POPCORN FUNDRAISER 2026
The Trail’s End popcorn fundraiser is the Long Beach Area Council’s largest unit fundraiser. Scouts in Long Beach, Lakewood, Bellflower, Signal Hill, and Avalon earn 25% to 35% commission to pay for summer camp, dues, gear, and high adventure. Storefront sales begin Friday, September 4, 2026. Online sales are open now.
Jump to sections by clicking the links below!
FAQ
ABOUT POPCORN
2026 CAMPAIGN
SCOUTS & FAMILIES
KERNELS
Contact:
Kevin Folkerts, Council Kernel | Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org | 562-900-3406
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The essentials: Storefront sales begin Friday, September 4, 2026. Scouts earn 25% to 35% commission. Unit initial orders are due Saturday, August 15, 2026. Questions go to Kevin Folkerts, Council Kernel, at Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org or 562-900-3406.
ABOUT THE POPCORN FUNDRAISER
The Trail’s End popcorn fundraiser offers a flexible, scalable fundraiser that can be done on an individual or unit level. The fundraiser offers 25%-35% commission along with prizes and promotions to provide additional funding and help with motivation. It also provides the council additional funds for all Scouts who participate.
Scouts learn public speaking, sales and customer service skills as they work with the public to garner donations for their own specific Scouting needs (for example to cover dues, pay for summer camp, to afford a whitewater rafting trip, to fund their Eagle project, etc. ) and use the popcorn as “thank you” gifts for large donations.
Scouts can fundraise 3 ways:
Online
- Trail’s End makes each Scout their own dedicated website. They can easily customize it with photos and stories and share their URL or QR code.
- Advantage: NO inventory to manage at all.
- Advantage: Easy delivery to people across the US. NEW $5.99 flat rate shipping!
- 35% commission to Scouts.
Wagon Sales
- Scouts can fundraise in their own neighborhood, church, sports team, school, workplace, etc. where people are likely to know and support them.
- Advantage: Scouts can manage their own inventory. (Great for units who don’t have a popcorn kernel yet!)
- Advantage: Scouts can have ZERO inventory if they prefer. They take pre-orders, log sales in the app and deliver the popcorn later.
- 25% commission to Scouts, gets bumped to 30% if no one from the entire unit (Pack/Troop/Ship/Crew) returns any popcorn to Council.
Storefronts
- Trail’s End pre-books space in front of retail stores. Kernels use the Leader Portal to reserve them and Scouts can sign up for 2 hour long shifts.
- Advantage: High sales volume. In 2024 Scouts averaged $289/shift!
- Advantage: Scouts don’t have to ask family and friends for donations (save that for school, sports, dance, etc.!)
- 25% commission to Scouts, gets bumped to 30% if no one from the entire unit (Pack/Troop/Ship/Crew) returns any popcorn to Council.
2026 FUNDRAISER DETAILS
New in 2026!
- Kernel Corps! Monthly Kernel briefings replace the old one-time Kernel Training. First Wednesday, 6:30pm, August through December. See the full schedule in the For Kernels section below.
- The Long Beach Pop-off! Our Scout training and season kickoff, Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 1:00pm at Long Beach Sea Base.
- The Trail’s End app has been updated so tap to pay credit card sales can be done direct on your own phone! iPhone | Android | Device Compatibility
- Trail’s End now offers gift cards to: Mastercard, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Gamestop, Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, Apple & Lego! See Rewards Here
- Council Bonus Program now offers an individual reward level!
- Returning units can select from a variety of Council thank you gifts!
