There are many awards available in Cub Scouts beyond adventures and rank advancement! Please review the opportunities below. Use the contact page for any questions, or ask your Den Leader(s).
Individual Cub Scout Awards
The awards listed below can be earned by individual Scouts.
| Award | Lion (K) | Tiger (1st) | Wolf (2nd) | Bear (3rd) | Webelos (4th) | Arrow of Light (5th) |
| Conservation Good Turn (Patch) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Interpreter Strips | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Messengers of Peace | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Recruiter Strip | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Religious Emblems | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| STEM Nova Awards (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| STEM Supernova Award (Dr. Louis W. Alvarez) | Y | Y | ||||
| STEM Supernova Award (Dr. Charles Townes) | Y | Y | ||||
| International Spirit Award | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| Arrow of Light | Y |
| DISCONTINEUD Awards (as of 6/01/2024) | Lion (K) | Tiger (1st) | Wolf (2nd) | Bear (3rd) | Webelos (4th) | Arrow of Light (5th) |
| National Summer Time Pack Award (Pin) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Outdoor Activity Award | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Shooting Sports Awards (Archery, BB Gun, Slingshot) | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| World Conservation Award | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Den Awards
The awards listed below can be earned by individual Dens.
| Award | Availability | Description |
| National Den Award | Annually | To encourage dens to or that have a quality, year-round program; to qualify, dens do service and conservation projects, Cub Scout Academics and Sports activities, field trips, character building, and camping; dens earn the award as a team, not as individual den members. Submit the application to the Pack Committee Chair. |
Pack Awards
The awards listed below can be earned by the Pack.
| Award | Availability | Description |
| Conservation Good Turn | Annually | Since 1910, conservation has been an integral part of the program of the BSA. Scouts have rendered distinguished public service by helping to conserve wildlife, energy, forests, soil, and water. Past generations of Scouts have been widely recognized for undertaking conservation Good Turn action projects in their local communities. • A Conservation Good Turn certificate is available at the council service center for units that participate and report on their efforts. • A Conservation Good Turn patch is also available for purchase at the council service center to recognize individual youth and adult members who participate in a meaningful conservation project. |
| Journey to Excellence (Bronze/Silver/Gold) | Annually | Journey to Excellence (JTE) is the Boy Scouts of America program to help units plan, monitor and evaluate their performance and their ability to serve youth. There are specific criteria for the unit to plan and accomplish. JTE is a number of performance measurements that are known to make for a successful Scouting program. The unit leadership reviews the performance measurements and makes plans to achieve as many objectives as possible. There are four major areas that JTE focuses on, including: planning and budgeting, membership, program, and volunteer leadership. Each of the four major areas has specific and measurable objectives. These standards are reviewed each year and if needed, revised. |
Adult Awards
The awards listed below can be earned by Pack Leaders.
| Award | Registered Adult | Den Leaders | Cubmaster | Description |
| Scouter’s Training Award for Cub Scout Leaders | Y | Y | This award can be presented to registered Cub Scout adult leaders who have two years’ tenure in the pack and have completed position-specific training and other performance requirements designed to encourage and recognize those who give of their resources to make the pack successful. Tenure does not need to be in the same position. | |
| Den Leader Training Award | Y | This award recognizes den leaders who have completed training, tenure, and performance requirements. It is available for Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos den leaders and can be earned in each position, but tenure must be completed separately for each award. | ||
| Cubmaster’s Key | Y | This award is for Cub Scout adult leaders with three years’ tenure—including at least two years as Cubmaster—who have completed training and other performance requirements. The Cubmaster’s Key is also a great way to incorporate a succession plan for Cubmaster. | ||
| Unit Leader Award of Merit | Y | The Unit Leader Award of Merit is presented to unit leaders to encourage units to be strong and viable by attaining certain benchmark characteristics of strong units. The top youth leader for the unit must nominate the unit leader, given he/she has met the seven requirements. The nomination is certified by the unit commissioner. | ||
| Interpreter Strips | Y | Y | Y | Scouting is a worldwide organization and encourages youth and adults to share their culture and heritage with others. The interpreter strip informs others that you can communicate in a foreign language, American sign language, or Morse code. Youth and adults may wear this strip if they show their knowledge of a foreign language or the sign language for the hearing impaired. |
| Religious Emblems | Y | Y | Y | Most of the major religious bodies in the United States have programs to recognize adult volunteers who demonstrate faith, observe their creeds or principles, and give service. The religious emblems are not Scouting awards; however, they may be worn on the upper left pocket of the adult leader uniform. Most of these awards require nominations. |
| Veteran Scout Recognition | Y | Y | Y | After five years of registered service in the Boy Scouts of America, an adult may, upon application, receive the designation of “Veteran.” There are additional veteran awards for every five years. Applications are submitted to the local council service center. |
The awards listed below can also be earned by Pack Leaders, but are less common.
