Amount Requested: $600,000
This funding request will cover programmatic expenses including personnel to institute and conduct the culturally-sensitive, comprehensive volunteer training program.  The volunteers will be trained to understand the needs of girls in the community, to build partnerships with key Latino/Hispanic community leaders and organizations, and to recruit and train additional bilingual volunteers to lead a Girl Scout troop. GSUSA's VIVA initiative is a comprehensive volunteer training program and model which seeks to recruit, train and sustain a strong Latino/Hispanic adult volunteer base to bring the benefits of Girl Scouting to more girls and their families. Girl Scouts has implemented VIVA in areas with large Latina populations, including Miami-Dade County in Florida and Doña Ana County in New Mexico.  Using lessons learned and best practices in Florida, New Mexico, and Texas, GSUSA is developing a model for nationwide implementation. Continued funding will help Girl Scouts to increase our Latina/Hispanic volunteer members by 5 percent and Latina/Hispanic girl members by 3 percent.