Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) has received a grant totaling $125,000 from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

“Our council is serving over 11,000 girls in central and northern Arizona and creating outdoor programing that helps bolster girl’s confidence,” Vianca Pallanes, Council spokesperson said.

“This grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust will give us additional resources to expand access to outdoor experiences for girls through Girl Scouting programs like mountain biking, family camping trips, hosting more volunteer-led outdoor programs, and will help provide financial assistance to girls and adults who might not otherwise be able to participate.”

As the state of the pandemic improves, GSACPC is ramping up their in-person programming at their four camp properties located in Phoenix and in northern Arizona. “Technology and structured activities leave less time for girls to get outside and connect with the outdoors. However, girls who attend Girl Scout Camp or participate in an outdoor program benefit from a shared-learning experience and an all-girl safe space that offers plenty of opportunities to create their own outdoor adventures” says Pallanes.

GSACPC plans to address barriers and increase girls’ access to programs so they may benefit from unparalleled leadership opportunities in the outdoors that will help them build confidence, laying the foundation for a meaningful and successful future.

The grant will be funded over two years; $75,000 over the Councils 2022 fiscal year and $50,000 for the 2023 fiscal year. As this project aims to expand access to outdoor experiences for girls through Girl Scouting, their goal is to serve more than 10,000 K-12 girls in Maricopa County in Year 1 and 12,000 in Year 2. In addition to increasing outdoor engagement for current members, they will be welcoming new girls to their program, particularly in areas where resources are limited and where there may be a lack of awareness about Girl Scouting.

Since the Trust began its grant making in 1998, it has awarded over $353 million to 1,006 organizations in its home states of Arizona and Indiana. For more information about the Trust and its programs visit http://www.ninapulliamtrust.org.