Boy Scouts of America

National Camp Accreditation Program

Standards
Standards at a Glance
Authorization
Scoresheets
Resources/Circulars

Purpose of the National Camp Accreditation Program

The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America’s National Camp Accreditation Program (NCAP) is to help councils elevate camps to new levels of excellence in delivering Scouting’s promise to youth. Councils will engage in a rigorous review of camps and properties, continuous improvement, and correction or elimination of substandard practices.

The NCAP achieves this purpose through the following:

  • Application and Authorization to Operate review
  • National camp standards
  • Camp Strategic Analysis
  • Continuous Camp Improvement Program
  • Annual camp assessment process

Only camps that successfully complete all five aspects of the NCAP are BSA accredited camps.

You may direct questions about the National Camp Accreditation Program to ncap@scouting.org.

National Camp Standards

The BSA’s national camp standards are established to do the following:

  • Ensure that each camper and leader has a fun, high-quality program consistent with the BSA brand.
  • Ensure the health, safety, and well-being of every camper, leader, visitor, and staff member while participating in a BSA accredited camp

We encourage all camp directors and program directors, rangers, short-term camp administrators, council NCAP chairs and staff advisers to have a copy of the NCAP standards, either by free download or by purchasing a printed copy through National Supply which will be available after January 15, 2024

So what changed?  On October 24, 2024 a webinar was held to explain the changes – click here to watch the webinar

2025 NCAP Standards

 

These standards do not take into effect until

January 1, 2025

 

With changing our name to Scouting America there are not replacement pages to create an older version to the 2025 standards.  

After January 1, 2025 you will be able to purchase a copy of this book through National Supply 

2024 NCAP Standards

 

2024 Standards are in effect till Dec 31, 2024

Replacement Pages to update the 2023 Standards to the 2024 Standards

If you have a copy of the 2023 NCAP standards, you can download the replacement pages using this link: 2024 NCAP Replacement Pages

 

Replacement Pages for September 1, 2024 changes to the Range and Target Activities standards use this link:  Range and Target Activities Standards

 

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Standards at a Glance

If you are new to camp leadership, use the standards at a glance for each camp type to help you navigate the standards that may be applicable to your camp. Download the current year “at a glance” documents below. 

NCAP requires an intent to operate be submitted annually for camp property(s) and long-term camp(s) operated by BSA councils (see NCAP Standard AO-802). Intent to operate(s) will only be approved for council’s authorized to operate long-term camps on that specific camp property according to their current Authorization to Operate. If you have questions about your council’s current NCAP Authorization to Operate, please email ncap@scouting.org.

2025 Intent to Operate and 2024 Camping Attendance Reporting  Link: Click here

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Council Authorization

The NCAP’s multiyear authorization cycle begins with the council submitting an application to National through the NCAP Authorization Committee. This process is designed to help a council review its program and property and realize the true impact it has on its operation. The application contains a description of each of the council’s camps and camp properties for which it is seeking an Authorization to Operate. The council will use the Camp Facilities Evaluation Tool, an objective assessment of council camp facilities from a brand perspective, and the Council and Camp Sustainability Data Sheets that provide an objective assessment of the contribution of the camps, individually and collectively, to the council’s financial sustainability. The council will then develop for each long-term camp, a Camp Strategic Improvement Plan to review the programs, staffing, attendance, finances, and facilities, and then develop a plan to improve and grow in these areas. Finally, the council will make long-term commitments for improvement in the areas of finance, facilities, and program.

The application requires a review and approval by the council’s executive committee or executive board so that everyone understands the impact of the camp on the council. After completion of the documents, the National  NCAP team will review all documents and plans, and then provide the council with an Authorization Report detailing their findings and issue the council an Authorization to Operate for its camps and camp properties. This authorization is usually for a 5-year term. All BSA councils are required to have an Authorization to Operate.

 

The evaluation of your facilities needs to be an ongoing process by a team from the council looking at every aspect of the camp and the program it offers. Evaluate the buildings to see if they are sound and can physically handle the wear and tear of the operations of the property. The team also needs to make certain that a building meets the needs of the program that is being offered. A building that doesn’t meet the program needs—and maybe hampers the program—isn’t a good fit for the camp.

Is the camp appealing to the people who come to it? When a parent or community member drives into the camp, do the buildings and grounds meet the BSA’s brand? Does the camp make them want to stay or does it make them want to take their child, turn around, and never come back? The BSA and your council have an image. Does this camp and its buildings meet the image that you are trying to project?

