Becoming an Eagle Scout is a proud moment in any Scout’s life. One of the biggest steps on this journey is completing your Eagle Scout service project. This project is not just a normal school project. It is a chance for you to help your community, show leadership, and plan a real-world project from start to finish.
In this blog, you will learn:
- What an Eagle Scout project is (in simple language)
- How to choose the right project idea for you
- 100 Eagle Scout project ideas in different categories
- Simple examples of planning and cost
- Tips to make your project successful and stress-free
What Is an Eagle Scout Project?
An Eagle Scout project is a service project that:
- Helps a school, religious place, or community organization
- Is planned, developed, and led by the Scout (you)
- Needs approval from your unit leaders and council before starting
- Shows your leadership skills, not just your ability to work hard
You are not expected to do all the physical work alone. The main goal is to organize and lead others to complete the project.
How to Choose the Right Eagle Scout Project Idea
There are hundreds of possible ideas, but the right project for you should:
- Match your interests
- Do you care about nature, history, animals, children, education, or technology?
- Do you care about nature, history, animals, children, education, or technology?
- Fit your skills
- Are you good at building, organizing events, teaching, or using computers?
- Are you good at building, organizing events, teaching, or using computers?
- Help a real organization
- Talk to your school, church, library, or local nonprofit and ask what they need.
- Talk to your school, church, library, or local nonprofit and ask what they need.
- Be realistic
- Can you complete it with the time, volunteers, and money you can get?
Once you know these things, it becomes much easier to pick a project.
100 Eagle Scout Project Ideas (With Categories)
Below are 100 ideas, divided into categories. You can use them as they are, or you can mix and modify them to create your own unique project.
A. Construction & Improvement Projects (1–20)
These projects involve building or fixing something physical.
- Build benches for a community park
- Construct picnic tables for a school or church yard
- Build a wooden gazebo or shade structure at a playground
- Create a bike rack area near a school or library
- Build raised garden beds for a school or senior home
- Construct a storage shed for sports or band equipment
- Install a flagpole and create a small flag plaza
- Build a stage platform for a school or community center
- Create seating and planters at a bus stop or waiting area
- Build trash and recycling stations for a park
- Repair and repaint old picnic tables in a park
- Build a fence around a playground, garden, or animal area
- Construct a tool rack system for a community garden
- Build a walkway or stepping-stone path to a classroom or garden
- Install handrails along stairs or steep paths for safety
- Build cubby shelves for a daycare or classroom
- Create a covered bulletin board structure for announcements
- Build a sandbox with a sturdy cover at a playground
- Install a pergola to provide shade in a sitting area
- Build a wooden bridge over a small ditch or stream on a trail
B. Environmental & Nature Projects (21–35)
These projects help the environment and teach others about nature.
- Organize a park clean-up day with many volunteers
- Plan a river or lake clean-up project and place signs about pollution
- Plant trees along a road, school boundary, or park
- Create a butterfly garden with native flowering plants
- Build and install birdhouses on poles or trees
- Create bat houses and mount them in mosquito-heavy areas
- Set up a rainwater collection system for a garden
- Install drip irrigation in a community or school garden
- Remove invasive plants and replace them with native plants
- Create an educational nature trail with wooden signs explaining plants
- Build wooden barriers to stop trail erosion on a hill
- Install tree identification tags with the tree names and facts
- Create a composting system for a school cafeteria or garden
- Organize an electronics recycling drive for old phones and computer
- Create a “no litter” awareness campaign with posters and signboards
C. Community Service & Outreach Projects (36–55)
These projects help people directly.
- Organize a large food drive for a local food pantry
- Set up a book drive and create a mini library for a shelter
- Collect hygiene kits (soap, toothbrushes, etc.) for homeless people
- Gather school supplies for children from low-income families
- Organize a winter coat and blanket drive for those in need
- Create “comfort kits” for hospital patients or children in crisis
- Plan a blood drive with a hospital or blood bank
- Organize a free sports camp for kids who cannot afford fees
- Plan a community fun day with games and activities for families
- Create care packages for deployed military members
- Make “welcome kits” for refugees or new immigrant families
- Collect pet food and supplies for an animal shelter
- Organize a diaper and baby items drive for new parents in need
- Create a toy drive and deliver toys to a children’s hospital
- Host a community meal or soup event for the homeless
- Set up a community clothes closet where people can pick free clothes
- Create a birthday box program with decorations and small gifts for kids in shelters
- Collect and repair used bicycles and donate them to children in need
- Organize a neighborhood safety day with police and fire department talks
- Create emergency preparedness kits for seniors or families
D. Education & Learning Projects (56–70)
These ideas help people learn new things.
- Create a reading corner in a shelter with books and comfy chairs
- Organize a reading buddy program between older and younger students
- Host a basic computer skills class for senior citizens
- Run a study skills workshop for middle or high school students
- Organize a career day with speakers from different jobs
- Create a simple financial literacy program for teens
- Host a science experiment day for kids with hands-on activities
- Create a math games day for elementary school students
- Prepare and teach first aid workshops with trained adults
- Make educational posters and charts for classrooms or clinics
- Develop a homework help club and recruit volunteer tutors
- Create a foreign language conversation group for newcomers
- Prepare a college prep session (applications, essays, scholarships)
- Build and donate learning kits (math, science, reading kits) for teacher
- Create a large world map mural in a school hallway to teach geography
E. Historical & Memorial Projects (71–80)
These projects protect and share history.
