Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold^®. At Girls Inc.^®, we take programming seriously. It's far more than baby sitting, recreation, or keeping kids off the street. Our specialty is informal education, a systematic approach to learning that takes place out of school. We combine the hands-on, experimental method with a conscious and articulated commitment to gender equity. The result is powerful programming that helps girls gain the skills, knowledge, attitudes and fortitudes to support themselves by being leaders in their communities, and contributing to positive social change.

Empowered girls and an equitable society. The vision of Girls Inc. is to be recognized as the premier nationwide organization that helps all girls realize their potential and exercise their rights. An examination of our current program delivery system convinced us of the need to expand our existing and seek new channels for distribution of Girls Inc. programs in order to realize this vision. Building on our experience, market research and considerable deliberation, we propose to deliver Girls Inc. programming to the maximum number of girls through member organizations, partnerships and licensing relationships and technology.

Recognizing that the highest value relationship we can have with a girl is through our member organizations, we propose to strengthen our existing member organizations and seed new ones. To insure that Girls Inc. touches the lives of the maximum possible number of girls each year, we propose augmenting our member organization channel with appropriate partnership and licensing relationships in areas where we do not have a member organization. At the same time, recognizing the tremendous potential that technology represents in reaching vast numbers of girls directly and enhancing our overall operation, we also propose to strengthen this vital channel.

Girls Inc. believes that all girls are capable of achieving their full potential if the social, cultural and legal barriers to their success and are recognized and addressed.

Social barriers impede girls in the following ways:
	Girls are strong; but the settings in which they spend much of their lives fail to prepare them for independence.
	Girls are resourceful; but few institutions provide adequate opportunities for girls to develop the skills that allow them full participation in the larger society.
	Girls are bold; but society rewards them for passive behavior and dependence in personal relationships.
	Girls are proud; but society teaches them to undervalue the contributions of women, past and present.
	Girls are capable; but society channels girls and women into stereotypical fields and limits girls' interaction with female leaders in nontraditional areas.
Cultural and legal barriers to girls' achievement include the following:
	Girls are competent; but past and continuing discrimination on the basis of gender limits their potential.
	Girls are gifted; but discrimination based on racial, cultural, economic or other distinctions increases the obstacles to individual achievement.
	Girls are sisters; discrimination against girls on any basis adversely affects all girls.
Addressing these and other barriers requires effort and resources from all who have an impact on girls' lives. As the nation's leading voice for girls, Girls Inc. is dedicated to understanding and eliminating the barriers confronting girls.