The Girl Scout Promise is simple yet impactful:
On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
(Members may substitute for the word God in accordance with their own spiritual beliefs.)
However, according to the National Council Session Delegate Workbook released on October 19, fewer girls are making this promise.
“Currently, only 1 in 25 girls in the U.S. is a Girl Scout, and membership has declined for both girls and adults. Girls today face significant challenges. The fast pace of life, social media’s influence, and the lingering effects of the pandemic have disrupted their lives, weakened their communities, and strained their mental health,” the workbook reads.
Let’s not forget that in 2018, Boy Scouts of America, now known as Scouting America, began allowing girls to join its program.
Since 1912, Girl Scouting has long played a crucial role in fostering girls’ self-esteem and promoting positive values and healthy relationships.
Research indicates that despite the increase in online learning, girls still value in-person activities where they can socialize, express themselves, and feel a sense of belonging.
“Our programs evolve with a girl as she grows, and each moment is a possibility to create a lifelong, positive impact. Few, if any, other youth activities offer this value,” reads the workbook.
The difficulty lies in the fact that most of the national organization’s services are funded by membership dues, and these services support all councils, girls, and volunteers. However, in order to advocate for girls effectively, it is important to ensure that financial obstacles do not hinder girls from joining and remaining in Girl Scouts.
“We have held dues steady for 8 years and have not shared the increased costs of technology, which in turn means the GSUSA expense budget is larger because of national technology costs for all members and all councils. Now, as we collectively reflect on the state of the Girl Scout Movement, it is clear from our analysis, as well as local council leadership and delegate input, that to meet the needs of current and future members, we must increase dues,” per the workbook.
The Girl Scouts of the USA finished FY23 with a shortfall of $4.4 million and anticipate ending FY24 with a deficit of $5.6 million.
“Operating at a deficit—spending more than we bring in—as we have been doing, is not sustainable. We can no longer afford to use our financial reserves, and we cannot pass through all escalating costs to our councils,” per the workbook. “We must increase revenue from all sources—robust fundraising, comprehensive partnerships, and membership dues.”
As such, the National Board is proposing to increase annual membership dues from $25 to $85 for girls as “Staying at our current $25 membership dues will require dramatic cuts in services, passing technology costs on to councils, decreasing marketing investments, and delaying enhancements of the systems used daily to serve girls and councils,” per the workbook. “At $85 and above, Girl Scouting’s future is incredibly bright.”
The hike in membership dues will be phased in upon the National Council’s approval:
- in membership year 2026, girl membership dues would be $68,
- in membership year 2027, girl membership dues would be $77, and
- in membership year 2028, girl membership dues would be at the approved $85.
The second proposal is to increase adult annual dues from $24 to $45, effective for Membership Year 2026.
A Girl Scouts of the USA spokesperson told Fox Business: “At Girl Scouts, we collectively make decisions that shape our future through our democratic process. On Saturday, October 19, Girl Scouts of the USA’s National Council will convene to discuss changes to membership dues that would allow us to further invest in our program and provide financial aid to reduce barriers for any girl who wants to be a Girl Scout. While the proposal from the National Board is for $85, it is our delegates who will discuss, debate, and vote on the final decision. These 900 delegates from around the country are Girl Scouts, volunteers, and members who are nominated by their peers to collectively make these decisions. We will communicate the outcome of the special session to our members following its conclusion.”