How exactly do councils and GSUSA work together? Many people are unaware of the type of governance structure our organization uses, and it can cause confusion as to why things work the way they do. As a National or council delegate, it is very important that you understand this relationship.
After a number of troops formed in 1912 and the Movement began to grow rapidly, Juliette Low established a national organization for Girl Scouting in 1913 to oversee the Movement. As it grew, the national organization (originally called Girl Scouts Inc. and later renamed to GSUSA) developed procedures to extend charters to local areas that met certain criteria such as a minimum number of registered troops and girls in the area and the formation of an organized group of sponsors (the equivalent of a board of directors nowadays). Charters allowed councils such privileges as the ability to call itself part of the Girl Scout organization, register members as Girl Scouts, use the logo and trademarks, and raise money to support the mission of Girl Scouting in the established area. In order to keep its charter, councils had to continue to meet certain requirements and abide by policies and standards as instated by GSUSA. Later on, the Movement developed a “federated” structure in which each council registered as its own individual nonprofit corporation in the state (or one of the states) included in its jurisdiction. Each council had its own local board of directors, and Girl Scouting was administered locally in accordance with state and local laws while still being “answerable” to GSUSA for meeting charter requirements. This structure is still in use today. In this type of federation, councils have a certain amount of independence within parameters set by GSUSA and are evaluated yearly by GSUSA through annual reviews. Charters can be issued for up to three years. Both councils and GSUSA work together to promote, build, and deliver the Girl Scout program to the entire country.
For more information, download the PDF The Interdependence Between Councils and GSUSA.