Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 73 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $23.7 million
- Spending
- $27.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 9.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 81%
- Employees
- 325
- Volunteers
- 18,770
- Highest pay
- $503,358, 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
Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 73 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 29% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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 (3)
- $11.9 million spent. REACH MORE GIRLS - COMMITMENT TO ALL GIRLS: AS A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT THAT INCLUDES 1.5 MILLION MEMBERS AND MORE THAN 50 MILLION ALUMNAE, GIRL SCOUTS IS COMMITTED TO BECOMING AN INCLUSIVE, ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO GIVE ALL GIRLS - IN EVERY COMMUNITY, OF EVERY BACKGROUND, IDENTITY, AND ABILITY, AND IN EVERY ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE - THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN OUR MOVEMENT AND FEEL WELCOME WITHIN IT. DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON MORE GIRLS' LIVES, GSGLA CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO BRINGING THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE TO UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THIS YEAR, MORE THAN 12,300 GSGLA GIRL SCOUTS ARE FROM LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, COMPRISING 37% OF OUR TOTAL MEMBERSHIP. THE COUNCIL SERVES MORE THAN 5,800 GIRL SCOUTS IN NON-TRADITIONAL TROOPS THROUGH THE TROOP START-UP (TSU) ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAM (CPP). TSU WAIVES MEMBERSHIP FEES AND PROVIDES EVERYTHING TROOPS NEED TO GET STARTED, INCLUDING UNIFORMS AND BADGEWORK. THE CPP PROVIDES GIRL SCOUT PROGRAMMING TO GIRLS IN MORE THAN 318 AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM-BASED TROOPS, MANY OF WHICH ARE IN TITLE I SCHOOLS AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE OTHERWISE. MORE THAN 18,700 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS GUIDE GSGLA GIRL SCOUTS AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR GIRL SCOUT JOURNEY. COUNCIL STAFF ENSURES THE COMPREHENSIVE VOLUNTEER TRAINING INCLUDES TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS ISSUES LIKE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AND INCLUSIVITY, AND THAT THEY ARE ENGAGED AND PROPERLY RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS.
- $7.1 million spent. HIGH IMPACT PROGRAMS: THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD REPRESENTS THE PINNACLE OF ACHIEVEMENT WITHIN THE GIRL SCOUT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE. THIS MULTI-YEAR PROCESS REQUIRES HIGH SCHOOL GIRL SCOUTS TO CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN 80 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVOCACY, RESULTING IN LASTING POSITIVE CHANGES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND. IN 2025, GSGLA HONORED 184 GOLD AWARD RECIPIENTS, WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 14,720 HOURS IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SKILLS GIRL SCOUTS HONE THROUGH EARNING THE GOLD AWARD - INNOVATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, EMPATHETIC LEADERSHIP, CONFIDENT PUBLIC SPEAKING, AND FOCUSED PROJECT MANAGEMENT - PREPARE THEM FOR VAST TRIUMPHS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND DISTINGUISHED CAREERS. ENSURING THAT MORE GIRLS OF COLOR PURSUE THE GOLD AWARD IS A KEY PRIORITY FOR GSGLA. GIRL SCOUT SUMMER CAMP IS A CHERISHED TRADITION OFFERING A WAY FOR GIRLS TO UNPLUG AND EXPERIENCE NATURE, FORM FRIENDSHIPS, DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES, AND LEAN INTO NEW CHALLENGES. EIGHT OF GSGLA'S 18 PROPERTIES OFFER SPECIALTY SUMMER CAMPS, OVERNIGHT CAMP, FAMILY WEEKENDS, AND TROOP CAMPING. IN 2025, ALMOST 500 GIRL SCOUTS RECEIVED CAMPERSHIPS (FINANCIAL AID) TOTALING MORE THAN $263,000, ENSURING THAT COST IS NOT A BARRIER TO PARTICIPATION. AVAILABLE GIRLS IN GRADES 9-12, GSGLA'S COUNSELOR-IN-TRAINING (CIT) LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS A YEAR-ROUND, PROGRESSIVE, EXPERIENTIAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY. GSGLA'S MENTORING AND CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAMS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OLDER GIRL SCOUTS TO CONNECT WITH AND LEARN FROM LOCAL WOMEN LEADERS, PROVIDING INSIGHTS INTO VARIOUS CAREERS, EQUIPPING THEM FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL.
- $4.5 million spent. FINANCIAL LITERACY: THE ICONIC GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM IS THE WORLD'S FOREMOST GIRL-LED BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAM. GIRL SCOUTS HAVE BEEN ENTREPRENEURS SINCE 1917, WHEN THE FIRST KNOWN COOKIE SALE TOOK PLACE AS THE PRIMARY METHOD TO EARN MONEY TO SUPPORT GIRL-LED COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE GOAL REMAINS THE SAME TO THIS DAY: GIRL SCOUTS SELL COOKIES TO BUILD FUNDS SO TROOPS CAN BE SELF-SUSTAINING AND HAVE FUN WHILE WORKING TOWARDS A SHARED GOAL. THE STRUCTURED PROGRAM ENSURES THEY GAIN FIVE SKILLS: PEOPLE SKILLS, GOAL SETTING, BUSINESS ETHICS, MONEY MANAGEMENT, AND DECISION MAKING.
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 March 1958.
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.