Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes Inc

EIN 39-1016314 · Appleton, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 69 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

GIRL SCOUTING BUILDS GIRLS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER, WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

Income
$6.6 million
Spending
$6.3 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
17.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 75%
Employees
143
Volunteers
4,556
Highest pay
$169,200, 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 16% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 69 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 25

    13 of 13 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 (4)
  1. $3.7 million spent. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE NORTHWESTERN GREAT LAKES, INC. (GSNWGL) SERVED 8,476 GIRLS THROUGH THE TROOP PATHWAY. THESE GIRLS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A SERIES OF PROGRAMS WITH THE SAME GROUP OF GIRLS OVER THE COURSE OF AN ACADEMIC YEAR. TROOPS ARE LONG-TERM AND MEET YEAR AFTER YEAR, PROVIDING GIRLS WITH A SAFE, FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT FROM WHICH TO EXPLORE THE WORLD AROUND THEM. TROOP ACTIVITIES ARE GIRL-LED AND INVOLVE COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND LEARNING BY DOING. POPULAR ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMMUNITY SERVICE, WORKING GSUSA JOURNEYS CURRICULUM, AND BADGE AND PATCH WORK. BADGES, PATCHES AND OTHER ITEMS ARE SOLD THROUGH GSUSA TO SUPPORT THE TROOP PATHWAY LEADERS. THIS YEAR, 86% OF GIRL SCOUTS REPORT THAT THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES THEY WOULD NOT HAVE OTHERWISE TRIED, 82% OF GIRL SCOUTS FEEL THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD, AND 80% STATED THAT THEY ARE A HAPPIER PERSON BECAUSE THEY PARTICIPATE IN GIRL SCOUTS. THE GIRLS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRODUCT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDE FALL PRODUCT SALE PROGRAM AND COOKIE SALE PROGRAM, ARE PRIMARILY PARTICIPATING IN THE TROOP PATHWAY PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY. THUS, 100% OF THE REVENUE IS SHOWN AS BEING GENERATED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY WHICH THEN SUPPORTS OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PATHWAY INITIATIVES.
  2. $1.1 million spent. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE NORTHWESTERN GREAT LAKES, INC. (GSNWGL) HELD MORE THAN 160 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL EVENTS AND SERVED 4,863 GIRLS THROUGH THE EVENTS AND OUTREACH PATHWAYS. EVENT AND REACHING OUT PATHWAY PROGRAMS ARE EDUCATIONAL AND FUN, AND OPEN TO BOTH CURRENTLY REGISTERED GIRL SCOUTS AND GIRLS WHO HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN GIRL SCOUTS. EACH OF THE PROGRAMS FOCUSES ON A TOPIC THAT RESEARCH SHOWS GIRLS ARE INTERESTED IN OR WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT. THE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED TO ALL GRADE LEVELS, AND SESSIONS DURING THE EVENT ARE BROKEN UP BY GRADE LEVEL TO ENSURE THAT EACH GIRL IS PARTICIPATING IN A PROGRAM THAT WILL BENEFIT HER. EVENTS AND REACHING OUT PATHWAYS ARE BUILT AROUND THE FIVE CORE OUTCOMES: STRONG SENSE OF SELF, POSITIVE VALUES, CHALLENGE SEEKING, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY PROBLEM-SOLVING. 96% OF GIRL SCOUTS REPORT THAT EVENTS AND REACHING OUT PROGRAMMING HELP THEM TO DEVELOP A STRONG SENSE OF SELF, 97% OF GIRL SCOUTS REPORT THAT THEY ARE BETTER ABLE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOLVING COMMUNITY PROBLEMS, 97% OF THE PARTICIPANTS STATE THAT THEY DEVELOPED POSITIVE VALUES, AND 95% REPORT THAT THEY ARE BETTER ABLE TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. THE GIRLS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRODUCT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDE FALL PRODUCT SALE PROGRAM AND COOKIE SALE PROGRAM, ARE PRIMARILY PARTICIPATING IN THE TROOP PATHWAY PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY. THUS, 100% OF THE REVENUE IS SHOWN AS BEING GENERATED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY WHICH THEN SUPPORTS OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PATHWAY INITIATIVES.
  3. $514,987 spent. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE NORTHWESTERN GREAT LAKES, INC. (GSNWGL) OPERATED CAMP PATHWAY OPPORTUNITIES AT 2 LOCATIONS WITHIN THEIR COUNCIL FOOTPRINT. CAMP PATHWAY OPPORTUNITIES TYPICALLY RUN FROM THE END OF JUNE TO THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST. LAST SUMMER, 478 GIRLS SELECTED FROM 49 DIFFERENT SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING RESIDENT CAMP, TROOP CAMP, WILDERNESS TRIPS, AND WEEKEND SESSIONS. SESSION TOPICS COVER THE FIVE CORE OUTCOMES: STRONG SENSE OF SELF, POSITIVE VALUES, CHALLENGE SEEKING, HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY PROBLEM-SOLVING. THE CAMP PATHWAY OFFERS AMPLE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS YEAR, 92% OF GIRLS REPORT THAT THEY STEPPED OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE AND TRIED SOMETHING NEW, 74% OF GIRL SCOUT PARENTS REPORT THAT THEIR CHILD IS MORE INDEPENDENT, AND 77% REPORT THAT THEIR CHILD HAS BECOME MORE RESILIENT FROM THEIR TIME AT CAMP. THE GIRLS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRODUCT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDE FALL PRODUCT SALE PROGRAM AND COOKIE SALE PROGRAM, ARE PRIMARILY PARTICIPATING IN THE TROOP PATHWAY PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY. THUS, 100% OF THE REVENUE IS SHOWN AS BEING GENERATED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY WHICH THEN SUPPORTS OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PATHWAY INITIATIVES.
  4. THE GIRLS PARTICIPATING IN THE PRODUCT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDE FALL PRODUCT SALE PROGRAM AND COOKIE SALE PROGRAM, ARE PRIMARILY PARTICIPATING IN THE TROOP PATHWAY PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY. THUS, 100% OF THE REVENUE IS SHOWN AS BEING GENERATED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITY WHICH THEN SUPPORTS OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PATHWAY INITIATIVES.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1980.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.