Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan

What Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan does

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (GSHOM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit local council of Girl Scouts of the USA, serving girls in grades K-12 across 34 counties in Michigan. The council delivers the standard Girl Scout program portfolio organized by age tier — Daisies (K-1), Brownies (2-3), Juniors (4-5), Cadettes (6-8), Seniors (9-10), and Ambassadors (11-12) — covering leadership development, badge-based skill building, community service, STEM, outdoor experiences, and entrepreneurship education through the annual Cookie Program and Fall Product Program. Membership acquisition is community-led and event-driven, relying on volunteer-led troops, school outreach, word-of-mouth referrals, and digital channels (website, six social media platforms, monthly newsletters). The council is headquartered in Grand Ledge, Michigan, and operates three primary camp properties — Camp Linden, Camp Merrie Woode, and Camp O' the Hills — plus Camp Wacousta for archery, offering summer camp, day camp, family/troop overnight rentals, and customizable Camp Your Way programming.

The council's underlying technology is the national Girl Scouts of the USA ecosystem: the myGS member portal for registration, renewals, and event management, and Rallyhood for volunteer coordination and troop communication, supplemented by an e-commerce Girl Scout Shop and a digital media toolkit for volunteer-led promotion. GSHOM operates no proprietary technology, app, or API of its own. The technology footprint is administrative and distribution-oriented rather than product-defining.

GSHOM's revenue model is a hybrid nonprofit structure combining (1) recurring membership dues ($85 per girl for 2026-2027, of which $20 is the council service fee), (2) a transaction-based share of the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program proceeds, (3) one-time camp and program fees, (4) donations raised by a dedicated Fund Development team (approximately $1,125,000 annually, with roughly $150,000 directed to Financial Assistance), and (5) special events including Cookie Bake-off Benefit and Barrels & Badges. The council also generates revenue from non-member uses of camp properties, including weddings and special event rentals. Customer segments are primarily girl members, adult volunteers, and parents/families, with no enterprise or institutional customers — the donor base supports operations rather than constituting a customer revenue stream. Financial assistance programs (including the Sister to Sister scholarship fund, which has distributed over $150,000 historically) are central to the council's mission of access, with nearly $250,000 in aid provided to local girls last year.

Name

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan

Legal name

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan

Website

https://gshom.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan is a 501(c)(3) local council of Girl Scouts of the USA, serving girls in grades K-12 across 34 Michigan counties through membership programs, the Cookie Program, camp properties, and volunteer-led troops, funded by dues, product sales, camp fees, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Child and Youth Services (62411), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (7213), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Girl leadership programs
• Youth camp services
• Youth membership services
• Girl empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Ledge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Girl and adult membership fees including GSUSA national registration and GSHOM council service fees. For 2026-2027, girl membership costs $85 ($65 GSUSA + $20 council fee).
2. Cookie Program Sales: Girl Scout cookie sales through the annual Cookie Program, which teaches entrepreneurship skills. Council receives a portion of sales revenue.
3. Fall Product Program: Fall product program offering treats and magazines, providing another youth entrepreneurship and fundraising opportunity.
4. Camp and Program Fees: Fees for summer camp programs, day camp, specialty programs, and various activities such as archery, climbing, and trail rides.
5. Donations and Fundraising: The Fund Development team raises approximately $1,125,000 annually, including nearly $150,000 specifically for Financial Assistance. The Sister to Sister fund provides scholarships for membership, uniforms, and programs.
6. Special Events: Revenue from special events including the Cookie Bake-off Benefit and Barrels & Badges events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan delivers the Girl Scout youth development program for girls in grades K-12 across 34 Michigan counties, including age-tiered membership (Daisies through Ambassadors), badge-based leadership curriculum, the annual Cookie Program and Fall Product Program teaching entrepreneurship, and residential/day camp experiences at four council-owned properties. The council also operates the myGS member portal and Rallyhood community platform for registration, volunteer coordination, and troop management.

