Your Turn to Talk About Proposed Dues Increase, III

 Here is the third set of comments left with my survey on GSUSA's proposal to substantially increase annual dues.

• There need to be more life skills badges. And walk back from the DEI and STEM. We are struggling to recruit because of it. 
  
  
• The new governance group worked really hard with ideas and staff coming to volunteers via webinars. All of this came from volunteers wanting to make the program better. Solution is more money is needed.
  
  
• A dues increase is fine.  It should not be as double or triple.  Also, the boxes are a great idea for first year leaders up to Junior.  For others, it should be subscription based. I am really concerned about more money being taken in but not a lot being given back.  We just raised cookie prices and sales tanked.  And then we raised them again.  We need more financial accountability for  national.
  
  
• Assuming the graphic is accurate about plans for the money, my feelings have changed. I am ok with an increase. I thought maybe $45 next year and phased in increases over the next few years (5?) to get to $85 was reasonable. If this is the plan for the money I disagree with that much increase. Their choices on what to improve and the order of when to do them are not great in my opinion. I do not really disagree with them but I can think of many things more important in my opinion. So I agree with a modest increase as everything is more expensive but no where near the suggested one.
  
  
• I think there should be a fee increase- it’s been a while without one.  If we want to keep pace with other organizations who are coming after the same demographic (Boy Scouts adding girls, and the American Heritage Girls) then the program needs to be fully funded. Troops can help offset costs too- right now our troop uses cookie proceeds to pay for girl memberships- so we just add that to our list of cookie sales goals. As a troop leader and volunteer trainer I would love better resources, and I would love an updated Volunteer Toolkit website. I support the free Daisy Boxes,  but after that I think troops should have to order them. The first year is hard without cookie money to buy supplies and badges.   
  
  
• This feels very half baked. It’s unclear how money currently flows through the GS system (nationals vs councils, etc). Where does all the cookie money go? The troops see very little, relatively, and the prices continue to go up. While we have an amazing staff person at our council helping us, she’s definitely not compensated at a high level. It seems there’s some overhead bloat that could be addressed. We live in an affluent area and only have a few girls on FA; however, that would certainly change with an increase of this magnitude. 
  
  
• I'm tired of paying money to the council for things I don't use. I'd rather the money stay with my troop. I go off script 100% of the time and don't use the website at all. I can't believe they even ask me to pay to volunteer.
  
  
• The last question was unclear. Would the yearly cost cover all of the costs associated? I think Membership/registration should cover the cost of uniforms and handbooks. And volunteers should not have to pay to do what is essentially a full time job. Troops should also be provided with a "starting your troop" kit that includes a step by step what you need to do to be a successful troop in order or priority.
  
  
• Didn't they just redo books, etc?  They used to have binders but then they had small books.  We're in it first year of cadettes and have seen this, why do they need to constantly update.  Badges have also been updated since we started, lots of stem added.  Some retired.  Our service unit and troops need much more local resources for new leaders and getting other to volunteer.  We don't need marketing etc.  It's well known in our area, we lose kids when troops flounder because volunteers don't get help or there's not good recruiting.  
  
  
• You didn't ask if the dues went up would it cause your family not to rejoin.
  
  
• You want to increase membership. Increasing costs to join in this already expensive economy will cause membership to drop. Parents already don’t like that they have to pay to volunteer either. Increasing adult costs will discourage adults from joining or leading troops. This is not what JGL wanted when she started Girl Scouts. She wanted the program to be for all girls regardless of financial status. Increasing dues will discriminate against lower income families and make it an activity for the rich only. 
  
  
• Badges and requirements were all marked up, vests/sashes were marked up. For a group of 8 girls I spend over $300 a year on badges, year stars alone. We charge our families $55 for badges and snacks for meetings. Then they ask us to pay $100 per kid for overnights or other events. To be a member should not cost a lot of money. 
  
  
• I understand and respect that inflation necessitates an increase. I think an increase of more than 3x the current amount ($85) is utterly ridiculous and irresponsible to even float the idea. The national board now appears completely out of touch with their current membership and looks to them as a source of income instead of a source of inspiration and it’s sickening to me. 
  
