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Girl Scouts of the United States of America

EIN 13-1624016 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O.

Income
$148.8 million
Spending
$123.3 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
10.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 35%
Employees
410
Volunteers
110
Highest pay
$955,537, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 26% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 29 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $51.3 million spent. GIRL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND ADULT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: -DEVELOP AND EVALUATE TIMELY, GIRL-ENDORSED PROGRAMMING FOR GIRL MEMBERS OF GSUSA, UPHOLDING GSUSA'S REPUTATION AS THE PREMIER LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE FOR GIRLS. -DRIVE THE FULL LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT OF GIRL SCOUT PROGRAMS, ENSURING RELEVANT AND ENGAGING IN-PERSON AND ONLINE EXPERIENCES FOR MEMBERS. -PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRL SCOUTS TO PARTICIPATE IN VALUABLE CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCES THROUGH WHICH THEY CAN GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER CULTURES AND GLOBAL ISSUES AND LEARN HOW THEY CAN HELP WHERE THEY FEEL INSPIRED TO DO SO. -LEAD PROGRAM STRATEGY, GOVERNANCE, AND NATIONAL EXECUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM. -DEVELOP AND ENHANCE TECHNOLOGY THAT SUPPORTS GIRL SCOUTS IN USING E-COMMERCE TOOLS FOR THEIR COOKIE BUSINESSES. -DIVERSIFY AND GROW NATIONAL LICENSING PARTNERSHIPS. -EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE GIRL SCOUT PROPERTIES TO PROVIDE UNIQUE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES AND GROW MEMBERSHIP INCLUDING THE JULIETTE GORDON LOW BIRTHPLACE IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, AND EDITH MACY CENTER IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK. -DEVELOP AND MANAGE GSUSA'S RELATIONSHIP AND PROGRAMMING WITH THE WORLD ASSOCIATION OF GIRL GUIDES AND GIRL SCOUTS (WAGGGS) AND OTHER GLOBAL ORGANIZATIONS; AND -DEVELOP AND EVALUATE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT MEMBERS OF GSUSA, SO THAT GIRL SCOUT VOLUNTEERS FEEL SUPPORTED AND ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY GUIDE AND DELIVER PROGRAMMING. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4B, DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM SERVICE: COMPREHENSIVE COUNCIL SUPPORT: -PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO ALL 111 GIRL SCOUT COUNCILS AND USA GIRL SCOUTS OVERSEAS TO ENSURE THAT GIRL SCOUT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES ARE DELIVERED EFFECTIVELY AND CONSISTENTLY IN ALL GEOGRAPHIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MISSION, POLICIES, AND GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION. -IN SERVICE OF SUSTAINABLE MEMBERSHIP GROWTH AND MOVEMENT HEALTH, WE SUPPORT COUNCILS AS THEY ENGAGE GIRLS, VOLUNTEERS, PARENTS, COUNCILS, AND SUPPORTERS TO FULFILL THE GIRL SCOUT MISSION. THE TEAMS PROVIDING COUNCIL SUPPORT ARE INVOLVED WITH NETWORK ALIGNMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF MOVEMENT STRATEGY; COUNCIL LEADERSHIP SUPPORT AND TRAINING; CULTIVATION OF NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS THAT DRIVE MEMBERSHIP GROWTH; AND FACILITATING PEER-TO-PEER SHARING OF DATA-DRIVEN BEST PRACTICES. THE TEAMS WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL OTHER GSUSA COMMUNITIES TO BRING AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE TO OUR MEMBERS AND TO ENSURE A VIBRANT, SUSTAINABLY GROWING MOVEMENT. -ENHANCE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THROUGH TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND MOVEMENT-WIDE COMMON TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM AND PRODUCTS THAT SUPPORT THE ENGAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS AND THE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT OF MEMBERS. -PROVIDE DIRECT GRANTS TO COUNCILS TO ENHANCE THEIR FINANCIAL STABILITY AND BUILD THEIR PROGRAMMATIC CAPACITY. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4C, DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM SERVICE: BRAND PROMOTION AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT: -PROMOTE THE GIRL SCOUT BRAND, PROGRAM, AND MISSION FAR AND WIDE, EMPHASIZING THAT THROUGH GIRL SCOUTS, GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN LEARN TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THEIR OWN LIVES AND THE WORLD. -MAINTAIN GSUSA'S POSITION IN THE MARKETPLACE AS THE PREEMINENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION FOR GIRLS IN THE WORLD. -RESEARCH AND ADVOCATE ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT GIRLS AND WOMEN LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, AND/OR GLOBALLY. -DEVELOP AND PROMOTE THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM, THE LARGEST GIRL-LED ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAM IN THE WORLD. -DEVELOP, MARKET, AND SELL GIRL SCOUT-BRANDED ITEMS AND PROGRAM MATERIALS TO GIRL SCOUT MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. -PROVIDE GIRL SCOUT COUNCILS WITH MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP THEM REACH EXTERNAL AUDIENCES IN WAYS THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH NATIONAL EFFORTS AND TO DRIVE THE PUBLIC'S RECOGNITION OF GSUSA AS A SINGLE COHESIVE MOVEMENT FOR GIRLS.
  2. $38.8 million spent. COMPREHENSIVE COUNCIL SUPPORT (SEE SCHEDULE O)
  3. $19.5 million spent. BRAND PROMOTION AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT (SEE SCHEDULE O)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1919.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.