The Challenge: Outdated Tech and Manual Bottlenecks
Samoset Council serves 15 counties and about 1,800 Scouts each year. But their summer camp program near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, is significantly larger, serving about 4,000 campers from 30 different councils across the Midwest.
Samoset’s administrative operations were being held back by a legacy software system that wasn’t keeping up with its technology needs. The administrative burden was heavy. Payments were primarily handled over the counter or via mailed checks to avoid credit card fees, requiring staff to manually record payments and make bank deposits.
Furthermore, managing merit badges was a paper-heavy process. All class schedule changes had to be funneled through a single person in the camp office, creating a bottleneck. The council needed a solution that was mobile-friendly, intuitive, and affordable for a small council.
The Solution: A Mobile-First, All-in-One Platform
Samoset Council adopted CouncilWare in 2024 to modernize its registration, payments, and facility management, effectively shifting operations from manual data entry to self-service empowerment. By consolidating these functions into a single mobile interface, the platform offers a holistic solution that streamlines electronic payments, on-site class management, and facility rentals for staff, volunteers, and families alike.
Electronic Payments
Units can now log in, input routing numbers, and pay electronically, eliminating the manual processing of checks.
Mobile Class Management
Instructors teaching classes like Wood Carving or Snow Sports can manage rosters, add walk-ins, and track requirements directly on their phones or tablets at the instruction site.
Pictured: Desktop version of the requirements tracking page for Samoset Council’s Wood Carving Merit Badge, courtesy of CouncilWare.
Pictured: iPad version of the requirements tracking page for Samoset Council’s Wood Carving Merit Badge, courtesy of CouncilWare.
Parent Portals
Parents can log in to view their child’s schedule and make individual payments that reflect on the unit’s dashboard.
Pictured: Desktop version of the parent portal for Samoset Council, courtesy of CouncilWare.
Facility Reservations
The council uses CouncilWare to manage rentals for cabins and equipment for both Scout units and outside groups (weddings, corporate retreats).
Pictured: Desktop version of the Facility Reservations page for Samoset Council, courtesy of CouncilWare.
The Results: Less Paperwork, More Program
The impact of switching to CouncilWare was immediate and quantifiable. Samoset executive Scott Domino estimates the software saves him approximately 10 hours per week in administrative time. This efficiency was driven by a fundamental shift in workflow that decentralized administrative tasks, automated financial processing, and consolidated software costs into a single, intuitive solution.
By moving to CouncilWare’s electronic payment system, the time required to process finances dropped considerably.
“We only processed four or five checks over the counter in 2025 and we had about 200 different groups going to summer camp.”
Scott Domino, Samoset Council executive
2. Distributed Workload
The system removed the “front desk bottleneck.” Instead of one admin managing every schedule change, the summer camp staff could manage their own class rosters digitally.
“It took that administrative work and put it where it needed to be because… the instructors know who’s showing up.”
Scott Domino, Samoset Council executive
3. Improved Communication & Reporting
The system allows unit leaders and parents to see the same data the council sees, reducing confusion. At the end of camp, units can download reports immediately rather than waiting for paper records.
“The number of phone calls we received this year were considerably less due to the intuitive nature of CouncilWare.”
Scott Domino, Samoset Council executive
4. Significant Cost Savings
For a small council, budget is critical. Scott noted that competing software packages could cost up to 10 times as much as CouncilWare for similar functionality. Additionally, CouncilWare consolidated functions — like facility reservations — that previously required purchasing separate software.
The CouncilWare Difference
Samoset Council found that CouncilWare wasn’t just software; it was a partnership. Russ Votava, CouncilWare’s founder and developer, provided responsive support, implementing specific feature requests such as reminder notifications for property rangers and roster management tools for instructors.
“This system… it’s built for the scouts. It’s a lot more specific to our needs.”
Scott Domino, Samoset Council executive
CouncilWare is the smart, affordable choice for councils dedicated to their mission. Book a demo to learn more about our solution.
