Governance

The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast’s governance is built on the democratic process. The Board of Directors are volunteers from throughout the council jurisdiction who are elected by the Council membership at the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors is composed of the officers and the directors, who are called members at large. The Board Chair and the officers of the board, as a group, form the leadership of the council. The council’s Chief Executive Officer serves as an ex-officio of the board without a vote. Under the leadership of the Board Chair, the Board of Directors maintains the integrity and the purpose of Girl Scouting.  

The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast’s Board of Directors functions in 10 major areas of accountability:

1. Fulfilling charter obligations and corporate responsibilities

2. Policymaking

3. Selection, performance, and evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer

4. Strategic planning

5. Fund development

6. Fiduciary oversight

7. Interaction with the community

8. Oversight of the management function

9. Review the accomplishments of the board and the board chair

10. Ensuring a system for policy influencing between the adult membership and the board of directors.

The Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast is governed by a 20 member, volunteer Board of Directors.

BOARD MEETINGS:

Meeting dates and times are tentative and subject to change.  Officers and members at large attend the Board of Directors meetings.  Visitors may attend upon invitation from the Board. 

Click Here for tentative list of meetings.

GOVERNANCE DECISIONS:  

Two categories of decisions are made in the Girl Scout organization – governance decisions and management decisions. Both types of decisions are based on the belief that people should have a voice in major decisions that will have an effect on all or a large part of the membership.

Governance decisions are broad policy decisions made by the board of directors to provide stability within the council and to give direction for the way Girl Scouting is implemented in the council jurisdiction. Governance decisions relate to strategic planning, fund development, fiduciary oversight, selections and evaluation of the chief executive officer, and organizational performance appraisal.

MANAGEMENT DECISIONS:

Management decisions are made by the chief executive officer and are concerned with the organization and management of all operational work within the framework of the council’s goals. They are based on governance decisions made by the board of directors, as well as reflecting input from volunteers and staff who bring ideas from their experience. Management decisions relate to tactical planning; budgeting; the selection, placement, and supervision of operational volunteers and staff; the development of systems to ensure the effective delivery of Girl scout program to all girls within the jurisdiction; oversight of fiscal and physical resources; and the implementation of policies and standards established by the board of directors.

DECISION-MAKERS

Although the responsibility for governance decision-making rests with the council board of directors, the board needs to hear diverse views before acting. The council board is opened to policy-influencing input from the Service Unit delegates.  The goal is that every registered adult Girl Scout feels that she/he has a part in the democratic process. The democratic process ensures that Girl Scouts remains the premier organization for understanding and addressing the needs of girls and for preparing girls and adults for leadership roles.

SERVICE UNITS:  

The adults (and girls 14 years of age and up) in each Service Unit have the opportunity to select their representatives – the local Delegates and Association Chairs – who in turn elect the Council’s Board of Directors, Council Nominating Committee and national Council Delegates.

The Board of Directors is the governance component charged with the fiduciary and policy-setting responsibility for the Council.   They must see that the work of the Council is done in accordance with the Council’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and all appropriate laws as well as the standards set forth by Girl Scouts of the USA . The Board also works with staff and the community to set the long-range goals for the Council.

The Board trusts the day-to-day management of the corporation to the Chief Executive Officer, who is responsible for monitoring fiduciary issues and for overseeing the work of the Council through the employment and deployment of staff and volunteers. The Board appoints the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who serves as a Board member, but does not vote. The CEO serves in partnership with the Chair of the Board of Directors, who is elected by the Council Delegates.

Delegates are the “voting members” of the Council. Delegates are expected to attend the Council’s Annual Meeting each year to hear reports on the work of the council since the previous Annual Meeting and to act on items put before the voting members of the Council, including the election of the Council Officers, the At-Large Members of the Board of Directors, the Council Nominating Committee, and, in every third year, the election of the National Council Delegates who represent Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast at Girl Scouts of the USA’s National Council Meeting.   The candidates for election are presented on a slate prepared by the Council Nominating Committee. From time to time, Delegates may also be asked to vote to approve changes in the GSCCC Bylaws.

Council Delegates comprise the policy influencing body of our governance system. Delegates receive reports from the Board of Directors, and may be asked to provide feedback or guidance. The Delegate body is not a decision making group, but rather the Delegate body stands ready to share the opinions and feelings of the membership when the Board of Directors (the decision makers) seeks their consideration. Delegates influence decisions pertaining to policy, not operations. Policy decisions relate to fiduciary concerns, training requirements, troop/group management, safety, risk management and strategic planning. Operational or management decisions are those decisions made regarding supervision and placement of volunteers and staff, program delivery and allocation of resources.

COUNCIL NOMINATING COMMITTEE:

The Council Nominating Committee is one of the most influential functions in our organization. Finding the appropriate leadership to ensure the council’s success into the future doesn’t just happen – it takes the time and thoughtfulness of a group of committed volunteers. The Nominating Committee has the responsibility of identifying and recruiting talented individuals who will serve on the Council’s Board of Directors, as Council Officers and as members of the next Council Nominating Committee. Every third year, the Nominating Committee must choose the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast’s National Council Delegates.

The Nominating Committee is charged with presenting a slate of nominees for the Board of Directors of the Colonial Coast Council. These nominees must be committed to the principles of Girl Scouting, be willing to work diligently to maintain current and open additional funding opportunities for the Girl Scouts, and most of all, always make decisions based on the best interests of the girls of this Council. Additionally, the board should represent a diverse cross-section of the communities that make up this council. Therefore, the slate of nominees needs to have a balance of genders, ages, ethnicities, occupations, Girl Scout experience, and geographical locations just to name a few criteria.

The Nominating Committee assesses the Board of Director’s current composition and identifies strengths and needs. They decide on a recruitment plan – including accepting referrals from throughout the Council – then begin to identify and cultivate new prospects.

Their work is done in private. Confidentiality is of utmost importance. Not everyone who is referred for the vacant positions can be chosen, and the Nominating Committee must make their selections with care and sensitivity, while holding fast to their commitment to find people who have the talent and resources to best serve our Council. The same is true for the selections of the Officers, the next Nominating Committee members and for the National Council Delegates.

The Annual Meeting is your opportunity to meet the Board of Directors, hear the State of the Council address by the President and CEO, honor our volunteers, and celebrate Girl Scouts who have achieved that most prestigious award – the Gold Award.  The Annual Meeting is held every year in April. 

Please join us in lighting the way to the future!