Family Partnership Appeal
Be a Friend to Girl Scouting and Make a Gift!
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois’ Family Partnership Appeal is an opportunity for Girl Scout family members to invest in life-changing experiences that help girls grow strong in mind, body and spirit.
Who Benefits From Your Family Partnership Appeal Donation?
A family’s gift to the Family Partnership Appeal is important because it makes it possible for the council to subsidize program offerings-keeping costs affordable for families.
- Council-wide Programs and Events – Activities for all ages, from Daisies to Seniors.
- Camps and Outdoor Facilities – GSEIWI owns and operates Camp Conestoga, Camp Little Cloud, Camp L-Kee-Ta and Camp Tahigwa which are used for year-round camping by girls and troops.
- Outreach Programs – Multiple community-based summer and after-school programs serve hundreds of children in at-risk, low-income neighborhoods or rural areas in the average year. This need increases on an annual basis.
- Publications for Members
- Girl Recruitment – Communications through flyers and registration materials in English and Spanish ensure that every girl knows about Girl Scouting.
- Financial Assistance – Your Family Partnership contributions will help provide financial assistance (Grants for Girls) to girls living in our Girl Scout council. This assistance provides membership dues, pins, handbooks, program fees, and camperships, making the Girl Scout experience available to everyone.
- Training to provide a positive role model. Training and most accompanying materials are provided at no charge to Girl Scout leaders to ensure that your daughters will receive the full Girl Scout program from a well-informed and educated volunteer. Over 500 training sessions will be held throughout the year for Girl Scout volunteers. Yearly, over 3000 volunteers take Girl Scout training sessions. There is Orientation, Getting Started age-level training for new leaders, a wide range of enrichment workshops, program exhibits, resources, sharing and learning for more experienced leaders. Training is provided at no charge or for a small fee only.
- Program Development – New programs, events and activities are continually being developed to keep girls interested. We have a staff program manager who ensures that we get council-sponsored programs and events scheduled close to home.
- On-line Communications – The council web site is a valuable resource which allows volunteers, parents and girls to receive information and even print forms or fill them out on-line.
Although the Girl Scout program is volunteer driven, the program has many ongoing expenses. The $10 membership fee goes directly to the national organization, GSUSA. Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois must find other sources of income, such as charitable contributions, to keep our programs, events and leader training affordable, and to provide financial assistance to girls.
Every day throughout our council, the Girl Scout experience is making a lasting impact on girls and young women. By supporting the Family Partnership Appeal, families play a vital role in helping us ensure that Girl Scouts is available for their daughter and for every girl, everywhere.
Family Partnership Facts
Why does our Council ask parents to contribute to the Family Partnership Appeal?
- 100% of every Family Partnership Appeal donation goes directly to support the Girl Scout programs in which your daughter participates.
- With a troop total of $100 or more in contributions, 10% of your gift will return to our troop for activities the girls plan.
- Through Girl Scout programs, nearly 20,000 girls have opportunities and adventures, which helped them:
- Develop leadership and other new skills.
- See that their effort is important to the community through their service projects.
- Learn to work and have fun with girls and adults from many different backgrounds.
- In addition to money our troop earns through the cookie program sale and other fundraisers, it costs the council approximately $200 per girl each year to provide all Girl Scout programming.
- Our council does not have a large enough endowment fund to use the interest to bring down the cost per girl for camp and troop services.
- National membership dues go directly to GSUSA to cover activity insurance for all girl and adult members, development of Girl Scout handbooks, and training models. None of the $10.00 registration fee remains within this council.
- Nearly $100,000 in financial assistance is needed annually to ensure that every girl and adult in our council can participate in Girl Scouting. Donations to Family Partnership Appeal will help.
The Family Partnership Appeal is an important part of the council’s income.
- Cookie sales and the fall product sale pay for 68% of troop services and camp, but our council needs diverse sources of income.
- United Way and Community Chest funds provide 7% of our budget but GSEIWI competes with hundreds of other agencies in our 38 county jurisdiction for funding.
- Corporations and foundations donate significant funds annually to help sustain the council’s work with girls. Our funders want to know how well our families support the council.
- Camping and other program fees never completely cover the total expenses of council-sponsored activities. For instance, a girl pays only 60% of the actual cost to attend resident camp and the council contributes 40%.
- The Family Partnership Appeal is a very important part of our income. This appeal helps to bridge the gap between what is made from the cookie and fall product sales and what is needed to provide programs for our girls.