  
• We are a lot of low income families and now you want to ask us to pay more when our fundraisers barely bring the troops much money as it is.  We don't get any additional supplies from council or USA so raising the membership would mean we don't have troops anymore.
  
  
• The increased demand on the financial aid funds for $85 memberships will minimize available financial aid for other things like camp, potentially impacting girl opportunities.
  
  
• Some online chatter isn’t helpful. I think GSUSA should’ve gotten ahead of this and laid out their reasoning to every member and request feedback. That costs money, also, but I volunteer and have 3 girls in the program. So my opinion should matter. 
  
  
• I was a troop leader previously 1998-2003, now I'm in my 8th year with my 2nd troop. I like the boxes for new troops for D/B. Beyond that girl led is priority. Times are tough financially. Raising dues more than maybe $10 is too much. If they throw in DEI, I won't be participating in it. There are a lot of other troop leaders who feel the same. I am a SU manager as well as troop leader. 
  
  
• GSHPA is an extremely poor financial steward.  My issues mostly lie with them as a council not GSUSA.  
  
  
• If the dues increased went towards the girls I could get behind it but updating technology and books is not helping the girls for a girl led organization. 
  
  
• Some increase is reasonable as costs everywhere have increased, and GS is very VERY inexpensive compared with sports teams, Boy Scouts, and other activities.  I’d rather see local Councils have more support in the way of staffing to provide guidance and communication to troop volunteers (which is OFTEN lacking), rather than GSUSA issued badge boxes or books that are cookie cutter, too prescriptive, expensive, and not fun & interactive.
  
  
• Increasing it to $85 would prohibit girls from joining. A lot of troops pay membership and this would deplete their treasury. This will be the downfall of GS. If it goes to $85 I will not be returning and I've been a leader since the 80's.
  
  
• Girl Scouts allows financial aid with no questions asked. A LOT of people take advantage of that. Also our council is so unresponsive and actually very derelict in their duties. We operate with very little help from them.
  
  
• They increases cookies after promising they would not (gshpa had a 3 year agreement at $5 when we changed to ABC). We do not even earn $1 a box at the troop level. We use the cookie funds to purchase memberships..so it feels like we are just working and working for Girl Scouts. Also to have fall product a month then cookies..it seems we are always raising money for them.
  
  
• Ours girls work so hard to sell nuts, chocolates, and cookies for them! If managed properly, they should have plenty of money! This year alone I’m spending over $75 on badges for each girl + membership fees + troop dues and experiences. GS is becoming too expensive and an increase will make GS less accessible for girls from low income families.
  
  
• I am confused about the daisy and brownie boxes. My council GSEM already has the daisy drop box for about 5 or 6 years. And, the brownie box has been started about 3 years now. I know many new troops like the boxes and it helps them plan the year. But would the GSUSA boxes replace the council boxes. 
  
  
• My girls would be open to an increase IF Girl Scouts returned to a female version of Boy Scouts with life skills and outdoor skills highlighted. They get enough STEM and entrepreneurship experiences elsewhere. They already feel like they are being worked for months every year to sell fall products and cookies with limited returns.
  
  
• I think each girl should receive a handbook for their increase 
  
  
• More than tripling the cost of registration will see so many leave Girl Scouts.  It’s just too expensive for membership dues that go directly to GSUSA.
  
  
• Girls are not going to join. Leaders will quit. It will be a disaster. We are losing girls now to BSA, this will push them to BSA. 
  
  
• I think program and girl experience should be improved first; it is reasonable to increase the cost, GS is by far the cheapest activity children in my area are involved in; better programming for older girls is key to membership retention; there could be some benefit to have a core program that all girls do to ensure a minimum standard experience.
  
  
• I see no problem with increasing the Girl membership fees. Even at the top tier is a better value than most other youth activities. I would however like to keep the adult fees low. I don't want those cost to be a deterrent for parents volunteering and therefore put even more pressures on the troop leader.
  
