Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GIRL SCOUTING BUILDS GIRLS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, & CHARACTER WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE
- Income
- $9.1 million
- Spending
- $11.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 8.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 66%
- Employees
- 153
- Volunteers
- 4,000
- Highest pay
- $267,963, president & ceo
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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 32 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. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (4)
- $3.2 million spent. LIFE SKILLSBY PARTAKING IN GSHPA'S LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMMING, GIRLS ENHANCE ACADEMIC SKILLS THEY LEARN IN SCHOOL THROUGH TOPICS SUCH AS: COMMUNICATION SKILLS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AND HEALTHY LIVING. GIRLS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT EVERYTHING THEY LEARN INTO PRACTICE BY LEADING A PROJECT, THUS EARNING A GOLD AWARD, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST AWARD A GIRL SCOUT CAN EARN. GIRLS CHOOSE A PROJECT THAT WILL HELP FIX A PROBLEM IN THEIR COMMUNITY OR MAKE A LASTING CHANGE IN THEIR WORLD. THIS PROGRAM YEAR, GSHPA WAS PROUD TO RECOGNIZE 64 GOLD AWARD RECIPIENTS IN AN IN-PERSON CEREMONY IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA. WE ALSO CELEBRATED 173 SILVER AWARD RECIPIENTS AND 289 BRONZE AWARD RECIPIENTS AS THEY PAVE THEIR WAY TOWARD GOLD.
- $1.7 million spent. ENTREPRENEURSHIPGIRLS PARTICIPATED IN GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO LEARN BUSINESS SKILLS, INCLUDING BUDGETING, FINANCE, MARKETING, PLANNING AND SALES STRATEGY. BOTH THE COOKIE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE FALL PRODUCT PROVIDE GIRLS WITH A VARIETY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP. WHEN GIRLS PARTICIPATE IN THE COOKIE PROGRAM, THEY DEVELOP THE FOLLOWING SKILLS: GOAL SETTING, DECISION MAKING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, PEOPLE SKILLS AND BUSINESS ETHICS. GIRLS CREATED INDIVIDUAL ONLINE STORE SITES AND BUILT THEIR E-COMMERCE SKILLS. UTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA, GIRLS AND VOLUNTEERS WERE ABLE TO REACH NEW AND EXPANDED MARKETS IN ADDITION TO THEIR IN-PERSON EFFORTS.
- $2.5 million spent. OUTDOOR PROGRAMOUTDOOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OFFER A KEY PATHWAY FOR GIRL SCOUT PARTICIPATION. THESE EXPERIENCES ARE OFFERED AT THE COUNCIL'S FOUR CAMPS AND OFFSITE WITH APPROVED PROGRAM PARTNERS. GIRLS CAN CHOOSE FROM DIFFERENT THEMES AND FOCUS AREAS, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL OR OUTDOOR EDUCATION.THROUGH PROGRESSIVE OUTDOOR PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS OF ALL AGES, THEY EXPERIENCE NATURE, BUILD SKILLS, AND TAKE ACTION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AS ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS. MORE THAN 3,200 GIRL SCOUTS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING THIS YEAR ACROSS ALL FOUR OF OUR CAMP PROPERTIES, AS WELL AS DESTINATION AND OVERSEAS TRIPS. THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES BENEFIT GIRLS' PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND PRODUCE THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES: OUTDOOR COMPETENCE, OUTDOOR CONFIDENCE, OUTDOOR INTEREST AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
- $825,180 spent. STEMWITH A FOCUS ON HIGH-QUALITY MULTIYEAR PROGRAMS IN ENGINEERING, COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND OUTDOOR STEM, GIRLS BECOME INCREASINGLY INTERESTED, CONFIDENT, AND COMPETENT IN STEM SUBJECTS. STEM REMAINS OUR MOST POPULAR PROGRAMMING, FOR IN-PERSON SETTINGS. WHEN GIRLS PARTICIPATE IN GIRL SCOUT STEM PROGRAMS, THEY BENEFIT IN FOUR IMPORTANT WAYS: STEM INTEREST, STEM CONFIDENCE, STEM COMPETENCE AND STEM VALUE.EVERY COUNCIL-LED PROGRAM IS TIED TO PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STANDARDS. OUR APPROVAL AS AN EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION FOR STEM PROGRAMMING ELIGIBLE FOR EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDITS ADMINISTERED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN RENEWED.
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
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 September 7, 2026.
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 September 30, 2026.
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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1956.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
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 7, 2026.
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