Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

What Girl Scouts of Western Ohio does

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (GSWO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization and one of the regional councils chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA, operating under GSUSA's Congressional charter (36 U.S.C. § 80301 et seq.). Established as a council in 2016 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, GSWO delivers the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to over 28,000 girls across a 32-county service area covering western Ohio and southeastern Indiana, supported by nearly 11,000 trained adult volunteers. Core offerings include troop-based programming organized by grade-level tiers (Daisy through Ambassador), badge and journey curricula spanning STEM, outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement, outdoor experiences at three council-owned camp properties (Camp Butterworth, Camp Stonybrook, Camp Whip Poor Will), the Highest Awards program (Bronze, Silver, Gold), and the iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; its digital surface consists of the national myGS member portal and the Digital Dough cookie-sales platform, both provided by GSUSA.

GSWO operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining community-led recruitment (schools, service units, word-of-mouth), event-driven engagement (camp days, Adult Conference, Girl Scout Week, Tough Cookie Challenge), and direct-to-consumer enrollment via mygs.girlscouts.org and a phone-based contact center. Revenue is generated through four streams: annual membership dues ($25/yr, structured as a subscription and recently extended to multi-year terms), transactional camp and event fees, the Girl Scout Cookie Program (which generated $2.8M in girl-directed proceeds in 2024), and charitable contributions including individual gifts, corporate sponsorships, United Way workplace giving, and planned giving. In 2024 the Girl Scouts for Every Girl program disbursed $313,972 in financial assistance to 10,696 girls, indicating a meaningful access-and-subsidy function funded by donor capital.

Operationally, the council is led by President & CEO Aimée Sproles (appointed 2022, previously COO of Girl Scouts of San Jacinto) and an executive team including a Chief People & Belonging Officer and a Chief Development and Marketing Officer. Governance rests with a Board of Directors, which in 2024 completed a bylaws amendment cycle. GSWO is a private nonprofit, not publicly traded, holds no external PE/VC ownership, and operates as a going concern with no disclosed M&A, restructuring beyond governance bylaws, or regulatory actions in the source material.

Name

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

Legal name

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio

Website

https://gswo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio is a Cincinnati-based 501(c)(3) youth development council of Girl Scouts of the USA, serving over 28,000 girls and 11,000 volunteers across 32 counties in western Ohio and southeastern Indiana through troop programs, camps, badges, and the Cookie Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAA

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYEDAMALAO

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYEDAMALAC

STEM & Science Camps (Biology, Chemistry, Space, Lab Science)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Nonprofit membership services
• Girl leadership education
• Summer camp programs
• Cookie fundraising program

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Girl Scout Cookie Program: The iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program is the council's primary annual revenue driver and leadership development initiative. In 2024, girls raised over $2.8 million through cookie sales to fund their adventures year-round. This program teaches essential business and financial literacy skills while generating significant revenue for the council and individual troops.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues provide recurring revenue. For the 2025-2026 membership year, girls joining by June 30 receive a discounted membership rate that includes the entire next Girl Scout year until September 30, 2027, with special perks for girls in grades K-1st.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Individual gifts, corporate contributions, United Way workplace giving, planned giving, and event-based fundraising (like the Celebration of Changemakers and Leadership Circle donor program) provide charitable revenue. The Girl Scouts for Every Girl program awarded $313,972 in financial assistance to 10,696 girls in 2024.
4. Program and Camp Fees: Fees for camps (day camp, overnight camp, family camp), event programs, and specialty activities like Troop Adventure Camp (TAC) provide revenue while delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio delivers the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to over 28,000 girls across a 32-county area in western Ohio and southeastern Indiana through volunteer-led troop programming, a structured K-12 badge and journey curriculum, council-owned summer and day camps, and the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program for entrepreneurship education. The council also administers the Highest Awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold), Six-Week Series Programs, and Juliette individually-registered membership, supported by the myGS member portal and the Digital Dough online cookie sales platform.

