girl scouts of greater chicago & northwest indiana

What girl scouts of greater chicago & northwest indiana does

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit local council of Girl Scouts of the USA, formed in 2012 and serving more than 50,000 girls and 20,000+ adults across the Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana region. The council delivers a youth-development curriculum built around Badges and Journeys spanning STEM, outdoors, life skills, and entrepreneurship, anchored by the Girl Scout Cookie Program (described as the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world), the Fall Product Program (nuts, magazines, candles, specialty items), the Highest Awards pathway (Bronze, Silver, Gold), day and overnight camp programming across four camp properties, and recurring signature events including the BLOOM Signature Experience. Programs are delivered through a physical footprint of seven Gathering Place offices/shops (Chicago, Burbank, Joliet, Schererville, Vernon Hills, Naperville, and one additional location) and staffed by a workforce led by CEO Nancy Wright, supported by an adult volunteer base that organizes troops locally.

The operating technology stack is largely shared at the national level: the myGS online portal (mygs.girlscouts.org) for enrollment, the Digital Cookie platform for cookie sales, the M2 Fall Product Platform for the fall fundraiser, Active Network for program and camp registration, and Blackbaud for donor management. Membership and program data flow through these systems to support the annual recruitment, retention, and fundraising cycles. There are no proprietary AI or machine-learning capabilities disclosed; the council operates as a customer of national shared platforms rather than a builder of differentiated technology.

The business model is a multi-stream nonprofit revenue engine: annual membership dues ($45 girls, $30 adults; $63/$42 under the Extended Year Membership), Cookie Program net proceeds, Fall Product Program sales, signature-event fees (BLOOM at $30–$55 per participant), camp fees, retail sales of uniforms and merchandise at the Gathering Places, and a Fund Development pipeline including single gifts, the Catalyst Circle monthly giving program, tribute and planned giving, and corporate/foundation grants. Go-to-market is direct-to-family and volunteer-led: girls and adults self-enroll via myGS, troops form locally under adult volunteers, and recruitment is amplified through signature events, cookie rallies, and family referrals.

Name

girl scouts of greater chicago & northwest indiana

Legal name

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana

Website

https://girlscoutsgcnwi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit local council of Girl Scouts of the USA, serving 50,000+ girls and 20,000+ adults across the Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana region through cookie sales, badges, camps, signature events, and youth development programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Child and Youth Services (62411), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Girl leadership training
• Camp and outdoor education
• Cookie fundraising program
• Badge curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees charged to girl and adult members. Girl Scout membership is $45 annually for girls and $30 for adults (national dues). Extended Year Membership available at $63 for girls and $42 for adults providing extended coverage through September 2027. Council also charges additional local fees.
2. Cookie Program Revenue: Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. Girls sell cookies and a portion of proceeds supports troop activities and council operations. Additional revenue from Fall Product Program including nuts, magazines, candles, and specialty items.
3. Donations and Fund Development: Individual donations through single gifts, monthly recurring gifts (Catalyst Circle), tribute gifts, and planned giving. Corporate and foundation grants. Mail-in donations to 20 South Clark Street, Chicago. Stock, securities, and IRA charitable rollover donations accepted.
4. Merchandise and Retail Sales: Council operates online shop and physical Gathering Place shops selling uniforms, badges, gifts, cookie merchandise, and Girl Scout gear. Starter kits available for each grade level (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, Ambassador).
5. Program Fees: Fees for council-led experiences and signature programs including Bloom event ($30 for Daisies, $55 for Brownies-Ambassadors). Camp programs, travel experiences, and custom program requests generate additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit local council that delivers youth development programming to over 50,000 girls and 20,000 adults across the Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana region. Its core offerings include the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program as primary fundraising and entrepreneurial education vehicles, alongside skill-building badge and Journey curriculum, summer and outdoor camp programming at four properties, and the Highest Awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold) leadership pathway. The council operates seven Gathering Place retail and service offices and supports membership enrollment through troop participation, Juliette individual registration, and early-entry Get Ready programs.

Product overview

Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana operates as a unified youth development organization offering a comprehensive program portfolio centered on its core Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program as primary fundraising vehicles. The organization delivers programming through multiple channels: camp properties and outdoor programs at four locations, signature events like the BLOOM experience, badges and journeys for skill development, and the Highest Awards pathway (Bronze, Silver, Gold). Membership options include traditional troop participation, Juliette individual membership, and early enrollment through Get Ready with Girl Scouts. Supporting infrastructure includes the Girl Scout Experience Box for new leaders, Volunteer Toolkit resources, Expert Connections programming, and seven Gathering Place offices providing retail, community, and meeting spaces. The organization functions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving over 50,000 girls and 20,000 adults across the greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Girl Scout Cookie Program
• Fall Product Program
• Summer Camp
• Camp Properties & Reservations
• Outdoor Programs
• Badges & Journeys
• Highest Awards Program
• BLOOM Signature Experience
• Juliette Program
• Get Ready with Girl Scouts Extended Year Membership
• Gathering Place Offices and Shops

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world (Cookie Program)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• General MotorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGeneral Motors sponsors the Girl Scout Experience Box program, providing monthly supply boxes to new Daisy and Brownie troop leaders. The partnership enables delivery of turnkey resources, scripts, and supplies to help new volunteer leaders run successful troop meetings.
• Build-A-Bear WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuild-A-Bear Workshop partnership at Vernon Hills Gathering Place location allows Girl Scouts to build bears or furry friends as unique activities. Available for individual girls, troops, or special celebrations including birthday parties and bridging ceremonies.
• League of Women VoterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational and local collaboration to provide Girl Scouts with opportunities to learn about and engage with civics, voting, and democracy through the Promote the Vote service project. Includes collaboration guide for local Girl Scout-League partnerships.
• Special Gifts TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Special Gifts Theatre provides peer mentor opportunities for Girl Scouts. Peer mentors are typically developing children matched one-on-one with students in the theatre program, facilitating acceptance, understanding, and growth.
• Little Brownie BakerscoreOthersLicensed baker producing Girl Scout Cookies for the council service area. Produces cookie varieties including Adventurefuls, Do-si-dos, Exploremores, Lemon-Ups, Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, Toffee-tastic, and Trefoils.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/girlscoutsgcnwi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVosgTX4ZqYGWz0mFiEmPyg
• Facebookfacebook.com/GirlScoutsGCNWI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/girlscoutsgcnwi
• Instagraminstagram.com/girlscoutsgcnwi
• Pinterestpinterest.com/girlscoutsgcnwi

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 greater chicago & northwest indiana