Submitted by: Girl Scouts of Connecticut
Status: Submitted to councils
Statement of Topic, Question, or Issue: How can GS-USA maintain their reputation as the leading provider of outdoor experiences for girls by supporting Councils’ management, maintenance and retention of camp and outdoor properties? How can Councils better serve their membership and provide accessible, affordable and high-quality outdoor experiences? How can GS-USA and individual Councils partner with outdoor organizations to facilitate a broader range of outdoor experiences and help to offset the costs & maintenance involved in managing camp properties directly?
Reasons: Many Councils face challenges in maintaining Council-owned camps and outdoor properties. These issues range from a lack of adequate funding to maintain and manage these properties, rising costs, decreasing enrollment in summer camps, and a competitive marketplace for summer and year-round outdoor experiences.
Some Councils have limited camp properties that make outdoor experiences inaccessible to much of their membership. Others have been forced to sell off camp properties and limit Council-provided programming.
If Girl Scouts is to retain its mantle as the premiere organization for outdoor experiences for girls, then the organization must focus on providing accessible and high-quality programming across all Councils. Strategic planning initiatives must address the many challenges involved in owning and operating outdoor properties and find more significant solutions to the financial, geographic, and programming concerns the Councils have not yet resolved. Many Councils struggle to meet the maintenance and capital improvements required at Council-owned properties. Exploring every avenue to improve outdoor opportunities, including partnering with other outdoor organizations and brands or considering separate fund management for outdoor properties, should be undertaken if Girl Scouts wishes to remain competitive and on the leading edge of outdoor programming.
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