2026 Popcorn Key Dates
Prep
- Wednesday, August 5: Kernel Corps, 6:30pm | Scout Office
- Saturday, August 8: The Long Beach Pop-off! (Scout Training), 1:00pm | Long Beach Sea Base
- Saturday, August 15: Unit Initial Popcorn Orders Due | https://portal.trails-end.com
- Saturday, August 15: Unit Storefronts Fully Available for Reservation | https://portal.trails-end.com
- Wednesday, September 2: Unit Initial Order Popcorn Pickup | Coastline Environmental, 2480 Brayton Ave., Signal Hill, 90755 | Time TBD
Fundraise
- Wednesday, September 2: Kernel Corps, 6:30pm | Zoom
- Friday, September 4: Storefront Sales Begin
- Monday, October 5: Unit Initial Popcorn Inventory Returns Due | Scout Shop
- Wednesday, October 7: Kernel Corps, 6:30pm | Zoom
- Friday, October 9: Unit Second (“Take”) Popcorn Orders Due | https://portal.trails-end.com
- Sunday, November 1: Unit Second (“Take”) Order Popcorn Pickup | Coastline Environmental, 2480 Brayton Ave., Signal Hill, 90755 | Time TBD
- Wednesday, November 4: Kernel Corps, 6:30pm | Zoom
Wrap Up
- Tuesday, December 1: Unit Final Payments due to Council | Scout Shop
- Wednesday, December 2: Kernel Corps, 6:30pm | Scout Office
- Thursday, December 31: Wagon & Online Sales End
- March 6-7, 2027: Council $1k Club Event
2027 Kickoff
- Friday, January 1, 2027: Online orders begin for the next popcorn fundraising season
- Q1 2027: Debrief internally and start making plans for the 2027 fundraising season BEFORE summer kicks in
2026 Products Product Menu Take Order Form
White Cheddar | $20/bag | 12 bags/case
Salted Caramel Corn | $20/bag | 12 bags/case
Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn | $20/bag | 12 bags/case
Sea Salt Popcorn | $20/bag | 12 bags/case
Microwave Butter Popcorn | $25/box | 6 boxes/case
2026 Prizes
In addition to 25%-35% commission, Scouts & Units can earn the following prizes/rewards:
Scouts
- Gift Cards: Trail’s End awards a variety of gift cards (Mastercard, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, REI, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Gamestop, Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox, Apple & Lego) to Scouts based on amounts raised: See Rewards Here
- $1k Council Club Event: Scouts who raise $1k or more are invited to an exclusive $1k Council Club event in Q1 of 2027. These events change each year and have included private movie screenings, trips to trampoline parks and more.
- $300 Storefront Promotion: Average $300 per hour per Scout at a 2+ hour storefront shift and get a bonus 0.5 point for every dollar sold. Provided by Trail’s End.
- $500 Storefront Promotion: Average $500 per hour per Scout at a 2+ hour storefront shift and get a bonus point for every dollar sold. Provided by Trail’s End.
- $500 Online Promotion: Raise $500 online and earn 250 bonus points. Provided by Trail’s End.
- Jamboree & High Adventure Promotion: Sell $10k+ and receive a 5k points bonus. Available to Scouts BSA, Venturers or Sea Scouts (NO Cub Scouts). Provided by Trail’s End.
Units:
- Returning Units: Can select one gift courtesy of the Council. Email Kevin Folkerts at Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org to claim yours.
- Unit Tablecloth
- Folding Table
- Cash Box & $30 change
- Wagon
- $50 Amazon
- $50 Scout Shop
- Portable Charger
- Square Reader
FOR SCOUTS & FAMILIES
Participation
- How do I know if my unit is participating? Speak to your leaders.
- What if I/my Scout wants to participate, but my unit does not? Ask your leaders to register the unit. This will allow you to fundraise online with ZERO effort from unit leaders. If you’d like physical popcorn, offer to be the kernel and you can order/schedule storefronts for yourself. If that cannot be achieved, reach out to Kevin Folkerts at Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org.
How To Maximize Fundraising
- Sell Scouting, NOT Popcorn: Do not try to SELL popcorn. Instead request donations to fund your specific Scouting needs/goals and offer popcorn as a THANK YOU GIFT for large donations. If people balk at the prices, remind them this is a GIFT for their big donation, NOT a popcorn sale.
- Storefronts: Working solo shifts at storefronts for the highest yield. Scouts averaged $289/shift in 2024.
- Online: Update your personalized page with your current photos and stories.
- Perfect Your Pitch: Determine why you are fundraising. Drill it down to a simple statement everyone can understand. (I’m trying to buy new camping gear! I want to pay for my own summer camp! Our Troop needs a new trailer!) Practice. Practice. Practice. Pitch Form
- Talk to Everyone: Only 1 in 10 people will say yes, so you need to talk to EVERYONE! Wear your uniform. Smile. Look them in the eye. Speak up. A “No” is NOT personal. Keep at it!
- Be Ready to Respond: People will have lots of ways to say “No”, you need to be ready to help them get to a “Yes”.
- No: Thanks anyway! Have a great day!
- Maybe on the way out: Awesome! I’ll be here waiting for you!
- I don’t have cash: We also take credit cards if that’s helpful!
- Sure, how much is it?: We have lots of options for big dollar donors! Let me show you our table!
- It’s so expensive!: We’re not selling popcorn. This is a thank you gift for your donation to Scouting.
- I only have a few dollars: Every little bit helps! If you can donate even a few dollars, we’ll pool it together with other donations and send the thank you popcorn to our local heroes and helpers (Council donates to military & first responders through the Heroes & Helpers fund).