  
• The lack of support at GS is laughable. Instead of raising GS fees, try supporting your volunteers who spend their own money in the GS name.
  
  
• Raising dues is overdue and should have been done incrementally years ago.
  
  
• We will have a harder time getting new members the steeper the dues get. 
  
  
• I would really like to see the older girl badges be less school like.  Even if the topic is interesting, the requirements are often tedious.  I honestly don’t mind the dues increase.  8 years without a dues increase is a long time.  And compared to every other activity my children do, Girl Scouts is way under priced.  My struggle is that the dues increase goes to the national organization and the impact it will have for troops will likely be delayed.  Other than improving badges and technology, the aims they have won’t affect the average troop.
  
  
• I strongly disagree that adults should have to pay to volunteer in the first place. Raising the cost for adults memberships should never be up for discussion.
  
  
• It is understandable in today’s climate and inflation to increase dues. But to jump so high so quickly will make parents who are already having a hard time with budgets just now out entirely. Which would be sad for the girls that have no say in this matter. 
  
  
• Making too big of a jump quickly will give a poor image of GS  Asking $35 is reasonable. I’ve been a leader for 15 years. Boxes are nice but I did fine without. I also worked for council. Many people do not know GS is still around or that it goes k-12 so more marketing is needed BUT our local marketing team is stuck in their ways and not marketing to the fullest potential so I would hate for them to get extra funds and misuse it. Over the past 15 years, If I was not a GS leader / parent, I probably wouldn’t realize they were still around. Advertising seems not existent. 
  
  
• There should absolutely be no increased costs for volunteers. GS can be a full time job and asking an adult to pay to help is bordering insulting
  
  
• I think higher dues will mean more people will have to drop out or they will need more financial assistance. Look at how little we get from cookie sales. Our girls work hard with little reward. Our troop volunteers end up paying for so much. I know our leader personally ends up covering so much because our families can't afford things needed. 
  
  
• I think a dues increase is needed, sometimes I think families undervalue the Girl Scout experience because it is so inexpensive. What I want to know about GSUSA expenses is the cost of office space in Manhattan. Does GSUSA have a deal or get a subsidy or something? How many staff does GSUSA have? What is the range in salary? I don't think Councils really need more resources, though I may be biased in GSCNC-- we are pretty well resourced and have a decent volunteer base. 
  
  
• We are already drowning with increases to everything else. This is just death by a thousand cuts. 
  
  
• I am worried more badges will be geared towards mental health. While I appreciate SOME badges dealing with this issue, I don't think every Leader is capable of properly leading this. Also, more and more Girls are tagged as ""neurodivergent"" and they require more specific counseling and instruction when it comes to mental health issues. Also, if the cost becomes too high, we run the risk of going from something for EVERY girl to something for a select few. 
  
  
• This increase will cost membership. I will leave and start my own girl led group. 
  
  
• Things go up, that’s understandable.  But please listen to what your membership is asking for.  The badges are awful - there isn’t enough choice.  No water sports at any level?  Not enough outdoor.  Way too much steam in a school like form.  No skill building daisy badges?  Stop jumping on the corporate sponsorships and actually make badges girls would like to earn.
  
  
• I wouldn’t be so opposed if I felt like we, as leaders and/or parents, actually saw where all this money is going.  But I’ve always felt like we’re talked into joining/leading and then just forgotten about.  That’s why membership numbers are going down, it’s no longer about us, it feels like working for a corporation but not getting paid.
  
  
• I don’t agree councils should run differently and on different platforms. It’s frustrating as someone who does program administration and technically an architect for a company that the cookies platform we use is terrible. The disparate systems is not only inconvenient, but impossible to manage AS A VOLUNTEER.  
  
  
• There was no mention of multi-level support would love to see more easily earned badges across levels. We have a small troop with three levels and it is nearly impossible to work on a badge together. Would love to see more multi level plans, or areas in this proposed handbook. 
  
  
• The Cadette materials need revamping. I don’t know about the boxes but the badges are too STEM and suggested events are weak for my girls. It’s also an age we really need to engage them. We love Girl Scouts but are off script mostly. 
  
