Silver Beaver Award

This is the highest award a Council can confer upon an adult volunteer.

What is the Silver Beaver Award?

The Silver Beaver Award is a national award presented by councils. Annually, the council president will appoint a Silver Beaver Award committee that will consider candidates and make recommendations.

Nominations will not be considered for former professional Scouters or council employees within five years of their leaving employment with BSA (i.e., any form of full-time employment such as secretary, ranger, or professional-technical position). Nominations cannot be made for posthumous awards. The award is limited to adults 21 years of age or older. The requirements and procedures are as follows:

This award may be made each year upon the nomination of chartered local councils. These nominations shall be submitted not fewer than thirty days in advance of the date upon which it is desired to present the awards.

The award is made for noteworthy service of exceptional character to youth by registered Scouters within the territory under the jurisdiction of a local office.

As evidence of the award there shall be presented; a suitable certificate, duly authenticated by the Boy Scouts of America, pursuant to the action of the National Court of Honor; and a miniature silver beaver suspended by a blue and white ribbon to be worn around the neck.

It shall be general policy that no public announcements shall be made by the local council in advance of action by the National Court of Honor with reference to names presented for consideration.

These awards shall be made to the recipients by the local council in connection with its annual meeting or other suitable public function.

Each chartered local council shall be entitled to one nomination. Councils having more than sixty units shall be entitled to further nominations on the basis of one for each additional sixty units or fraction thereof in their territory, as of December 31 preceding the nomination, according to the records of the national office.

Councils not using their full allotment in any year may accumulate the unused portion for use in any subsequent year.

In extraordinary cases, the Silver Beaver Award may be made by the National Court of Honor to a Scouter upon the recommendation of Scouting authorities who have supervision of one or more units of the Boy Scouts of America, located outside of the United States, and not under the jurisdiction of a local council.

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Advancement Committee Guide: Policies and Procedures,  BSA Publication # 33088, © 1989 Boy Scouts of America,  2006 Printing,  pp. 47-48.