- I don’t like popcorn: A donation would make my day, so maybe you take it and gift it to someone else and make their day too! Or, if you like, we’ll gift the popcorn through our Heroes & Helpers fund to local military and first responders. You could also use my Scout Code to select a different gift from my website.
- What is your favorite flavor?: If you haven’t tried any or all of them, you can always tell them which ones are popular or which ones you are trying to move. (Our top fundraisers always recommend the most expensive item. Huh. I wonder why?)
- Make People Feel Good: People donate because they want to make themself feel good for helping you, so make sure to thank them profusely. Explain how the donation is going to help you specifically. Celebrate even the smallest donation.
- Set Mini Goals & Share Them: People want to help you reach your goal so set lots of small ones, allowing many people can get you to the finish line. “I’m trying to thank five big dollar donors before 3pm. I’ve only got one to go! Can it be you?”
How Families Can Help
- Set Up / Update Your Scout Account
- Register here One account per Scout.
- NO, siblings canNOT share an account, but you CAN access multiple Scouts in one app. Add a Scout
- YES, multiple people can access a Scout’s account. Use the same username and password and set up each phone number with Muti-Factor Authentication.
- Update your Scout’s online site with current goal and photos Online Sales FAQs
- Register here One account per Scout.
- Prep Your Phone: Make sure you have:
- The Trail’s End app downloaded/updated
- Tap to pay set up iPhone | Android | Device Compatibility
- Your username / password
- Your phone set up as a Muti-Factor Authentication contact
- Before You Head Out
- Pack a water
- Eat (and/or bring a snack)
- Bring a hat & sunscreen
- Use the restroom
- If you’re working a storefront: Double check the address (locations start to run together) and arrive early to ease shift transition
- Let Them Do It: Resist the urge to jump in and “save” or “speed up” the process. People donating WANT to see the Scouts work through the process. Even kindergartners can do all this (with help).
- Let your Scout do the pitch.
- Let your Scout use the app to check people out.
- Let your Scout take money and count cash back.
- Narrate: Narrate to customers and make them FEEL GOOD about supporting your Scout.
- “Nice job Scout! What a clear answer! We’ve been working on building our confidence!”
- “Thank you for your donation! It’ll be her 3rd year at camp. Her goal is to be an instructor when she’s old enough.”
- “Can you believe you handed your credit card to a kindergartner? Watch how great he is with this app!”
- Motivate: Reward Scouts for getting “No” answers! Reinforce that a “No” is not personal and they should expect LOTS of them.
- Get to X number of Nos and get a treat.
- If you have 2 Scouts, the first person to get a “Yes” loses.
- Guess if the next person will say Yes or No (adults always guess No).
- Count how many Nos you get all season
- Remind: Remind Scouts:
- How proud you are of their hard work
- How close they are to the next financial or points reward
- That this fundraiser meets requirements for the Salesmanship Merit Badge so they can double down (they can also use parts of it for art, communication, digital technology, entrepreneurship, graphic arts, journalism, movie making, personal management, photography, public speaking, truck transportation, etc.)
- To think about places personal to them that they can fundraiser at (school events, sporting events, church, community groups, family workplaces, local stores not booked by Trail’s End, etc.)
- Solve: Help solve technical issues so your Scouts can focus on fundraising
- Get trained up with quick videos (scroll to the bottom of the Trail’s End app)
- Find answers in Trail’s End Knowledge base
- Talk to someone in real time via live chat (scroll to the bottom of the Trail’s End app)
- Join the Trail’s End Facebook Parent Group
Handy Resources
- Scout & Parent Guide
- Take Order Form
- Trail’s End Training Videos: Bottom of the Trail’s End app
- Trail’s End Knowledgebase: FAQs and other helpful info
- Trail’s End Live Chat: Bottom right of the Trail’s End app
- Trail’s End Facebook Parent Group
FOR KERNELS
Join the Kernel Corps
Briefing and coordination for unit Kernels. First Wednesday of every month, 6:30pm, August through December. Same schedule every year, so put it on your calendar once and you are set.
- Wednesday, August 5, 2026 | Scout Office, 401 E 37th Street, Long Beach
- Wednesday, September 2, 2026 | Zoom
- Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | Zoom
- Wednesday, November 4, 2026 | Zoom
- Wednesday, December 2, 2026 | Scout Office, 401 E 37th Street, Long Beach
New Kernel? Start with the Kernel Guide, then join us the first Wednesday. Signed up mid-season? Email Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org and we will get you running before the next Corps meeting.
It’s NOT too late to sign up!