  
• If you go above $45 I would expect to see a decrease by half on enrollment across the board, defeating the purpose of the increase. And it would probably be the end. The leaders are who makes the difference and these are not area that help the leaders for the most part. 
  
  
• "I didn’t see the answer choice but honestly I think increasing the price would deter people from joining. ESPECIALLY people they’re claiming they’ll try and reach like people from poorer areas. Even with the money, I’d have to think it through before paying $65 a year for my Daisy… and I’m the troop leader. 
  
  
• Seriously though, it makes zero sense that they’ll increase the membership costs as a way to encourage troops to be created in poorer or more rural areas… makes zero sense. I live in one of the poorest counties in South Carolina, just miles from where Girl Scouts was founded and there’s barely a troop in that area because of economic hardship and parents working more than one job…. Horrible idea. "
  
  
• While the max proposed dues is significantly higher than the current rate they are inline with Scouts BSA. It would be nice if with all these improvements GSUSA would actually talk to girls and adults about what they want to see and do. I would love to see more outdoor programming that is meaningful. Older programming that is meaningful and more age appropriate since many of the older girl badges are repeats of younger girl badge work with similar skills not more on level with the age of the girls.
  
  
• This is ridiculous. A dues increase will be prohibitive. Badges and uniforms are so expensive. Making the dues higher would be a mistake. 
  
  
• Please take a look at how the girls and boys clubs are doing today as well as boy scouts. Please remember that GIRL Scouts is for girls and is GIRL led. Keep politics and personal opinions out of scouting. Change to a troop you like or start a new one if you don't like any of them. Go back and look at that the real meaning behind Girl Scouts and go back to what really matters. 
  
  
• I honestly think this will cause a lot of girls to stop being a Girl Scout. My troop pays for the renewal for our girls currently, it was over $1000 for our troop of 20 plus 5 leaders. We’re now at 25 girls and 6 leaders. If it’s raised to $85, plus council fees, we’re looking at $3100. We made $6000 during cookie season. We use a lot of that money for an outing that the girls choose, community projects, badges and supplies, and events for the rest of the year. I think the girls would be very disappointed if after putting in so much hard work they only get to keep half because of membership fees. Also, it seems redundant to raise it to help with financial aid. If it’s raised to $85, of course the need for financial aid will skyrocket. My area has a bunch of low income families that will look at the cost and immediately turn away from it.
  
  
• I think it is time for a dues increase. Many extracurriculars are a lot more money. For example, my son’s soccer for 3 months is $105 including the uniform and that is extremely reasonable. I think around $60 a year for dues plus the cost of a uniform, which lasts around 2 years, is reasonable when compared to other things. On top of that, we usually ask parents to spend $150 throughout the year which includes many activities and a weekend cabin camping. 
  
  
• Dues to our troop are more important than what we ever get from national. As a leader, I utilize programming available but hardly any other members do. I think this will be a hard thing for my troop to accept. 
  
  
• I think raising the dues will ultimately bring Girl Scouts to a close. Families are already struggling and as a troop we don’t really see anything being done with the $25 we already pay. 
  
  
• There is a lack of training for leaders, sponsors and parents for higher awards. Leaders are burnt out by high school. I’m tired of the stem heavy activities 
  
  
• Cookie prices have jumped $2 a box so it will be harder to fundraise and we’ll also have to ask for more money out of pocket for trips. So all around asking for more money from families. 
  
  
• The things National wants to spend money on, but the priorities are mixed up. Some of the stuff listed at the $45 level should be at a higher level; some of the higher-level (even $100) things should be at a lower level. Swap things out.
  
  
• If the cost increases this will decrease memberships and open opportunity for underserved girls, even with the FA I don’t want to see parents have to pick and choose what activities their girls participate in because money is tight across the board. 
  
  
• At a per month cost, even if the fee increased into the $80 range, it's one of the cheapest youth activities you can sign up for.
  
  
• This will be a struggle on getting low income families to return and stay in Girl Scouts. 
  
