What IS the Blue Book?
By Rae Ann Dougherty Gold Award Girl Scout, Lifelong Volunteer, Immediate Past Chair of Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO) Board of Directors and National Delegate
You may have heard references to the Blue Book of Basic Documents – so what is it? It is the collection of governance and policy documents for our national organization.
The way Girl Scouting started in the USA is unique in that it started as a national organization and then, a few years later, chartered Girl Scout councils. In short, Girl Scouts is a federated system form of governance.
The relationship of interdependence between Girl Scout councils and the national organization (Girl Scouts of the USA or GSUSA) may initially be hard to understand, however, it proves to be a powerful methodology that embraces our voices. All parts of the Girl Scout organization in the USA may act independently within the authority defined in the basic documents of Girl Scouts of the USA, known as the “Blue Book of Basic Documents” (commonly referred to as the Blue Book).
Collectively, the national organization, Girl Scout councils, and the National Council are responsible for sustaining the existence of GSUSA. In addition, GSUSA maintains a global relationship as one of 152 member organizations of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, commonly referred to as WAGGGS. In short, if you are a Girl Scout in the USA, you are automatically a member of the global Movement and a “Sister” to the 10 MM Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and benefit from all the international organization provides. If you are a delegate (National or council) or a member of the governance team (i.e., member of Board of Directors or an at-large member of a Board Committee), you should be generally familiar with what it is and what is in it. It contains:
• The Constitution of GSUSA • GSUSA Bylaws • GSUSA Policies • Credentials • Criteria and Standards for an effective Girl Scout council • Congressional Charter
A federation is a network of local affiliates that share a mission, a brand, and a program model but are legally independent of one another and of the national office. Sixteen of the largest 20 nonprofits in the United States, including American Red Cross, United Way of America, and YMCA of the USA operate as federations, as does Girl Scouts. Federations offer significant advantages to their affiliates, which in the USA are our Girl Scout councils.
The national organization was first incorporated back in 1915 under the corporate laws of the District of Columbia. The Blue Book has gone through a number of changes throughout Girl Scouting’s history. It originally started as a manual for captains (who are now known as troop leaders). It has always contained the Constitution and Bylaws for the Girl Scout organization, but as our organization grew and changed, more was added. Eventually, the Blue Book morphed into what we know it as today.
The Congressional Charter was conferred upon GSUSA in 1950 by a special act of Congress. Only Congress may amend this Congressional Charter of our organization. The GSUSA Constitution defines and interprets the responsibilities and the authority of the National Council and the National Board of Directors. This national Constitution also defines the purpose and responsibility of Girl Scout councils. This document also includes the bylaws of the national organization.
Each Council has a specific interdependency, as well as independence, with and from GSUSA because each of the councils in the USA and the national entity are their own separate 501(c)(3) organizations. Each of the Girl Scout councils elect national delegates to represent that local council to the National Council. The National Council then elects the National Board of Directors which establishes and renews the charters of each council. As such each Girl Scout council, including Girl Scouts of Colorado (GSCO), has its own set of bylaws that interdependently yet independently governs the local council. The council’s performance is reviewed annually by the National Board which will periodically renew the Council Charter according to that council’s schedule.
More simply stated, Girl Scout councils and GSUSA work together to carry out the Mission of Girl Scouting as set forth in the Preamble to the GSUSA Constitution, but each has specific authority and accountability within the federated structure. It also drives some of the policies you may be familiar with as a volunteer of GSCO, including the policy that prevents girls from the direct solicitation of cash and ensuring any money and other assets raised, earned, or otherwise received is held for the benefit of Girl Scouting and authorized by that Girl Scout council.
Want to be a part of the process? Join out Delegate roundtable conversation to learn more on April 14th 2022.
o Event Link: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/sf-events-repository/2022/-gsco-national-delegate-virtual-roundtable-chat.html
Save the date for the next National Council Session in Orlando, Florida in July 2023. It is the 56th in Girl Scouts history!
Resources: • Blue Book (English): https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and- documents/about-girl-scouts/facts/GSUSA_BlueBook.pdf • Blue Book (Spanish): https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and- documents/about-girl-scouts/facts/GSUSA_LibroAzul.pdf • GSUSA’s Stewardship: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/members/for-girl- • Girl Scouts of Colorado’s (GSCO) Bylaws https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/content/dam/girlscoutsofcolorado/documents/Bylaws_N ovember_2017.pdf)