VP- MEMBERSH
- GEORGE BACALLES — VP- CAMPING
- JEFF HAHN — VP- ENDOWMEN
- JILL VANDEWOESTINE — VP- MARKETIN
- JOHN MOSCATI — LEGAL COUNSE
- JOHN SHARKEY — EXECUTIVE VP
- JOSEPH LANE — VP- LEADERSH
- KEVIN CROSS — PRESIDENT
- MARC MCGRAIN — ASST. COMMIS
- MICHAEL HATTON — TREASURER
- SEE ATTACHED LISTING — DIRECTOR
- STEPHEN MOULTON — VP- FINANCE
- THOMAS O'DONNELL — VP- SAFETY &
relationships · 24
Who they work with
- Boy Scouts of America Network — Local council affiliated with the national Boy Scouts of America organization.
- Boy Scouts of America Network — Member organization implementing the national Boy Scouts of America educational and character development program.
- Cliff Cyr Partner — Scouts BSA Roundtable Commissioner for Winding Rivers District
- David Robinson Partner — CS Roundtable Commissioner for Winding Rivers District
- Department of Human Services (Pennsylvania) Government — Issues Child Abuse History Clearance for volunteers
- Facebook Network — Hosts official district Facebook pages for communication and outreach.
- Facebook Partner — Maintains a Facebook page for communication and outreach.
- Great Trails District Network — District within the Great Falls Council serving specific counties in New York.
- IDEMIA/Identogo Partner — Administers FBI fingerprint-based federal criminal history checks for volunteers
- Jim Swimelar Partner — Assistant District Commissioner for Winding Rivers District
- Ken Brothers Partner — Camping lead for Winding Rivers District
- NOCO Partner — Powering partner for Adventure Fest 2026
- North Star District Units Network — Local Scouting units operating under the North Star District structure.
- Paula Umber Partner — District Executive for Winding Rivers District
- Pennsylvania State Police Government — Source of criminal history record checks for volunteer clearances
- Philmont Partner — Partners with Philmont Scout Ranch to provide high-adventure backpacking and wilderness programs for youth.
- Scenic Trails District Network — District within the Great Falls Council serving specific counties in New York and Pennsylvania.
- Scouting America Network — Great Falls Council is part of the national Scouting America organization, offering joint career opportunities.
- Scouting America Network — Great Falls Council operates under Scouting America's national policies, training systems, and program initiatives including Youth Protection and MESH.
- Sea Base Partner — Partners with Sea Base to provide high-adventure maritime programs for youth.
- Timothy Bruce Partner — Training lead for Winding Rivers District
- WhiteTailGFCScouting Partner — District maintains an official Facebook presence for communication and outreach.
- Youth Protection Training Partner — Provides mandatory annual training for staff and volunteers on youth protection.
- the Summit Partner — Partners with the Summit to provide high-adventure outdoor experiences for youth.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Character-Based Leadership Development via Scout Oath and Lawmethodology: character_based_leadershipBy grounding youth development in the Scout Oath and Scout Law, the organization fosters ethical decision-making and moral growth, because these values provide a consistent framework for personal conduct and leadership.
- Experiential Learning for Holistic Youth Developmentmethodology: experiential_learningBy using outdoor and hands-on experiences as core educational tools, the organization builds self-reliance, citizenship, and physical fitness, because direct engagement reinforces learning and personal growth more effectively than passive instruction.
- Mental, Emotional, and Social Health (MESH) Support Through Adult Leader Trainingmethodology: MESHBy training adult leaders to recognize early signs of mental wellness challenges, the organization builds youth resilience and promotes timely intervention, because trusted adults in consistent contact with youth are best positioned to support their social-emotional development.
- Safety Through Structural Safeguards and Abuse Prevention Protocolsmethodology: safeguarding_through_structureBy implementing the two-deep leadership rule, tiered background checks, and the recognize-resist-report model, the organization reduces risk of abuse and increases safety, because systemic barriers to misconduct—combined with education—are more effective than reliance on individual vigilance alone.