Financial Assistance | Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington

Making Girl Scouts Accessible to Every Family

At Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington, we believe every girl deserves the opportunity to discover, connect, and take action—regardless of financial circumstances. Our financial assistance program is designed to ensure that cost is never a barrier to the Girl Scout experience, and is available for both youth members and adult volunteers.

Flexible and Confidential Support

We understand that financial situations vary, and we are here to help. Our financial assistance process is simple, confidential, and designed to treat every applicant with dignity and respect. Financial assistance is granted to support membership dues, uniforms, and program experiences for Girl Scouts and volunteers in our council as funding allows, and we encourage you to apply.

Patty’s Promise: A Historic Donation to Support Girl Scout Membership

We are grateful and excited to share that a generous donor has contributed $100,000–the largest individual donation in our council’s history–to support membership financial assistance. This donation established a fund called Patty’s Promise, which matches every dollar donated to Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington with a dollar to support membership assistance to keep Girl Scouting accessible in our council.

Patty Pecchenino

The inspiration behind Patty's Promise

The Story of Patty's Promise

Patty Pecchenino, a devoted teacher, mother, and Girl Scout leader, lived by the Girl Scout Promise and believed in the strength Girl Scouts instilled in her, her daughters, and every girl she mentored. In her honor, Patty’s daughter matched every dollar donated to Girl Scouts of Oregon and SW Washington during the 2025 membership year with a dollar for financial aid to ensure girls receive the membership support they need. Donations help keep Girl Scouting accessible to all girls in Oregon and SW Washington.

Our Financial Assistance Process

1. Apply easily for membership dues assistance. toggle arrow

When caregivers renew or register their Girl Scout, select “Financial Assistance” from the drop-down menu when choosing your payment method. Girl Scout volunteers in our council are also able to choose this option for themselves when renewing or registering.

Note: Financial Assistance may only be applied to annual membership dues and may not be used to purchase a lifetime membership.

2. Connect with additional financial support if needed. toggle arrow

Once approved, members will be connected to a single application for additional support, with straightforward questions to help us understand your needs. Our council’s goal is to make the Girl Scout Leadership Experience accessible to every girl.

Youth Girl Scout members who receive financial assistance for membership are also eligible to receive the following support:

Funding toward the cost of registration for a council-sponsored signature event of their choice (e.g., STEM Day, Outdoor Day, Teen Retreat)
A $75 credit to reserve their spot in a council-run overnight camp program of their choice. A separate financial assistance “campership” application is available to support the cost of camp, to be completed after camp registration.
Girl Scout uniform (including sash or vest, troop number, insignia) and program-level book assistance for Girl Scouts entering a new program level.

Adult volunteers approved for membership assistance will receive support toward the registration cost of one adult training of their choice to help ensure our volunteers are all prepared to deliver a meaningful experience to every Girl Scout. Volunteers in troop leader, Juliette mentor, or service team roles may also receive uniform support.

Any Girl Scout youth member or adult volunteer in need may choose to apply for financial assistance to support the cost of their Girl Scout program experience using the updated GSOSW Financial Assistance Application. It is not necessary to receive membership financial assistance to qualify for these additional avenues of support.

3. We'll get back to you quickly with next steps! toggle arrow

Girl Scout staff will review applications promptly and notify you of the decision and next steps within two weeks.

Financial assistance is granted based on the availability of funds and is not guaranteed. We encourage you to join or renew as soon as possible so that any need for assistance can be met.

Girl Scouts is for every girl and every volunteer. Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington is committed to making sure that financial constraints do not prevent anyone from being a part of our Girl Scout community. If you have concerns about fees, reach out to us—we’re here to support you.

Click below to start your confidential application or contact us for more information. Note: No application is needed for membership dues assistance; select "Financial Assistance" as your payment method in My GS when you join or renew. Financial Assistance may only be applied to annual membership dues and may not be used to purchase a lifetime membership.

Other Ways to Pay for Girl Scout Activities

Troop Funds toggle arrow

Troops are encouraged to budget for Girl Scout activities, including membership dues, for all troop participants. To keep the experience girl-led, Girl Scouts should have developmentally-appropriate input on their troop's budget and spending.

Troop leaders, please note: Only the primary caregiver of a Girl Scout may request financial assistance for that Girl Scout.

Program Credits and Adventure Passes toggle arrow

Girl Scouts are able to earn program credits by participating in our council's fall product program and the Girl Scout Cookie Program each year. Girl Scouts may choose to apply their program credit balance toward the cost of membership renewal, but this is no longer mandatory to receive membership financial assistance.

Our council's preferred application of program credits is to help fund activities and experiences that contribute to a full and fulfilling Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

Questions?

Contact answers@girlscoutsosw.org or 800-338-5248, and a staff member will be happy to assist you.