Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey Board Prospectus 2023-2024

2024-2025 Board Prospectus

Dear Friend: We are pleased to share our board prospectus. It highlights our work on behalf of more than 19,000 girls and 10,200 adult members who we serve in every zip code in our community and outlines the ways our board members provide leadership in making a difference for girls in northern New Jersey.

It is an exciting time to serve on the board of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey.

This year, we celebrated the 112th birthday of our national movement, and Girl Scouts continues to be the most successful leadership organization for all girls as they seek connection, build relationships, and use this life-changing time to build a better world.

Shanna Jafri Board Chair

At Girl Scouts, we believe in every girl’s potential to meet today’s problems with bold solutions and create a better, brighter tomorrow for her community and the world.

We are excited by our vision, yet we are well aware that it will require a group of deeply committed individuals coming together to help make this vision a reality. As you read through this, you will see the investments we are making in our girls’ futures. Serving on our board will help give you an opportunity to contribute your expertise and help us to further advance this critical work.

Shanna Jafri Board Chair

Your commitment supports girls’ abilities to make positive change, regardless of their backgrounds, locations, or financial situations. That’s more important today than ever before— and it’s why Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey invites you to give thoughtful consideration to joining our board. It is a unique opportunity to share in the joy of shaping the next generation of leaders in our county. Thank you.

Yours in Girl Scouting, Sandra A. Kenoff President/ Chief Executive Officer

Shanna Jafri Board Chair

Sandra A. Kenoff President/Chief Executive Officer

Who we are We Are Girl Scouts. Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world.

Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends.

Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.

Today, girls need Girl Scouts more than ever.

What we do

For 112 years, Girl Scouts have found a way to dream big and do good.

From climbing mountains to stocking the local food pantry, Girl Scouts help make our world a better place. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is our one-of-a-kind program created for girls with girls in mind—to meet them where they are and grow alongside them.

Centered around our four pillars—STEM, Outdoors, Life Skills, and Entrepreneurship—Girl Scouting teaches girls how to be successful leaders and instills creative problem-solving skills. Most importantly, Girl Scouts fosters their drive to keep going through difficult times and nurtures their determination to make the world better. Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey brings the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to more than 19,000 girls and 10,200 adult members in Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and northern Warren counties.

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey at a Glance*

1,071

girls served through Community Engagement Programs

11th Largest Council

72

in girl & adult membership out of 111 nationwide

Girl Scout Cookie packages sold

1,423

88

93

Girl Scouts participated in travel & hiking activities

girls earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

14,880+

More than

$200,000

community service hours toward Highest Awards

More than 19,000 girls & 10,200 adult members served in 5 counties *based on 2022-2023 membership data

Board Responsibilities Establish Organizational Identity and Direction: • Determine the organization’s mission and purpose and advocate for both • Ensure effective strategic planning • Ensure the organization’s strategic priorities are adequately reflected in the budget

Provide Oversight: • Support the President/ Chief Executive Officer • Protect assets and provide financial oversight • Ensure legal and ethical integrity

Ensure the Necessary Resources: • Adopt policies related to funds being pursued and/or in support of the mission • Ensure adequate resources by participating in fundraising efforts • Enhance the organization’s public standing

Board Operations: • Annually assess the board’s own performance • Regularly review organizational and board policies • Engage members of the board in committees and task forces • Focus on issues of strategic importance

Meetings • Prepare for, attend, and participate fully in Board and Committee meetings, unless excused • Ask timely and substantive questions • Suggest agenda items periodically for Board and Committee meetings, to ensure that significant policy related matters are addressed • Accept and support the majority decision arising from Board deliberations • Maintain confidentiality of the Board’s sessions

Fiduciary Responsibilities • Exercise prudence with the Board in the control and transfer of funds • Faithfully read and understand the council’s financial statements and otherwise help the Board fulfill its fiduciary responsibility

Fundraising • Give a personally meaningful gift to the annual Board Giving Campaign and preferably joining our Circle of Friends giving society • Assist the Fund Development Committee and staff by implementing fundraising strategies through personal influence with others (corporations, foundations, individuals) • Attend fundraising events, including our Women of Achievement gala, give or get at the $1,000 level, and bring along colleagues or supporters who can also contribute

Make a Difference Expanding the impact and reach of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience means creating more equitable membership opportunities in our northern New Jersey communities that have been under engaged. This includes Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Racial Justice initiatives, reimaging 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. It also means fostering meaningful program innovation informed by the current interests and needs of girls to prepare them for leadership, including an expanded focus on career readiness and mental wellness.

Integral to this work is expanding girls’ access to STEM exploration, building upon exciting areas of interest, such as hands-on coding, aeronautics, and sustainability. It means being visionary about the role Girl Scouts plays in the lives of girls and women and shaping the health and wellbeing of the communities the organization supports.

Board of Directors Shanna Jafri Board Chair Germaine Lacqua 1st Vice Chair Matthew Lamb, Pharm.D, R.Ph. 2nd Vice Chair Nashira Spencer Secretary Leslie Franklin Treasurer Members-at-Large Leslie Achter Elisa Buckley Danielle Furze Dr. Janelle C. Hall Julia Helliesen Damon L. McDade Christina Tso Metz Christyl Lucille Murray Catherine P. O’Hern Tracy Schoenberg Nikki Sumpter Pia House Walker Karen Worthy

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey 95 Newark Pompton Tpke Riverdale, NJ 07457 (973) 248-8200 www.gsnnj.org