Today, Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) announced a $2.8 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This local gift is part of an $84.5 million donation awarded to Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and 29 local councils selected by Scott, making this unprecedented investment the largest donation from a single individual in the national organization’s history. Locally, this gift will expand access to Girl Scout programming across central and northern Arizona, including the Navajo Nation. Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona received a separate gift to support its local jurisdiction.

“We are extremely grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her generous investment in girls. Her gift intentionally acknowledges the needs of girls and women whose causes are traditionally underrepresented due to disparities in giving,” says Mary Mitchell, co-CEO of GSACPC. “With the challenges facing girls today, investing in their futures is critical. Her support will expand our local programming to help girls in our community reach their maximum potential.”

“It is an honor to be stewards of this incredible gift as it solidifies how strongly our community recognizes Girl Scouts as the premiere organization serving girls,” says Christina Spicer, co-CEO of GSACPC. “Every day, we help girls discover their untapped potential and watch them become the leaders our community needs, so when philanthropists like MacKenzie Scott invests in a girl-led future, it changes the world.”

The Grant Impact

This gift to Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council will empower leadership opportunities for girls through the advancement of the organization’s mission, expand its impact and advance the organization’s recovery from the effects of COVID-19. The support allows GSACPC to:

• Expand access to Girl Scout programming across central and northern Arizona that reflect a girl’s cultural needs and lived experiences. This includes innovation around older girls, a Mobile Building Space to travel across the jurisdiction, and an investment in current delivery models that will help attract and retain girls.
• Create more equitable membership opportunities in communities that have been under-engaged. This includes Diversity Equity Inclusion and Racial Justice initiatives, reimagining the troop experience model to break down accessibility barriers and partnering with families and communities to holistically support the wellbeing and development of all girls.

• Sustain membership retention and growthby investing in volunteer systems, new models for member support staff, and enhancing council-led support around the cookie program.

Nationally, this donation will fund rebound growth opportunities stemming from the impact of COVID-19, build upon GSUSA’s vision to empower all Girl Scouts and its 700,000+ volunteers as they pursue their dreams, and accelerate movement-wide initiatives that give girls the tools to become the next generation of powerful female leaders.