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In June 2004, Girl Scouts of the USA began the process of
developing a strategy to ensure the future success and growth of
the Girl Scout Movement. After identifying Girls Scouts'
strengths, challenges, and imperatives for success, GSUSA zeroed
in on six strategic priorities that now represent the
organization's focus: Program Model and Pathways, Volunteerism,
Brand, Funding, Organizational Structure and Governance, and
Culture.
In January 2005, leadership groups of volunteers and staff
from throughout the United States began meeting as “Gap Teams”
in each of these six areas. It was their charge to create a new
Core Business Strategy for Girl Scouting in their assigned area.
The Gap Team for Organizational Structure and Governance
began to examine the current situation. Current Council
boundaries were drawn 40 years ago and times have changed. Over
the last 40 years it has been found that councils serving larger
populations of girls - whether in compact urban areas or vast
geographic areas - are able to bring to more girls the maximum
benefit of each dollar raised. This was found to be true in
other not-for-profit agencies with many moving to develop such
larger entities. As a result, the Gap Team recommended to the
National Board that the Movement develop a model of high
capacity councils to better serve the girls of the USA. The
Board directed national staff to begin a national realignment
process.
Girl Scouts of the USA is working with local councils and a team
of demographers to develop a new map of council jurisdictions. A
new national map will be established by the end of August, 2006.
A national meeting of Board Presidents, Chief Executive Officers
and national staff was held in late February, 2006. This meeting
was to begin the process with a presentation of a suggested new
national map developed by the demographers. Councils across the
country were charged to then go home and work on realignment
possibilities with the map as a guideline.
The proposed map would have split GSCAB at the Apalachicola
River and was not deemed to be favorable for best serving the
girls of this council jurisdiction nor of neighboring council
areas. A merger of the Girl Scout Council of Northwest Florida
based in Pensacola and GSCAB was proposed and has been accepted
thus far in the realignment process.
GSCAB is expected to have the approved map of its new
council jurisdiction approved at the National Board meeting in
August, 2006. Within the next two years all operational and
governance details are expected to be resolved.
Girl Scouting will continue to provide exceptional program
for girls during this time of realignment. Following
realignment, the community can look to Girl Scouting for
expanded opportunities for girls, enhanced services for adult
volunteers, continued outreach to underserved populations, and
vibrant partnerships with the greater community to meet our
commitment to girls.
The GSCAB Board of Directors has approved the membership of a
Council Realignment Committee (CRC). This committee will be
composed of members of GSCAB and GSNWF and will lead the merger
efforts. There will be subcommittees appointed to address many
areas such as legal requirements, finances, properties,
structure, by-laws, nominations, etc. With the merger of the
councils there will be a process for the selection of the CEO
for the new council that will be directed by the CRC. Working
with this individual, the CRC will oversee the development of
staff structure and service delivery. And the CRC will present
to both councils the overall plans for approval and selection of
a new combined Board of Directors.
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