Product overview

Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan offers a comprehensive youth development portfolio centered on its core Girl Scout membership program for girls grades K-12 (Daisies through Ambassadors). The council provides signature program experiences including the Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program for entrepreneurial skill-building, along with residential and day camp programs at four council-owned properties (Camp Linden, Camp Merrie Woode, Camp O' the Hills, and Camp Wacousta) featuring activities like archery, climbing, swimming, and horseback riding. Members access digital tools including the MY GS member portal and Rallyhood online community. The council supports members through Financial Assistance, the Sister to Sister scholarship fund, Volunteer Essentials guides, Troop Year Planners, and recognition programs including Highest Awards and Volunteer Awards. Events and activities span categories including outdoor adventures, creative arts, STEM, entrepreneurship, and community service, accessible through an Event Calendar platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Girl Scout Membership Program Annual youth membership in age-tiered Girl Scout levels (Daisies K-1, Brownies 2-3, Juniors 4-5, Cadettes 6-8, Seniors 9-10, Ambassadors 11-12) including badge activities, community service, leadership development, and access to the broader Girl Scout network. For 2026-2027, girl membership is $85 ($65 GSUSA + $20 GSHOM).
• Girl Scout Cookie Program Annual cookie-selling entrepreneurship program featuring varieties such as Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, Trefoils, Do-si-dos, Adventurefuls, Toffee-TASTICS, Lemon-Ups, and Explore MorEs. Girls build business, goal-setting, and money-management skills; the council receives a portion of sales revenue.
• Fall Product Program Seasonal product sales program offering treats, nuts, and magazines each fall, providing girls an additional entrepreneurial and fundraising opportunity beyond the annual Cookie Program.
• Summer Camp Programs Overnight and day summer camp experiences at four council-owned locations (Camp Linden, Camp Merrie Woode, Camp O' the Hills, and Camp Wacousta), with activities including archery, climbing wall, swimming, and horseback riding through All Around, Horse, Specialty, Leadership, Troop and Family, and Day Camp formats.
• Archery Programs Archery instruction and activity programs at camp locations such as Camp Wacousta, teaching proper form, stringing bows, nocking arrows, and safety practices. Priced at $12.00 per girl/adult (+$5 for non-GSHOM members).
• Horse Programs Equestrian activities at council camp locations including trail rides and horse care instruction, available as part of summer camp programming and Camp Your Way activities ($30 per person for trail rides).
• Camp Your Way Customizable camp experience at Camp Linden that lets troops or families choose activities a la carte: archery ($10/person), climbing wall ($10/person), open swim ($10/person), and trail rides ($30/person).
• Family & Troop Overnight Rentals Family and troop overnight rentals at council camp properties (including Camp Linden) for weekend getaways and troop retreats outside the summer camp season.
• Weddings & Special Events at Camp Venue rental program at council camps for weddings and special events outside of Girl Scout programming.
• Highest Awards Program Tiered recognition program including the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards for Cadettes, Seniors/Ambassadors, and Seniors/Ambassadors respectively, recognizing Take Action projects and leadership achievements at the highest Girl Scout levels.
• Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Cookie-selling achievement program allowing families to support Girl Scouts in developing business skills through cookie sales, earning grade-level-specific pins.
• Volunteer Recognition Program Annual Adult Awards program recognizing outstanding volunteers and community partners through nominations and ceremonies.
• Financial Assistance Need-based financial assistance program helping members with membership dues, uniform essentials, and program fees, including Pay Over Time installment options ($5 minimum payment) and nearly $250,000 distributed across 34 counties last year.
• Sister to Sister Fund Donor-funded scholarship program providing financial assistance for Girl Scout membership, uniforms, camp, and council programs across the council's 34-county service area. Has distributed over $150,000 in scholarships historically.
• Mackinac Island Service Program Service-learning program operated in partnership with Mackinac State Historic Parks offering Girl Scouts a community service experience on Mackinac Island.
• MY GS Member Portal Online member management system used by Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan for registration, membership renewal, event registration, and accessing Girl Scout resources.
• Rallyhood Online community platform for Girl Scout volunteers to connect, share resources, and access council information across troops and service units.
• Girl Scout Shop Online retail storefront (girlscoutshop.com/GSHOM) providing Girl Scout uniforms, badges, insignia, program materials, and merchandise to members and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Girls develop leadership skills, financial literacy through cookie entrepreneurship, and outdoor competencies
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Girl Scouts of the USA (National Organization): National umbrella organization under which GSHOM operates. Sets curricula, brand standards, and the myGS/Rallyhood tech stack that GSHOM uses; comparable as the broad incumbent defining the council's operating framework.
• YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit / Greater Michigan YMCAs: Local YMCAs operate youth development, summer day/overnight camps, and membership-based programming that overlaps with GSHOM's offerings. Established regional brands with broader facility portfolios but overlapping youth and camp experiences.

Direct peers

• Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan: Another Michigan-based local council of Girl Scouts of the USA, operating the same membership, cookie, and camp program model in a contiguous geography. Directly comparable as a sister council with similar revenue mix and program offerings.
• Michigan 4-H (MSU Extension): Michigan's 4-H Youth Development program delivers badge-equivalent curricula, camps, and club-based activities through county extension offices. Directly competes for member registration, volunteer leadership, and summer camp enrollment.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Michigan: State association of Boys & Girls Clubs providing youth development programming (afterschool, camps, leadership) to Michigan children. Comparable nonprofit youth organization competing for the same families and donor funding.
• Boy Scouts of America (Scouting America) — Michigan Crossroads Council: The Michigan counterpart BSA council running parallel youth development, camping, and volunteer-led programming for the same age cohorts. Competes for the same parent wallet share and volunteer pool across the state.
• Camp Fire National (Camp Fire Heartland): A national co-ed youth development organization offering badge/certificate programming, camping, and club-based delivery similar to Girl Scouts' model. Directly comparable mission and structure.

Others

• American Camp Association: National accrediting body for summer camps that establishes standards GSHOM must meet for its camp properties. Adjacent enabler rather than direct competitor, but shapes the competitive landscape for accredited youth camps in Michigan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GirlScoutsGSHOM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/gshom
• Facebookfacebook.com/GSHOM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/girl-scouts-heart-of-michigan
• Instagraminstagram.com/gshom/?hl=en
• Pinterestpinterest.com/girlscoutsgshom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Heart of Michigan