Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 59 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN.
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $5.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 11.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 83%
- Employees
- 96
- Volunteers
- 3,932
- Highest pay
- $229,463, 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
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.6 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 59 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 2524 of 24 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 (1)
- $4.7 million spent. THE GIRL SCOUT COUNCIL OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS (GSCSA) IS A MISSION-DRIVEN, GIRL-FOCUSED ORGANIZATION THAT STRIVES TO BUILD GIRLS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER, WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THROUGH PROGRAMS OFFERED TO GIRLS K-12 IN 46 COUNTIES FROM SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA, THROUGH EAST TENNESSEE, AND INTO NORTH GEORGIA, GIRL SCOUTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND ABILITIES CAN BE THEMSELVES AS THEY DISCOVER THEIR STRENGTHS AND RISE TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES. BACKED BY TRUSTED AND DEDICATED ADULT VOLUNTEERS, MENTORS, AND ALUMS,GIRL SCOUTS LEAD THE WAY AS THEY FIND THEIR VOICES AND LEARN THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY SET THEIR MIND TO. FOR MORE THAN 112 YEARS, GIRL SCOUTS HAS BROUGHT TO LIFE THE DREAMS OF GIRLS AND WORKED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP OUR NEXT GENERATION OF SUCCESSFUL FEMALE LEADERS.(CONTINUED ON SCH. O.)GSCSA CONTINUES TO CREATE NEW PROGRAMMING TO SUPPORT AND EDUCATE ITS GIRL MEMBERS. THE PROGRAMS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS PROVIDED BY GIRL SCOUTS ARE NEEDED TODAY MORE THAN EVER.GIRL SCOUT PROGRAMMING IS PROVIDED THROUGH THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND GIRL SCOUT COMMUNITY TROOPS, SERVING 6,497 GIRLS IN OUR 46-COUNTY FOOTPRINT. THE COUNCIL ENDED THE 2025 MEMBERSHIP YEAR (OCTOBER 1, 2024 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2025) WITH 9,837 GIRL AND ADULT MEMBERS. IN ADDITION TO INDIVIDUAL TROOP ACTIVITIES, APPROXIMATELY 1,421 GIRLS PARTICIPATED IN MORE THAN 317 PROGRAMS, EITHER ORGANIZED BY GSCSA STAFF OR ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS PARTNERS DURING THE 2025 MEMBERSHIP YEAR. GIRLS DID EVERYTHING FROM STEM WORKSHOPS TO RAFTING TO HELPING OTHERS, MANY EARNING BADGES ALONG THE WAY. IN THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, GIRLS LEARN THROUGH ACTIVITIES THAT EARN THEM BADGES FOR THINGS LIKE LEADERSHIP, STEM, FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS LITERACY, HEALTHY LIVING, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP. GIRL SCOUTS HELPS GIRLS LEARN THESE FIVE ATTITUDES, SKILLS, AND BEHAVIORS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP:1. STRONG SENSE OF SELF2. POSITIVE VALUES3. CHALLENGE SEEKING4. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS5. COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVINGWHY DO THESE FIVE OUTCOMES MATTER? WHEN GIRLS EXHIBIT THESE ATTITUDES AND SKILLS, THEY BECOME RESPONSIBLE, PRODUCTIVE, CARING, AND ENGAGED CITIZENS. STUDIES SHOW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS, AND SKILLS LIKE CONFIDENCE, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND PROBLEM SOLVING ARE CRITICAL TO WELL-BEING AND RIVAL ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL SKILLS IN THEIR CAPACITY TO PREDICT LONG-TERM POSITIVE LIFE OUTCOMES.A RECENT RESEARCH STUDY PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT GIRL SCOUTS STAND OUT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM NONGIRL SCOUTS, DEMONSTRATING MORE WELL-ROUNDED LIFESTYLES AND A STRONGER PROPENSITY FOR SUCCESS. COMPARED TO NONGIRL SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO: EXHIBIT STRONG LEADERSHIP OUTCOMES EARN "EXCELLENT" GRADES EXPECT TO GRADUATE COLLEGE ASPIRE TO STEM, BUSINESS, AND LAW CAREERS FEEL HOPEFUL ABOUT THEIR FUTUREACCORDING THE 2021 REPORT THE GIRL SCOUT ALUM DIFFERENCE: A LIFETIME OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER, GIRL SCOUT ALUMNAE ARE MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR EDUCATION AND ATTAIN HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION THAN NON-ALUMS. THE LENGTH OF TIME IN GIRL SCOUTS IS POSITIVELY CORRELATED TO ATTAINING HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION. GIRL SCOUT ALUMS WHO PARTICIPATED FOR FOUR OR MORE YEARS COMPLETED MORE YEARS OF EDUCATION, WITH 43% OF ALUMS HAVING COMPLETED AT LEAST A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE COMPARED TO 32% OF NON-ALUMS. IN ADDITION, 78% HAVE ATTENDED AT LEAST SOME COLLEGE COMPARED TO 65% OF NON-ALUMS.IN SHORT, GIRL SCOUTS DO BETTER IN SCHOOL AND, AS ADULTS, ARE BETTER EDUCATED, HAVE A HIGHER INCOME LEVEL, ARE MORE ACTIVE AS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, AND VOTE MORE OFTEN THAN GIRLS WHO WERE NOT. GIRL SCOUT ALUMS SAY GIRL SCOUTING PREPARED THEM TO FACE LIFE'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH RESOURCEFULNESS, INGENUITY, AND DISCIPLINE. COMPARED TO WOMEN WHO WERE NOT GIRL SCOUTS, OUR ALUMNAE FEEL MORE CAPABLE AND COMPETENT IN THEIR LIVES, HAVE MORE SUPPORTIVE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND FEEL MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THEIR FUTURES.GIRL SCOUTS PERFORMED MORE THAN NEARLY 6,000 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR COUNCIL. ADDITIONALLY, GSCSA DONATED APPROXIMATELY 10,842 BOXES OF COOKIES TO FRIENDS OF THE TROOPS, HUGS FOR OUR SOLDIERS, AND OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN NEED. WE ALSO HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT PROGRAMS THAT HELPED FUND ALL THE FUN AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: FALL PRODUCT AND THE COOKIE PROGRAM. GSCSA IS PROUD TO SAY THAT 3,896 GIRL SCOUTS SOLD 1,081,756 BOXES OF COOKIES AND GIRLS SOLD APPROXIMATELY 50,000 ITEMS FOR THE FALL PRODUCT PROGRAM. BY SELLING COOKIES AND FALL PRODUCT, GIRLS DEVELOP FIVE ESSENTIAL SKILLSGOAL SETTING, DECISION MAKING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, PEOPLE SKILLS, AND BUSINESS ETHICSALL OF WHICH HELP THEM SUCCEED TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE. THEY GROW THEIR CONFIDENCE AND PRACTICE LEADERSHIP, TOO.APPROXIMATELY 300 GIRLS ATTENDED OUR SUMMER RESIDENT CAMP AT CAMP TANASI IN ANDERSONVILLE, TN. WHETHER THEY SPENT A FEW DAYS OR TWO WEEKS, GIRLS LEARNED A VARIETY OF OUTDOORS SKILLS AS WELL AS ABILITIES THEY CAN USE IN THEIR EVERYDAY, INDOOR LIFE. GIRLS ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO TRY OUT ARCHERY, CLIMBING, SWIMMING, BOATING, AND HIKING. IN ADDITION TO SUMMER RESIDENT CAMP, APPROXIMATELY 440 GIRLS PARTICIPATED IN TROOP CAMPING AT ONE OF OUR THREE BEAUTIFUL CAMPS, LOCATED IN VARIOUS AREAS OF OUR COUNCIL FOOTPRINT. OUR GIRL SCOUT COMMUNITY TROOP PROGRAM HAS GROWN SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN THE SUMMER OF 2018. THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE 211 GIRLS THROUGH 14 COMMUNITY TROOP PARTNER SITES ACROSS OUR COUNCIL FOOTPRINT. GSCSA RECOGNIZES THAT NOT EVERY GIRL IN OUR AREA IS ABLE TO ACCESS GIRL SCOUTS BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS DUE TO FAMILY FINANCES, TRANSPORTATION, OR FINDING VOLUNTEERS TO LEAD TROOPS IN SPECIFIC AREAS. THAT IS WHERE THE GSCSA COMMUNITY TROOP PROGRAM COMES IN TO ENSURE GIRLS CAN JOIN GIRL SCOUTS AND GAIN THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE THAT IS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS. OUR COMMUNITY TROOP PROGRAM IS STAFF-LED IN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SCHOOLS FROM SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA THROUGHOUT ALL OF EASTERN TENNESSEE AND INTO N
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1934.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.