Where does the money go? How is the money used? Do girls benefit directly?

All funds raised in support of Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines stay within our local council and directly benefit the girls we serve.  The money raised is used in a number of ways such as financial assistance to girls, program development, council-sponsored events such as Jamboree and Leaderee, adult development, and volunteer and girl recruitment.



I give my time as a volunteer, why should I give money?

North Carolina Coastal Pines is truly appreciative of the time and talents given by our dedicated volunteers.  However, some costs simply cannot be covered by time.  For those costs, we explore various funding options such as in-kind donations, foundation and corporation giving, staff and board support, as well as support from our families and volunteers.

If foundations and corporations support the council, why ask parents and volunteers?

In order to continue providing quality services to all girls at a low cost, we must seek funding from a variety of sources.  We ask corporations, foundations, and individuals for support.  Many times our external funders express interest in what we are doing internally to raise funds to support Girl Scouting.  Support from those closest to us—our parents, volunteers, staff, and board members—is a great resource in helping us to obtain other funding.  When North Carolina Coastal Pines can show a strong financial commitment from our internal family to these outside donors, we build an even stronger case for their support of our organization.
 


I paid $10 for my girl to join Girl Scouting. Where does that go?

The $10 membership fee paid when you or your girl registered is a national membership fee.  This entire amount goes directly to Girl Scouts of the USA, which provides activity insurance, program enhancements, and management support to the council.  The council does not receive any portion of this membership fee, all of it goes to Girl Scouts of the USA for maintaining the national viability and strength of the Girl Scout Movement.



I can’t give a big cash gift right now, is there something else I can do to support the program?

We want to make your giving as easy as possible.  Please consider making a pledge that you can pay off (in full or by installments) at a later date or a planned gift that would not affect your current assets.

I give to the United Way, do they support Girl Scouting?

We are grateful for the support of 30 United Ways.  However, funding from corporations, foundations, and the United Way is not guaranteed.  North Carolina Coastal Pines is committed to diversifying our funding sources so as not to depend on any one source significantly.  Support from the United Way has decreased significantly each year since 1990—last year, about 8% of our revenue came from United Way allocations and designations.  Your gift to the United Way does not increase our funding allocation.

We purchase cookies through the council product sale, why should we make a donation?

Thank you for supporting the cookie sale.  We are very proud of our Cookie Sale Program and the wonderful benefits it affords those girls who participate—benefits such as learning presentation skills, financial management, goal setting, and budget planning.  However, product sales are aimed at the general public, a different audience from our fund raising effort.  Our hope is to reduce the council’s dependence on product sales, at the same time significantly increasing funding from other sources.  A diversified funding base is vital to our continued strength.



Troops ask members to pay dues. Why should I give money to the Girl Scout council?

Each individual troop within North Carolina Coastal Pines decides what that particular troop’s dues will be.  These funds pay only for the girls' troop activities, not the many other services that the council provides such as financial assistance, volunteer and girl recruitment, volunteer training and support, and upkeep of council properties including three camps and field offices in each of the 41 counties we serve.  Your gift to the council supports these other services.

My daughter paid $5 to participate in a council event. Does that cover the cost of these services?

Your payment to attend a council-sponsored event helps offset some of the costs associated with sponsoring the event.  North Carolina Coastal Pines strives to keep the cost of attending council-sponsored events at a minimum so that all girls can fully participate in all that North Carolina Coastal Pines has to offer.  There are many costs associated with all events – such as food, program activity supplies, and site rental fees – which far exceed the fee paid by the girl and her family.  Also, the girls’ fees do not cover many less obvious costs such as staff time, clerical support, telephone cost, postage, printing, and insurance.

Does North Carolina Coastal Pines adhere to any policies or guidelines concerning fundraising? How can I learn more about the council’s finances?

Our council strictly adheres to policies, which are mandated by our national organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, and to generally accepted accounting standards.  Copies of the national policies, found in the Blue Book of Basic Documents: 2004, and our policies are available by contacting the Fund Development Department at 919-782-3021 or 1-800-284-4475.  Copies of the most current audited financial statement and our most recent IRS Form 990 can be obtained from our accounting office during normal business hours.  Other financial information about our council and a copy of our license to solicit charitable contributions are available from the State Charitable Solicitation Licensing Branch of the Office of the Secretary of State (919-807-2214).

Thank you for your interest in Girl Scouts - North Carolina Coastal Pines.  Please feel free to call us with any additional questions you may have.