A lack of funds after rejecting a donation with a transphobic caveat could have been disastrous for the Girl Scouts of Western Washington--but the troop has been rewarded for sticking to their ethics with a successful Indiegogo campaign that has seen them raise more money than they initially received.

The group rejected and sent back a an anonymous donation of $100,000 which came with a note imploring them to "Please guarantee that our gift will not be used to support transgender girls. If you can't, please return the money." However, instead of going back on their ethical code to let any girl join the group because the amount would cover nearly a third of their entire financial assistance program for the year, the group chose to raise the funds their own way.

"Girl Scouts is for every girl. And every girl should have the opportunity to be a Girl Scout if she wants to," the council's CEO Megan Ferland said.

The group has since launched an Indiegogo campaign with corresponding video this week which asked the public to help support their goal of empowering "every girl regardless of her gender identity, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation to make the world a better place."

"When a donor gave us $100,000, we cheered! When that donor said the money could NOT support transgender girls...we gave the money back," the video announcing the campaign says. "Girl Scouts empowers EVERY girl regardless of her gender identity, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation...to make the world a better place. We won't exclude ANY girl. EVERY girl deserves access to a safe, friendly environment where she can STAND UP for what she believes in and be proud of who she is. 500 girls would have received that money. Girls who couldn't be GIRL SCOUTS without that financial support."

"Now we need your help to make sure EVERY ONE of those girls has the chance to go to camp, join a troop, build a robot, mentor younger girls, and all of the other life-changing opportunities that Girl Scouts has to offer," the video continues. "Please give today and ask five friends to give too. Send a loud clear message that our community is stronger because we are inclusive. Show that Girl Scouts is for EVERY girl."

The campaign appears to have worked--as of July 1, the campaign managed to raise over $247,000--more than double the donation they rejected.

Tags: girl scouts