New York (CNN) � The Girl Scouts of the USA have voted to hike membership prices by 160% over the next two years, as the cash-strapped 112-year-old group looks to increase revenue in an attempt to ensure its future.
The price increase was approved Saturday at a National Council meeting, where 900 delegates were present to discuss the Girl Scouts� future. They voted to hike dues to $45 for the 2026 membership year and again to $65 in 2027. However, that’s a smaller increase than the $85 per scout .
Dues will remain at $25 for 2025, which has been the same price for the program for eight years.
Membership dues are the Girl Scout’s largest source of revenue, generating $38 million in 2023 from its nearly 2 million total members. Despite supplementing its dues with philanthropy and licensing deals, the organization is losing money, projecting operating losses of $5.6 million this year, so the price hikes hope to alleviate some of that financial shortfall.
“This investment provides the opportunity to implement initiatives that will have a lasting impact on our Girl Scout councils, volunteers, and the girls and families we serve,� the organization said on its . “We are committed to providing financial assistance to all who need it.�
By increasing the fees, the organization will “make programs easier to deliver for volunteers and make technology easier to use� more turnkey trainings, recruitment tools and programs, and create new experiences, including opportunities to explore new places,� Bonnie Barczykowski, Girl Scouts of the USA CEO, told members in a previous video.
Absent the due hike, the organization said it would have needed to make �.�
National Board Treasurer Diane Tipton assured members watching the video that “we have reduced expenses in every category possible over the last several years. We have gone through a rigorous budgeting process through all divisions.�
However, some members previously told CNN that the price increases are “insane� and could cause some troops to disappear.
“It’s an enormous increase,� said Sally Bertram, a 30-year troop leader with the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. “It’s like, what are you people thinking? You are going to run yourselves out of business.�
The-CNN-Wire
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