In the evaluation of the buildings and program areas, items to be considered by a team are:

  1. Is the building/program area in good physical shape (no structural problems)?
  2. Does the building/program area meet the BSA’s brand?
  3. Does the building/program area meet the program needs?
  4. Are the building’s maintenance needs covered?
  5. Are the grounds maintained, and do the buildings have a fresh coat of paint on them?
  6. Is the sign at the camp entrance inviting?

The council should use the following document for preparing the report required for the Authorization process and at least every other year (if not every year) to assist in this process. 

 

The Continuous Camp Improvement Program is made up of an Annual Camp Improvement Plan (ACIP) and a Camp Strategic Improvement Plan (CSIP) and provides camps the opportunity to review the program, facilities, finances, staffing, and other areas, and then develop a process for improvements. In the Authorization process, the council develops a 4 to 7 year Camp Strategic Improvement Plan (CSIP)  for each long-term camp, which minimally:

  • Utilizes the feedback obtained from the previous Authorization’s CSIP.
  • Involves council operating committees and camp management in the review, SWOT analysis, and prioritization/selection of at least five areas to be addressed for each long-term camp.
  • Creates specific, measurable, SMART goals with timelines and implementation steps for each of the areas to be improved. (CSIP goals should include the following: program, program equipment, marketing and communications, facilities, finances, staff, and attendees/participation.)
  • Includes the desired CFET goal to be achieved within the proposed authorization term (five years) for each property and improvement goals for any camp facilities currently rated as fair (D) or poor (F), needing to be brought up to acceptable levels, if these areas are not included in the ACIP.

The council should expect to provide an updated progress summary of each long-term camps CSIP goals as part of its next NCAP Authorization process.  

The Interim Report is no longer required for councils to submit after 3 years into an authorization, but it is encouraged for councils to update their board with a document

Interim Report

NCAP On-line Training

To learn more about the National Camp Accreditation Program (NCAP) we encourage you to take the yearly NCAP On-line Training session.  This is a yearly training that expires every year on December 31st.  All Assessors are required to take this training yearly.  

The training is on www.my.scouting.org > Learning Center > Catalog > Search for NCAP

To assist you in finding the course here is a PDF to show you the steps.  

Annual Assessment Program - Scoresheets

All BSA accredited camps undergo an annual assessment process. Resident, trek, and specialty-adventure and high-adventure camps go through a third-party assessment process coordinated by the responsible BSA area. Day camps are subject to a thorough self-assessment annually.  Short-term camps are assessed by the Short-term Camp Administrator of the event.  Based on the results of the annual review, each BSA camp—regardless of type—will receive an individualized accreditation decision. Accreditation is the mark that the camp program provides a fun, high-quality, and safe program consistent with what the public expects of Scouting. 

There are two types of assessments:

Self-Assessments – Conducted by the Council for Day Camps, Family Camps and Properties

Nationally Led Assessments – Conducted for all other camps and led by the Area NCAP team

The Scoresheet itself has changed and we have converted to a new program.  It is a web-based program that can be done on a computer, tablet or your phone.  The questions have stayed the same as before, but the actual program is different – you must have access to the internet to make this work and you need to complete it in one sitting.

The program is designed to automatically send the results to the required people and will ask you at the end of the scoresheet for your email address and the camp director’s email address so that you both also get a copy of the report.  Those receiving copies are:  Region NCAP Assessment Chair, Area Assessment Chair, Scout Executive, and the National NCAP Team.  We then ask that the Assessment Team Leader make a PDF copy once you are done and send it to the Camp Director for their files.

To do the official scoresheet for a camp, go to: Official Scoresheet

This is an optional item that can be used as a leave behind at the camp so they know exactly what will be entered on the Official Scoresheet 

Leave behind document – Fillable PDF version

 

National Camping School

National Camping School is designed to help guide camp leadership to have successful strong programs in all Boy Scouts of America camping programs.

 For the Latest information on National Camping School click HERE

Short-Term Camp

Click HERE for information and resources for short-term camp

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Additional Resources

  • NCAP Circulars

The National Council periodically issues NCAP Circulars to provide authoritative guidance to councils, areas, and regions in implementing the program. (Most recent listed first) 

Please direct any questions about the National Camp Accreditation Program to ncap@scouting.org

NCAP Authorization Reviewers Page (Password Protected)

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Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.