| Award | Registered Adult | Self-Nomination? | Description |
| Alumni Award | Y | Y | The BSA Alumni Award is a recognition program to encourage participation and work in council alumni relations programs, including NESA activities; areas of work include alumni identification/promotion, alumni engagement, personal participation, and education. |
| Alumnus of the Year | Y | N | The Boy Scouts of America Alumnus of the Year Award is BSA Alumni Association’s highest recognition. This award was established to recognize alumni of the BSA who, over a sustained period, have used the skills and values they learned through their association with scouting to make significant and long-lasting contributions to the scouting alumni movement, to scouting in general and their communities. This is not meant to be another Man of the Year, Good Citizen, or general Philanthropist award. There are three levels of this award – national, territories and council – that may be granted for alumni service. |
| Community Organization Award | Y | N | Community Organization Award is a generic term used by the BSA to identify a category of awards used by secular, national, and community organizations to recognize their members for voluntary service and achievement. The organization must also be a BSA national chartered organization. The recognition piece, the concept of the award, and the criteria for awarding and presenting it are developed and owned by the national community organization, which is also a chartered organization with the Boy Scouts of America. More than 20 different national chartered organizations have this award, including: • AFL/CIO George Meany Award • Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Good Turn Service Award • Alpha Phi Omega Herbert G. Horton Youth Service Award • American Legion Scouting Award • AMVET Boy Scouts of America Youth Outreach Award • ARRL Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award • Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Marvin M. Lewis Award • Charles L. Sommers Alumni Association, George D. Hedrick Volunteer Service Award • Department of Defense-United States Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal • International Fellowship of Scouting Rotarians Cliff Dochterman Award • Kiwanis International – Boy Scouts of America Community Organization Award • Lions Club Scouting Service Award • Masonic Daniel Carter Beard Scouter Award • Military Order of the World Wars • National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Boy Scout Volunteer Award | Requirements • Nonprofit Leadership Alliance H. Roe Bartle Training Award • Philmont Staff Association, Silver Sage Award • Ruritan National Service Clubs Scout Leader Community Service Award • United States Power Squadrons, Raymond A. Finley, Jr. Sea Scout Service Award • Veterans of Foreign Wars Scouter’s Achievement Award • Woods Services, Woods Services Award for Scouting With Special Needs |
| District Award of Merit | Y | N | This is the highest honor a local district can bestow upon a volunteer. The award is presented to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level. How districts accept nominations and present this award may vary. |
| James E. West Award | Y | Y | Like many community organizations, Scouting requires financial support today and into the future. This award is presented to recognize those who have given at a particular level to local council endowment funds. To learn more about this and other awards associated with financial gifts to Scouting, contact your local council service center. |
| NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) | Eagle Scouts | N | The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) established the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award during the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America in 2010. Popularly known by its acronym, “NOESA,” the award recognizes Eagle Scouts notable for their local, state, regional, or national distinguished service who do not yet meet more stringent nomination requirements for the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA). Candidates for the NOESA have inspired others through their positive actions reflected by recognized accomplishments and devotion to their profession, hobby, community, and beliefs. Previous recipients include authors, explorers, television personalities, military flag officers, scientists, medical doctors, government officials, prominent business people, and entrepreneurs. |
| ¡Scouting … Vale la Pena! Service Award | Y | N | in development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for Hispanic/Latino youth. It is presented by the local council, which also sets the qualifications. |
| Silver Beaver Award | Y | N | The highest honor a council can bestow on a volunteer is the Silver Beaver. Recipients of this award are registered Scouters who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given at the council level. How councils accept nominations and present this award may vary. |
| Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award | Y | N | The Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award recognizes outstanding service by an adult or an organization involved in development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds. |
| William D. Boyce Award | Y | Y | As local communities grow, the opportunity to start a new pack increases. For those adults who establish a new pack, troop, crew, or ship with a chartered organization. |