  
• It’s too big of a jump in price.
  
  
• An increase is needed, but I don't agree with their goals. The badge box crap wasn't around when I started and we did just fine. They need better online resources and better plans (VTK is abysmal). They need better programming for Cadette and above. They need to rethink the badges. I was going to work on something and every step was 'talk to this expert'. They need to think outside the box and try to come up with creative ways that girls can want badges without requiring a field trip for every step. They need to look at the badge requirements and reduce duplicates. They should be working with some of the leaders who have blogged on badge and journey plans to get fresh ideas.  Bring back GS River Valleys very excellent plans. They were better than anything GSUSA ever provided.
  
  
• The more expensive the program becomes for families, the more it breaks away from benefitting all girls, building relationships of different types of girls. We are already struggling get volunteers, and from what I see locally, the volunteers that stay are the ones who are broke and penny pinch and bend over backwards for the girls. The affluent volunteers give up at the first frustration, they/their girls don't need the program as much as the others. 
  
  
• To buy a new uniform every 2 years is over $80, badges are too expensive and poorly made, uniforms are poorly made.  They are going to loose a lot of troops,  why do all the parents have to pay so much to volunteer hours a week. 
  
  
• If they were to increase their dues, I would like to see them provide better programming and opportunities for CSA. Around 6th grade is when the girls start losing interest in Scouts and GSUSA has not provided quality programming targeted towards older scouts to make them want to stay in scouts. Most of these girls aren't interested in standard badge work anymore, especially since much of the badge work available mirrors their school curriculum. At that age they prefer more experiences than activities that feel like homework. 
  
  
• I think any new troop should get a starter box with basic supplies to get the troop started. I don’t really think membership fees should go up, I’m already annoyed I have to pay to volunteer. Kinda weird if you think about it.
  
  
• My view may be skewed because my troop operates in a low income area. A lot of our group is on financial assistance and many often struggle to pay $20-25 for camping.  A lot of the bigger and more grand opportunities are always going to be out of reach because fundraisers are no incredibly successful when your community buys groceries with eat or are disabled or on limited income. If I thought the money was going to be used in a way that would benefit girls in my community I would say yes to a small fee increase $5, $10 max.  But I honestly do not see that money being used in a way that benefits us and GSCM has horrible management and communication so I honestly don't trust them to spend it wisely.
  
  
• Please keep Girl Scouts affordable for all, we don't want an increase. Troops don't need start up boxes or badge boxes, that's a waste of money. If you increase the registration fee, everyone will be applying for financial assistance and it will defeat the purpose.
  
  
• If you increase dues you will lose girls
  
  
• Our entire troop is on financial aid now, raising costs is only going to make it that we are always on financial aid.
  
  
• I think my troop would probably not continue if fees increase. People in our troop have the means to pay, but the value proposition is not there. We make nearly no money on cookies, much of it goes to GSUSA. I would want to pay for more and better programming by our counsel (GS of Middle TN).  
  
  
• I live in one of the poorer councils. I can’t imagine many troops staying together with this huge price increase. Even if our troop were to foot the membership fees, it’d go from $250 for 10 girls to potentially $850. That’s unrealistic. 
  
  
• If there is an increase it should go to hiring better member engagement specialists.  These are the individuals that are interacting with the parents and the girls.  I know there are probably some good ones out there but there are many that don’t do their job.  If they did it well the leaders would support them and it would grow.  I have had so many people come up to me and say I tried to sign up at this event or that event and never got a call back!  If the MES supports the leaders and the leaders work with them it will naturally grow.  They are the lowest level of employees at GS and they are essentially the face of the organization.  
  
  
• I think that the Cookies have become too commercialized and for the small profit that troops and girls earn it's not worth it. You can't tell me that GSUSA is a non profit organization. The official GSUSA badges are getting so pricey. Especially for new troops starting up. My experience over the last 6 years has taught me that the older girls don't care so much about the official badges. They just like to be together and have fun and go to camp. 
  
