Girl Scouts is open to all girls and adults, regardless of ability to pay. Girl Scouts River Valleys is committed to ensuring that every girl has access to the full complement of Girl Scout experiences and will remove financial barriers to that access whenever possible. Volunteers and other supporting adults are essential to the delivery of Girl Scout experiences, and Girl Scouts River Valleys is committed to removing financial barriers to their participation.
Policy Statement
River Valleys provides financial assistance to girls and adults who need it to access the Girl Scout experience.
Standards
- Annual Girl Scout membership dues assistance for girls or adults is always granted in full when requested.
- In addition to membership dues assistance, girl members may request financial assistance up to four times per membership year, only one of which may be troop or resident camp. Eligible expenses include:
- Purchasing uniform and program materials in River Valleys shops (subject to council-established criteria, which may change without notice)
- Council-led/sponsored program event registration
- Council-led resident and troop camp registration, less applicable non-refundable deposit
- Council-led/sponsored series program registration (such as Bike Club or Robotics)
- Approved volunteer-led day camp or event registration
- Annual troop dues
- Troop dues assistance may be limited to an amount set annually by River Valleys, which may be subject to change.
- Financial assistance awarded for troop dues will be deposited directly to the troop’s bank account via ACH deposit.
- In addition to membership dues assistance, adult volunteers may request financial assistance up to three times per membership year, only one of which may be troop or family camp. Eligible expenses include:
- Purchasing uniform and program materials in River Valleys shops (subject to council-established criteria, which may change without notice)
- Council-led/sponsored program event registration (including council-led trainings)
- Council-led troop or family camp registration, less applicable non-refundable deposit
- Adult members who are ineligible for volunteer roles may be denied financial assistance
- In addition to membership dues assistance, non-volunteering adult members may request financial assistance up to one time per membership year.
- Financial assistance is awarded based on demonstrated need at the following rates:
- Families qualifying for free lunch may be awarded up to 100% of the cost.
- Families qualifying for reduced lunch may be awarded up to 75% of the cost.
- Families not qualifying for free or reduced lunch but displaying other need may be awarded up to 50% of the cost.
- Financial assistance cannot be used to reimburse girl or adult members for money already spent.
- Financial assistance allocations are subject to availability within the council’s current operating budget.