Many Girl Scout members around the country have similar concerns and questions about the national realignment. Listed below are GSUSA’s responses to these generic issues.

I was surprised to learn that the board and membership will be voting on realignment. Can you explain?
All Girl Scout councils are 501(c)3 corporations, and with very few exceptions, state nonprofit corporation law and local council bylaws require a vote of both the board and the membership of the corporation in order to combine council jurisdictions. If your bylaws are inconsistent with local nonprofit corporation law, the law, not your bylaws, will determine what is required. If jurisdictional changes are small (i.e., reassigning one county from a council with a multi-county jurisdiction to another council with a multi-county jurisdiction), a vote of the local boards of directors is all that would be required.

Shouldn’t we implement the program model and volunteer model before we realign?
Nationwide realignment will create a high capacity infrastructure at all councils so that the organization will be able to fully implement all aspects of the Core Business Strategy including; the new program model, the new volunteerism model, new governance models and the new fund development and brand/marketing models. Work is continuing in all these areas and realignment is the critical first step in implementing the Core Business Strategy.

Once the new map is established, will councils be expected to move immediately into the first phase of realignment?
No. Implementation will take place over a three to five year period. We anticipate that councils will phase into the process over the first three years, with completion of the project expected at the end of year five.

I am a council president, and from my perspective the realignment process seems “messy”. Is that normal? There seem to be lots of conversations, more questions than answers, and resistance from some councils to engage in discussion. Is that the way it should be?
In a process like this, “messy” is normal. Some councils have been eager to embrace the potential of this nationwide effort, while others have not. Some states/regions have reached consensus on one or several options for realignment, and others have not. This effort is complex and far reaching. Some aspects will get more orderly in the months ahead, while other aspects may continue to feel “messy” as councils prepare for full engagement.

Once we begin the merger process, who will make decisions such as which cookie company to use, what the CEO search process will be, or who will serve on the new board?
Once local Boards of Directors approve the proposed changes in jurisdiction, a realignment committee is appointed. This committee includes representatives from each of the merging councils. The committee—working with many active subcommittees—will establish the council structure and policies, define the delivery systems, integrate program and camping opportunities, and integrate databases. The committee will also establish the staff structure, hiring plans, and personnel policies. They will select the cookie company and other vendors and may oversee selection of the new CEO. In some cases, the realignment committee will be given the authority to make some of these decisions on behalf of the new council. In other cases, the newly elected board of the corporation may make these decisions.

What is the role/authority of the National board related to all of this work?
The National Board takes seriously its most important responsibility – to assure that Girl Scouting is available to all girls both today and in decades to come. With full knowledge of the “brutal truths” which have circulated widely to councils, and on the recommendation of the Governance and Organizational Structure Gap Team, the national Board unanimously agreed that nationwide jurisdictional realignment is a critical priority. The action flows from the National Board’s authority to issue charters and establish jurisdictions, defined in the Blue Book of Basic Documents.

What is our primary goal here: do we want to (1) serve the most number of girls or (2) spread our resources across our state to serve all girls?
The goal of realignment is to “raise all boats” by building a nation of high-capacity councils. It is our vision that these high-capacity councils will, over time, develop the talents and resources to deliver exceptional Girl Scout program and opportunities to all girls in all states, regardless of the size of their community.

Do local delegates have a role in determining council boundaries?
It is the National Board’s responsibility to determine council jurisdictions as well as issue the council charters. The National Board is partnering with councils to reach agreement on new council boundaries. Local delegates will be asked to vote in this process. We expect that they will have the same wisdom and foresight that we all must have as we make these important decisions for the future

How big is too big?
David La Piana, a nationally recognized consultant in nonprofit mergers, tells us that “it isn’t about size, it is about infrastructure and leadership”. If the design is correct and the leadership is focused on the entire jurisdiction, actual size should not be an issue. Councils need to be organized in a way that ensures full connection with all communities, both in delivery of services and in governance.

Can you share some structures with us that work in larger council jurisdictions?
Absolutely. We are currently working on models that will be available to all of you in the months ahead. We are fortunate to have many successful councils that serve thousands of girls in both concentrated areas and in vast jurisdictions. GSUSA will tap the successful experiences that many councils have to develop these models.

If two councils form a new council, who creates the bylaws and articles of incorporation and elects the board? How is all this work done?
When one or more councils combine jurisdictions, a realignment committee will be formed. This committee (usually divided into sub-groups) will have many responsibilities, including but not limited to writing bylaws, recruiting a new board, and setting basic operating principles.

Do you expect that lots of Service Centers will close as a result of realignment?
Decisions about local offices and service centers will be made by local boards of directors. That said, it is our full intention that realignment will result in increased services to girls and adults. The statistics from the recent nationwide restructuring of Alzheimer’s Association provide an interesting perspective. They reduced their number of chapters from 212 to 80 while increasing their number of offices from 200 to 300. Among the goals of their consolidation were the reduction of overhead and an increase in service in communities throughout the country.

Will GSUSA select the headquarters location for the newly formed councils? If the decision will be made locally, will you provide guidelines?
Depending on the timing of the merger decision, the job of selecting the headquarters location is the responsibility of either the Council Realignment Committee or the newly elected board of directors. In either case, the selection of the office headquarters needs to be based on the agreed-upon vision for the new council. Successful operating structures will require multiple office locations and creative service delivery models.

What will happen to council camp properties?
All properties will stay in the mix of the new council’s assets. After realignment, the facilities will be assessed for condition and supporting girl program.