  
• It’s hard to stomach providing more money to GSUSA or local council when the troops are run by volunteers. We’re in a digital age where we have what we need from the website. Current materials are fine and don’t need updated. I understand the concept that we could do so much more with more funds, but that is also contradictory to using our resources wisely. Keep the cost low so it remains accessible without additional financial support needed.
  
  
• Our area is low-middle class income. Our troop pays for the annual membership, all badges and insignia. We used to pay for the new vests for our girls that bridge, but as we are earning less and less on cookies (due to low sales) we’ve started having the families purchase the vests… with the proposed increase we would either have to stop paying for a new year, or go on less adventures. Our troops are very active, currently at 85 GS between 2 troops. I foresee a large decline in registration with the new proposed fees, especially since our council is planning to add onto it. 
  
  
• This would not impact my personal involvement, but we need to be sensitive to the financial situation of our girls and their families. Maybe this is not National, but my council is struggling with recruitment and membership rates. We shall struggle to promote our movement much more if we more than triple the annual dues.
  
  
• Honestly these dues increases may be sticker shock for some, but they would put us in line with other similar organizations. I spend more than $100/year for dance lessons, clothing, and shoes for each of my daughters. Soccer was over $100 to register for one season, plus needing new shoes, shin guards, socks, and shorts as they grow. My son does cross country and track and goes through 2 sometimes 3 pairs of quality running shoes a year. Even church youth trips and camps add up to more than $100/year. When you look at it that way, I’m shocked they didn’t raise it YEARS ago. I do think they need to shift some recruitment focus to middle schools and retaining Cadettes and registering new Cadettes. Right now it seems like my local council’s focus is 100% DBJ and my older daughter is getting left out. 
  
  
• Our troop pays to renew girls.  By increasing the fees this would take away money from the girls.  Magazine and Cookies prices have been raised over the previous years which I am sure GSUSA gets part of the increase.   GSUSA also gets a portion of branded food items which have been on the increase.  
  
  
• Are they thinking about families with multiple scouts and volunteers?!  My family alone would have to fork over $260!!!! For what?
  
  
• I believe that as we lose more membership to BSA we need to work to keep our programming relevant but our fees still affordable. The fact that BSA costs 4x as much is still a selling point. 
  
  
• I understand the need for increased fees. The prices of everything have gone up significantly in the past couple years. However as a current troop leader & parent, a significant increase (more than double) as is being proposed will make it very difficult for myself & my children to continue with Girl Scouts. As troop leaders we already hear from parents that it’s too pricey to be in Girl Scouts. My troop bridged this year and all girls had to get new uniforms, which cost them $60-$70 each for all the badges & starter items. Asking parents to pay that same amount to just be in Girl Scouts will NOT help new prospective girls join & WILL cause troops to lose membership and leadership. 
  
  
• The parents pay for sports Way more than they pay for Girl Scouts. Ask him to pay $10 more a year is not ridiculous. Having the price increased by $60, is a bit over the top. Let’s get the councils out of major cities. The amount of money we pay for Girl Scouts to be headquartered in Manhattan is ridiculous. With today’s technology, they don’t need to be in a big city anymore. We could save millions of dollars this way. This would also include other councils, such as the one that’s located in the Philadelphia area.
  
  
• Thanks for creating this survey and sharing it. I'm against due increases and think it will absolutely decrease diversity in scouts.
  
  
• I like the statement about if we have a good program we won’t need marketing!! Also people will join if they want. No DEIBJ 
  
  
• My local council decided to put the Girl Scout name on a charter school, which tanked their relationship with our school district. They claim that they did not spend any money in this partnership, but I am afraid they would give money if they had it to give. It is one example of Girl Scouts prioritizing a tiny group of girls at the expense of the rest of us. 
  
  
• I think if dues go up too much people will decide to join Scouts instead. (Formerly known as BSA)
  
  
• The cost of uniforms parts is outrageous. I’m turned off by all the money we pay and we don’t get much help via the VTK. I wish we had clear and practical badge requirements like the Boy Scouts instead of the open ended stuff we get. 
  
  

You can read Part One and Part Two