The Venturing advancement program is available to all youth Venturing members of the BSA. Its purpose is to

• Provide a pathway for personal development.
• Encourage Venturers to learn, grow, and serve.
• Recognize the high level of achievement of Venturers who acquire Venturing skills.
• Identify trained and highly motivated Venturers who will be a training, leadership, and program resource for other Venturers, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, organizations, and the community.

The basic Venturing awards are:

Bronze.
The introduction to specific Venturing skills. Venturers may earn one or more of the five Bronze awards: Arts and Hobbies, Sports, Sea Scouting, Outdoor, or Youth Ministries. One Bronze is required for Gold.

Gold.
Intermediate level requiring at least 12 months' tenure and work. Requirements are based on three areas: personal development, service, and leadership. Gold requires a pre-approved plan of action and a board of review. It is appropriate to present the award at a court of honor. Gold is required for Silver.

Silver.
This is the highest award for Venturers. In addition to earning a Bronze and Gold Award, Venturers do additional work in the areas of leadership, emergency preparedness, and ethics. Silver requires a pre-approved plan of action and a board of review. It is appropriate to present the Silver Award at a court of honor or Eagle/Silver recognition banquet, and to recognize the award in local and school newspapers.

Ranger.
The Ranger Award is an additional award/growth opportunity based on outdoor/high adventure requirements. A Venturer must complete eight requirements and at least four of 18 electives. The Outdoor Bronze Award is half of Ranger. There is no board of review. It is also appropriate to present the Ranger Award at a court of honor or Eagle/Silver banquet, and to recognize it in local and school newspapers.

Quartermaster.
An additional rank/growth opportunity for Sea Scouts, based on seamanship skills. It requires a pre-approved plan of action and a board of review. The Sea Scouting bronze is half of Quartermaster.

It is appropriate to present the Ranger Award at a court of honor or Eagle/Silver banquet, and to recognize it in local and school newspapers.

Past Credit
All requirements for all awards require Venturers to do the work as Venturers. As an example, they may have earned the Backpacking merit badge as a Boy Scout, must do all that is required in the Ranger backpacking elective while registered as a Venturer.

Some requirements may require some type of certification such as Scuba Open-Water Diver, American Red Cross Standard First Aid, or BSA Lifeguard. This certification may be used regardless of when it was earned as long as the certification is still current.

Multiple Credit
Venturers may receive multiple credit in Venturing, for such as using an American Red Cross Emergency Response course for credit in the Ranger first aid course requirement and first aid elective, and the Silver first aid requirement. However, Venturers may not receive multiple credit when required to do a tabletop display or presentation. These must be done for each requirement that requires one. Members who are simultaneously members of a Boy Scout troop may receive credit for work toward Boy Scout advancement and Venturing advancement. An example would be getting dual credit for the Backpacking merit badge and for the Ranger backpacking elective, or for a conservation project required in Boy Scouts and in Venturing.

Any male Venturer who has achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue working toward the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks up to his 18th birthday. He must meet the requirements as prescribed in the Boy Scout Handbook and the current Boy Scout Requirements book.

Position of responsibility requirements may be met by the Venturer serving as president vice president secretary, or treasurer in his crew, or as boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser: or storekeeper in his ship.

The Scoutmaster conference will be conducted by the Advisor or Skipper. As the Venturer meets the requirements for the Star and Life ranks, a board of review is conducted by the crew or ship committee. The Eagle board of review follows the procedure established by the local council.

Sea Scout advancements are approved by the ship's quarterdeck. In the case of the Quartermaster Award, the application is reviewed by the ship's committee with a member of the district advancement committee as chairman. Since the Quartermaster Award is a Venturing recognition, it may be earned by any young man or young woman registered as a Venturer.

All work on all Venturing advancement must be completed prior to the young person's 21st birthday.