Thanks to Paul Walker of Saline, MI, for these insights:

       "The primary disadvantage to recruiting a large number of boys to fill out a scouting unit in a small ward/branch is that the Church budget guidelines must be adapted.  Church policy is that except for an annual camp, all unit scouting expenses (except for registration fess, which are paid from general Church funds) come from ward budget funds, which are based in part on sacrament meeting attendance.  Recruiting a large number of nonmember scouts can seriously tax that finite resource.  We certainly should be actively extending scouting to the larger community, but before doing so the Bishop should be consulted on how the additonal burden to the ward budget will be handled. Will the nonmembers be charged dues? Will the ward pay for it all?  Will a middle road be taken?"