That’s why we ask every parent to help Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois offer a complete program to our girls by giving a tax-deductible contribution through the Family Partnership Appeal. Everyone can help support the Girl Scout program with a financial gift.
Family Partnership Q’s & A’s
What is the Family Partnership Appeal?
- The Family Partnership Appeal (FPA) is an organized, council-wide request for financial contributions from our Girl Scout families to help underwrite the cost of providing the full Girl Scout program to every girl member in our council. It is a way parents and adult Girl Scouts can tangibly express their belief in the value of Girl Scouting and make a difference in the lives of young women.
How much should I give?
- We ask that you consider a significant FPA contribution, according to your ability, to give your daughter the best of Girl Scouting and to reach every girl, everywhere.
Where does the money from the Family Partnership Appeal go?
- Family Partnership contributions help to provide necessary services and programs for girls. These contributions help with leader recruitment, troop organization, camp maintenance, leader training, development of exciting new programs for girls, financial assistance where needed, and more. Also, if a troop’s total contributions from their troop families is $100 or more, 10% of those contributions will be given directly to the troop.
I have more than one daughter participating in Girl Scouting. How is my gift distributed?
- Your gift may be distributed in any form you choose. You can make one contribution to one troop or have your gift divided between your daughters’ troops in a single payment. Please specify your request inside the contribution envelope.
I am unable to contribute at this time. May I make a pledge?
- We gratefully accept pledges. Contributors must complete their pledge payments by August 1st in order to be counted in this year’s FPA.
United Way and others support Girl Scouting. Why should I give to the Family Partnership Appeal?
- Our income must become more diversified and come from many sources, including our Girl Scout families through Family Partnership. United Ways struggle to gain the dollars needed to provide important services to the community. When they do not reach their funding goals or they add new agencies, the funding available for Girl Scout Troop Services often decreases.
Why doesn’t the council keep part of the National Membership dues?
- The local council cannot retain National Membership dues. Membership dues go directly to GSUSA to cover activity insurance for all girl and adult members, development of Girl Scout handbooks, and training models.
My company has a Matching Gifts fund. Will that help?
- Yes! A Matching Gift is an excellent way to double or even triple your contribution to the Family Partnership Appeal. Contact your employer’s personnel office to see if Girl Scouts qualifies for a company match. If it does, return your completed matching gifts application form when you return your Family Partnership Appeal contribution.
Do you actively seek contributions from foundations and corporations?
- Our Development staff spends a great deal of time developing and submitting proposals to numerous foundations and corporations. One of the first things they ask is whether our council has parent financial support. Your FPA contribution is this important link. In the average year, businesses and foundations in our area donate significant funds to help sustain the council’s work with girls.
I already give my time as a troop leader. Why should I give to the Family Partnership Appeal?
- Your gift of volunteer time as a leader is Girl Scouting’s most valuable asset. Your additional support through the FPA will ensure that the program is financially secure and continues to be there for every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout.
As a leader, I already contribute money for troop expenses. I just can’t give to the Family Partnership, too.
- Troop leaders should not have to support troop programs with their own money. The troop should budget for its expenses, using product sales income, other money-earning projects, and troop dues to cover expenses.
We spend our time helping our daughter sell cookies. Why isn’t that enough to help the council with expenses?
- Although the cookie sale is our main source of funding, it is not our only source. More than $1 million in contributions must come from families, corporations, and the community to ensure that Girl Scouting remains viable throughout the council. We ask parents to actively participate in funding the services that benefit their daughters.
For a parent, Girl Scouting already costs so much—troop dues, uniforms, events!
- Much of the Girl Scout program is very low-cost. The only required uniform is a pin. If a troop decides to participate in some events and trips that are more expensive, the girls should plan ways to earn the money so that parents are not funding the activities. Learning to earn money is one of the skills that helps our Girl Scouts become more independent.
How does Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois benefit us if we live an hour or more away from the Council Office?
- Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois provides the same services to outlying areas as to all areas of the council. Leaders receive a variety of training options including online and home study courses; parents and leaders receive mailings; staff members work closely with Girl Scout adults in the area; program and event materials for girls are created and supplied to troops and girls; and camping opportunities are available in all areas. We have offices in Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Dubuque, Waterloo, Burlington, along with our Administrative Center located in Rock Island, Illinois.
For more information on the Family Partnership Appeal or to make a contribution, contact the Vice President of Development.