Product overview

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and digital platforms. The core offerings include troop-based programming through local volunteer-led groups, outdoor camp experiences at council-owned properties (Camp Butterworth, Camp Stonybrook, Camp Whip Poor Will), and the Girl Scout Cookie Program for entrepreneurship education. The myGS member portal serves as the central digital hub for membership management and event registration, integrated with Digital Cookie for cookie sales and the Girl Scout Shop for merchandise. Badge, Patch, and Journey programs provide skill-building progressions across grade levels, while Highest Awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold) recognize sustained leadership and service. The organization does not offer a technology product in the traditional SaaS sense; its offerings are youth development programs and supporting digital tools rather than a platform product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Girl Scout Membership
• Girl Scout Cookie Program
• Camp Programs (Camp Butterworth, Camp Stonybrook, Camp Whip Poor Will)
• Highest Awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold Awards)
• Juliette Individual Membership
• Six-Week Series Programs
• Digital Cookie / Digital Dough Platform
• Girl Scout Shop (Uniforms, Insignia, Merchandise)
• myGS Member Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 28,000 girls developed leadership skills through Girl Scouts in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Girl Scouts of the USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirl Scouts of the USA is the national organization that charters Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. GSUSA provides operational support, program frameworks (badges, journeys, awards), training systems, the myGS digital platform, and national brand standards. GSWO operates under GSUSA's congressional charter (36 U.S.C. § 80301 et. seq.) and uses GSUSA's intellectual property under license.
• United WaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUnited Way workplace giving campaigns allow donors to contribute to Girl Scouts of Western Ohio through their workplace giving programs. The council partners with United Way of Greater Cincinnati and other regional United Way organizations across the 32-county service area.
• Schools and School DistrictsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with schools across the Cincinnati, Dayton, Lima, and Toledo regions enable Girl Scout programming in educational settings. The council partners with schools for Camp Days, troop formation, and school-based programming including troops at Hamilton County Math and Science Academy, Oyler Elementary, and other schools.
• Girl Scout Cookie Program SponsorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal and national sponsors support the Girl Scout Cookie Program and other council activities. The program enables girls to learn entrepreneurial skills while generating $2.8 million in revenue.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Girl Scouts of the USA: The national umbrella organization for all Girl Scout councils; directly comparable as the parent movement with shared badge curriculum, cookie program frameworks, myGS platform, and congressional charter. Not a competitor in a market-share sense, but the operating context for GSWO.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Larger national youth development organization operating club-based (rather than troop-based) programs in fixed facility locations. Overlaps in target demographic (school-age youth) and youth outcomes focus, but GSWO's troop-leader model contrasts with BGCA's facility-based model.
• American Camp Association: Industry association that accredits camps and represents camp operators nationally. Comparable as the broader camp ecosystem in which GSWO's three owned camp properties compete for summer camp enrollment.

Direct peers

• Boy Scouts of America / Scouting America: Direct competing youth development organization delivering badge-driven programming, camping, leadership awards (Eagle Scout), and volunteer-led troop structures across overlapping geographies. Both compete for family time, volunteer leaders, and donor dollars in the same Cincinnati-Dayton-Toledo market.
• 4-H (Ohio State University Extension): County- and state-run youth development program under USDA land-grant extension system. Directly comparable: project-based learning, camping, leadership tracks (civic engagement, STEM, agriculture), and strong footprint across the same western Ohio counties GSWO serves.
• Camp Fire (formerly Camp Fire USA): National coed youth development nonprofit offering program pathways, summer camps, and teen leadership tracks. Comparable mission, similar council/lodge structure, and similar reliance on volunteer-led groups.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit with affiliated agencies serving the same Ohio/Indiana communities. Comparable as a volunteer-driven youth-mentorship nonprofit competing for the same volunteer-recruitment and donor-funnel pools.
• Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana: Adjacent regional Girl Scout council covering parts of Indiana and Illinois. Most direct functional peer — same brand, badge curriculum, cookie program mechanics, governance model, and similar size class — useful as a near-substitute operating benchmark.

Emerging players

• National Civilian Community Corps (AmeriCorps NCCC): Federal residential youth service program offering team-based national service for young adults (18-24). Comparable on team-based residential programming, leadership development framing, and competition for teen engagement, though it skews older and is residential.

Regional players

• YMCA of Greater Cincinnati: Regional YMCA chapter operating youth programs, camps, and after-school activities across the same western Ohio and southeastern Indiana footprint. Comparable on youth programming and summer-camp operations, but competes primarily on facility-based programs rather than troop-based leadership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/girlscoutswoh
• Facebookfacebook.com/girlscoutswoh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/girlscoutswoh
• Instagraminstagram.com/girlscoutswoh
• Xx.com/GirlScoutsWOH

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Girl Scouts of Western Ohio