SUBMITTED BY
Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
STATEMENT OF PROPOSAL (in the form of a motion)
Part A:
TO amend Article VIII (Credentials) of the Constitution by adding bolded wording, as follows:
1. The National Council shall establish requirements for certificates of membership, local council charters, and all other credentials.
2. The National Board of Directors shall administer the requirements for the credentials established by the National Council, and may establish standards and issue standards, procedures, and interpretations regarding such requirements provided such standards, procedures, and interpretations are consistent with the requirements established by the National Council. If the National Board of Directors adopts criteria and standards for local councils that exceed the scope of requirements established by the National Council, then such criteria and standards may serve as guidance, but shall not be enforceable requirements for certificates of membership, local council charters, or other credentials.
Part B:
TO amend the Credentials section, p. 25, by adding bolded wording, as follows:
In accepting a Charter, a Girl Scout Council assumes the following obligations:…
• By agreeing to be guided by the standards of Girl Scouts of the USA, we understand that as a council we have committed ourselves and those affiliating with us to follow and be guided by the standards published from time to time by Girl Scouts of the USA, provided such criteria and standards for local councils do not exceed the scope of requirements established by the National Council.
REASONS: (Include answers to these two questions)
1. What makes this proposal important to the future of Girl Scouting across the country?
2. What is the Movement-wide benefit adoption of the proposal will provide?
Summary
This proposal allows councils, within their individual 501c3 status, to exercise their responsibility to make operational and financial decisions that are in the best interest of their members and their unique jurisdiction.
Girls need Girl Scouting more than ever. The challenges to Girl Scouting brought on by the global pandemic have highlighted the need for councils to have the flexibility and autonomy to manage their council operations, while working within the broad criteria developed by the National Council. As an example, during the global pandemic, we as a Movement were able to survive and flourish due to each council’s status as separate 501c3 entities, which allowed for councils to apply for relief funding that was only available to 501c3 entities. This proved beneficial both locally and nationally and helped many councils and the organization to survive financially during these unprecedented, challenging times.
A Girl Scout council charter is issued to each council by the National Board of Directors, granting the council the right to develop, manage, and maintain Girl Scouting within its specified area of jurisdiction, and to call itself a Girl Scout council. A Girl Scout council charter is issued for no more than four years.
While the National Council determines the requirements for charters, the National Board has the responsibility to develop standards and criteria regarding such requirements. Using those standards and criteria, the National Board has the sole authority to issue, decline to issue, or revoke, council charters.
The National Board has developed detailed “Criteria and Standards for an Effective Girl Scout Council” and some of these criteria and standards, while helpful guidance for the Movement, exceed the scope of requirements that the National Council has established for certificates of membership, local council charters, and other credentials. This proposal clarifies that criteria and standards outside the scope of requirements established by the National Council are not enforceable requirements, and, therefore, failure to comply with such guidance does not provide grounds to terminate or revoke a charter.
As an example, in 2017, the National Board established an operational Standard for Criterion II, as follows:
“The council utilizes a movement-wide common technology platform with respect to membership, volunteer management, delivery systems and data analytics and reporting to better serve Girl Scout volunteers and members and enhance the Girl Scout brand.”
This National Board operational standard is not a requirement established by the National Council (see Credentials, 2021 Blue Book, pages 23 – 28). It may be helpful guidance about how councils can best achieve the requirements established by the National Council, but this standard is not a requirement established by the National Council and therefore, the National Board does not have authority to require a council to use a movement-wide common technology platform as a condition of its charter, especially if adhering to the standard invokes an unhealthy financial burden to the individual council. Rather, as stated in the Blue Book, local councils are granted “the right to develop, manage, and maintain Girl Scouting” which includes the right to make operational decisions, such as decisions regarding technology platforms which best meet the needs of their girls, volunteers, parents, donors, boards, and other stakeholders.
While previous standards had addressed council governance, Standard 7 addressed council operations by stipulating that all councils utilize a GSUSA-mandated technology platform. While some councils felt that the technology platform was adequate, it has proven to be a financial hardship for many councils, while failing to deliver the hoped-for benefits to our members. This specific example of the National Board’s overreach into council operations led to the development of this proposal.
This proposal encourages collaborative conversations between local councils and the National Board, which is beneficial to the girls and the Movement. In the current state, there is no recourse open to councils when challenging a standard established by the National Board. This may lead to litigation as the only perceived option, which is detrimental to the Movement and drains financial and human resources from both the National Board and the local councils, devalues Girl Scouting in the public perception, and damages our ability to deliver the Girl Scout Mission to our members.
This proposal is a win-win; it provides needed clarity and guidance to the National Board in establishing standards, while providing flexibility to local councils in carrying out their operations under the fiscal oversight of each local council board of directors.
As a result, this proposal strengthens the collaborative relationship between the National Board and local councils and provides far-reaching impact on local councils’ ability to deliver the Girl Scout program to our membership.
Background:
The National Council is the coordinating head of Girl Scouts of the USA.
ORGANIZATION (a) Federal charter.—Girl Scouts of the United States of America (in this chapter, the “corporation”) is a body corporate and politic of the District of Columbia.
§80303. GOVERNING BODY (a) National Council.— (1) There shall be a National Council of Girl Scouts.The number, qualifications, and term of office of members of the Council are as provided in the constitution of the corporation…
“The National Council shall have all the powers conferred by the Congressional Charter and by other applicable laws, and shall exercise these powers with due regard for its position as the coordinating head of the Girl Scout Movement in the United States.”
~ GSUSA Constitution, Article IV
~ Congressional Charter – Organization and Governing Body § 80303
The National Council establishes requirements for Credentials, including requirements for local council charters. It is within the authority of the National Council to amend the Credentials.
“The National Council shall establish requirements for certificates of membership, local council charters, and all other credentials.”
~ GSUSA Constitution, Article VIII Section 1; also see Article V Section 2
The National Board administers requirements for credentials, and establishes Standards regarding such requirements.
“The National Board of Directors shall administer the requirements for the credentials established by the National Council, and may establish Standards and issue Standards, procedures, and interpretations regarding such requirements provided such Standards, procedures, and interpretations are consistent with the requirements established by the National Council”.
~ GSUSA Constitution, Article VIII Section 2
The National Board has the sole discretion to issue council charters.
“The National Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, shall have the power to issue these credentials subject to the requirements established by the National Council, and to revoke them when, in its opinion, the terms and conditions thereof or requirements therefore are being violated or when the best interests of Girl Scouting are not being furthered.”
~ GSUSA Constitution, Article VIII Section 3
Chartered Girl Scout councils have the right to make operational decisions that are in the best interests of that local council.
“The Charter, when issued to a Girl Scout council, will confer the following rights: …the right to develop, manage, and maintain Girl Scouting throughout the jurisdiction of the council.”
~ Credentials Section, p. 25, Blue Book of Basic Documents
FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT
Indicate the projected expenditures and impact on resources for councils and the national organization, for a five (5) year period.
There is no negative financial impact to local councils or the national organization. Council budgets may experience positive financial benefits.