- Clean and restore old headstones in a historic cemetery
- Document graves and create a digital map for a cemetery
- Build a memorial garden to honor veterans or community heroes
- Create a wall display with photos and stories of local history
- Install historical markers at important places in your town
- Collect oral histories by interviewing older community members
- Restore and repaint a historic classroom or hall
- Create a timeline of local history and display it in a school or library
- Design a veterans’ honor board listing names of local service members
- Create a history booklet that can be given to new residents or students
F. Technology & Digital Service Projects (81–90)
Use your tech skills to serve others.
- Create a simple website for a local nonprofit or community group
- Design a digital volunteer sign-up system using online forms
- Create QR-code signs around a park or museum that link to info pages
- Digitize old paper records for a church, club, or school
- Make how-to videos for using the public library or local services
- Create online safety lessons for kids and families
- Build a local resources directory website (food banks, clinics, etc.)
- Design a simple app or webpage listing hiking trails and parks
- Set up a basic computer lab using donated computers and instructions
- Teach kids or seniors how to use email and video calls
G. Special Needs, Health & Accessibility Projects (91–100)
These projects make spaces and services more inclusive.
- Create a sensory garden for children with autism or sensory needs
- Build a wheelchair-accessible garden bed at a community garden
- Install ramps and handrails for a building with steps
- Create large-print signs and materials for visually impaired people
- Put Braille labels on key rooms and signs in a public building
- Build a quiet room or corner in a library for people who need calm
- Organize an inclusive sports day for kids with disabilities
- Create calming kits for classrooms (stress balls, fidget toys, etc.)
- Design health awareness posters (mental health, hygiene, nutrition)
- Organize a health fair with free checks and information booths
You can modify any idea from this list to fit your local community’s needs. For example, “build benches” can become “build painted benches with inspirational quotes” or “eco-friendly benches made from recycled wood.”
Simple Example: Planning and Cost Calculation
To make your blog more useful for your readers, let’s add some easy examples.
Example 1: Raised Garden Beds Project
Project idea: Build 4 raised garden beds for a school.
Materials (per bed):
- Wood: $30
- Soil: $20
- Screws and nails: $5
- Paint or sealant: $10
Cost per bed:
$30(wood)+20(soil)+5(screws)+10(paint)30 (wood) + 20 (soil) + 5 (screws) + 10 (paint)30(wood)+20(soil)+5(screws)+10(paint) = $65
Total cost for 4 beds:
4 × $65 = $260
So you can write:
“If you build four raised beds, your total material cost will be about $260. You can raise this amount through small fundraisers or donations from local businesses.”
Time Example:
- Planning and approvals: 8–10 hours
- Buying materials: 3 hours
- Construction: 2 hours per bed = 8 hours
- Painting and finishing: 4 hours
- Filling with soil and clean-up: 3 hours
Rough leader time = 10 + 3 + 8 + 4 + 3 = 28 hours (your personal time)
Volunteer time will be more, but many people will work together.
Example 2: Community Book Drive and Reading Corner
Project idea: Collect 400+ books and create a reading corner in a shelter.
Estimated Costs:
- Flyers and posters: $30
- Collection boxes: $20
- Simple shelves (lumber and brackets): $80
Total cost = $30 + $20 + $80 = $130
If you collect 500 books but 80 are too damaged to use, then:
Usable books = 500 − 80 = 420 books
You can write:
“With a budget of around $130, you could collect over 400 usable books and set up a complete reading corner with shelves and comfortable seating.”
Tips to Make Your Eagle Scout Project a Success
Here are some practical tips you can share with your readers and also follow yourself.
1. Start Early
Eagle projects often take longer than you think. Start planning months in advance. This gives you time for:
- Approvals
- Fundraising
- Scheduling volunteers
- Weather changes
2. Talk to the Beneficiary First
Before you decide on a final idea:
- Meet the organization (school, church, nonprofit, etc.)
- Ask them what they really need
- Make sure they are ready to support and approve your project
Sometimes the best project idea comes directly from their problems and needs.
3. Focus on Leadership, Not Just Work
Remember, the main purpose is to show leadership. This means:
- You should plan, delegate, and guide others
- Don’t do everything by yourself
- Give clear instructions and divide volunteers into teams
- Check progress and solve problems when they appear
Adults can help, but you should be the leader.
4. Create a Clear Plan
Write a detailed but simple plan that includes:
- Project goal
- Location and beneficiary
- Materials list
- Budget and how you will raise money
- Schedule and work days
- Volunteer list and roles
- Safety rules
A clear plan makes your project smoother and easier to manage.
5. Think About Safety
Safety is very important. For each activity, think:
- What tools will we use?
- What protective gear do we need (gloves, goggles, masks)?
- Who will supervise younger Scouts?
- What will we do if someone gets hurt?
Include safety rules in your briefing before work starts.
6. Take Photos and Keep Records
From the beginning to the end:
- Take before, during, and after photos
- Keep a record of volunteer hours
- Save receipts and donation letters
- Note any changes you made to the plan and why
This will help a lot when you complete your final report and during your Eagle Board of Review.
Final Thoughts: Turning an Idea into a Real Eagle Project
There are many lists of Eagle Scout project ideas, but the best project is the one that:
- Truly helps your community
- Matches your interest and skills
- Is realistic for your time and resources
- Gives you a chance to lead others confidently
Use these 100 Eagle Scout project ideas as inspiration. Then, talk to your leaders, your family, and local organizations to shape a project that is special, meaningful, and possible for you.