Ohio ACE Program helps for families

It has been great seeing requests for reimbursements coming through the Ohio ACE portal. Many Black Swamp Area Council families are already receiving real dollars back for their Scouting adventures. While many are being approved, some have been rejected. When submitting a reimbursement ‘claim’, please remember the follow points to help ensure that your claim is accepted from both the Black Swamp Area Council approval and the Ohio ACE approval, as both agents have to agree the claim is one that qualifies for reimbursement.

Please keep these points in mind as you upload your claim:

If Unit-level dues (Cub Pack dues or Troop dues) are included with the claim, the entire claim will be rejected. There is no way to approve the part of a claim that has expenses that do qualify. Please only submit those fees that qualify for reimbursement. As a reminder:

Expenses that CAN be Reimbursed: National BSA Fees, Local Council Adventure Fees, Day-Only Program Fees, and merchant, processing, or transaction fees.

Expenses that WILL NOT be Reimbursed: Unit-level (Pack, Den, Troop, campout food dues, etc.), Scout Life Magazine subscription fee, overnight activities fees.

The name on the receipt or invoice MUST match the name as registered in the Ohio ACE portal.

For Example: If the youth is registered as WILLIAM R. SMITH in the Ohio Ace portal, ALL documentation to verify the claim must also say WILLIAM R. SMITH. If the receipt has William Smith (no middle initial), Bill, Billy, Will, Willy or any other name beyond WILLIAM R. SMITH, the claim will be rejected by Ohio ACE. If unit-level leaders are completing a receipt for you, please instruct them as to the name you used to enroll your child in the Ohio ACE program, even if your youth is known to them by some other name or is different on the Pack or Troop roster.

Documentation must show the detail or provide a description of the expense. A receipt simply saying only a dollar amount will be rejected. Black Swamp Area Council has created Ohio ACE receipts for unit leadership to use as families pay for National BSA and Local Council Adventure Fees at the local unit level. Those receipts are the most effective way to ensure approval of a claim.

Documentation must be signed by unit leadership if qualifying expenses are paid to them. Unsigned receipts or receipts signed by only the parent will be rejected.

Knowing these finer details will ensure a more complete and speedy approval of a claim. The council goal is to accurately approve claims, as this will keep us in good standing as a Qualified Education Service Provider and to provide a timely turnaround. Should we not be able to approve a claim, you will receive a message as to why the claim is being rejected. Should Ohio ACE not be able to approve a claim, they will also provide instruction as to why the claim was rejected.