- Register Your Unit to Sell Popcorn
- Work with your Unit to set a sales goal
- Log into the Trail’s End Leader Portal and Submit Your Order
What To Do After You Sign Up
- Get Trained
- Check out the Kernel Guide
- Join Kernel Corps, first Wednesday of the month, 6:30pm, August through December. See the schedule above.
- Signed up mid-season and need to catch up? Email Kevin Folkerts (Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org, 562-900-3406).
- Not feeling quite prepared for fundraising season, check out the Trail’s End Training Videos (left nav of the Leader Portal https://portal.trails-end.com) and Knowledge Base for concise, helpful training.
- Set Yourself Up with Support
- Contact Kevin Folkerts (Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org, 562-900-3406) to get added to the Council Kernel group for real time help
- Join the Facebook Leader Group. This group is SO HELPFUL.
- Come to Kernel Corps. Fastest way to get an answer and to hear what’s working for other units.
- Submit Your Returning Unit Reward Requests
- Email your Returning Unit Gift selection to Kevin Folkerts at Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org (see the Units section under 2026 Prizes for the full list)
- Set Any Unit Level Goals & Rewards See Example Here
- These are great ways to reward fundraisers, especially when using the amount raised across the Unit as opposed to specific Scout Accounts.
- Make sure to reward your adults with reduced fees, etc., especially Packs that rely on adult participation.
- Leverage the fear of missing out with exclusive events or “this year only” offerings.
- Collectable items (pins, patches, woggles, etc.)
- No cost rewards (first in line for dinner, preferred tent spot, etc.) are great for older Scouts.
- Include Surprise & Delight rewards so it’s not just high sellers getting rewarded (first to sell a certain flavor, first to work a shift / wagon sale, etc.)
- If You Are Selling Physical Popcorn: Determine who in your unit is:
- Picking up popcorn on Wednesday, September 2 and Sunday, November 1
- Storing popcorn
- Getting popcorn to and from storefronts / wagon sellers
- Pro tip! DON’T make this you!
- Create weekend bundles with inventory pre-assigned to the storefront and have the first shift pick up a few days before the shift. Have the last shift drop off.
- Moving inventory in the leader portal
- Closing out storefronts in the leader portal
- Collecting cash and making bank runs
- Keeping an eye on storefronts to make sure there are no holes in sign ups (this is an easy job for new parents!)
- Securing unit level prizes (if you are offering any)
- If You Are Doing Storefronts
- Reserve your Storefronts
- If you can only work a portion of a storefront ask Trail’s End to split it so other units can take a portion! (Use the chat feature in the bottom right of the Leader Portal https://portal.trails-end.com)
- Storefronts without registered Scouts will get added back into the available pool on the Thursday evening of the storefront.
- Find your table, tablecloth, cash box, etc.
- Go to the bank and get change
- Create and print any instructions or shift sheets you may be using See Example
- Reserve your Storefronts
- If You Are Doing Wagon Sales
- Determine any standard “wagon kits” of product
- Identify product return date for return or rollover to storefronts: Monday, October 5
- Plan Your Unit Kickoff
- Identify Popcorn Kernel and other Leaders and share their contact info
- Have everyone download/update the Trail’s End app and enable tap to pay iPhone | Android | Device Compatibility
- Have everyone update their online site and profile pic
- Review the 2026 product menu
- Explain Storefront / Wagon Sales / Online Process
- Go over rewards and unit prizing
- Have Scouts write their pitch
- Run some practice scenarios. Include using the app (just don’t complete the sale)
- Have fun!
- Need help with a kickoff? Contact Kevin Folkerts at Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org | 562-900-3406
- Determine Your “Celebration” Milestones
- Pre-set milestones and recognize them publicly EVERY WEEK of the sale. Make it FUN to fundraise. Things you could celebrate: First sale! First storefront! First to sell [whatever] flavor! Scout hit $350. Unit hit $1k. Unit is 25% to goal.
- Talk to leaders who oversee meeting agendas, website, social media, email, etc. and ask if you can post to these places.
Support & Resources
- Council Kernel (orders, payments, fundraising training, storefront support, and unit strategy): Kevin Folkerts Kevin.Folkerts@Scouting.org 562-900-3406
- Kernel Corps: First Wednesday of the month, 6:30pm, August through December. See the schedule above.
- ONE OF THE BEST PLACE FOR IDEAS & SUPPORT: Facebook Leader Group
- Trail’s End Live Chat: Bottom right of Leader Portal (https://portal.trails-end.com) or Trail’s End app
- Trail’s End FAQs and Guides for you and Scouts/Adults: Knowledge Base
- Trail’s End Training Videos: Left nav of the Leader Portal (https://portal.trails-end.com)
- Kernel Guide
Planning Materials
path to advancement through popcorn sales
