The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts has received a three-year grant of $165,000 from the Women’s Foundation of Boston to fund the expansion of It’s a Girl’s World to select communities in Western Massachusetts.

It’s a Girl’s World, an enrichment program that encompasses STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, financial literacy, healthy living and mental health wellness, will run with community partners in Chicopee, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Springfield and Westfield.

“We’re very ecstatic,” said Jamie Mahon, the fund development and marketing manager at the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts. “The Women’s Foundation of Boston is a great supporter of GSCWM. It’s been awesome to have great support from such a prominent group of women out in eastern Mass. The fact that they’re coming out to the west is super exciting.”

The Women’s Foundation awarded grants to 10 nonprofits that serve women and girls in Massachusetts Gateway Cities. The scouts see a need in Gateway Cities for exposure to their programs and support for girls who aren’t being served by existing troops.

“Oftentimes, that’s because of some barrier, and we wanted to overcome those barriers, while bringing Girl Scouts to girls that couldn’t access it before and showing them that there’s a place for them within Girl Scouts,” said Brandi Maloni, community partnerships specialist at the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts.

They have been offering some variety of It’s a Girl’s World since 2014, but it hasn’t been as prominent in the western part of the state over the last couple of years. The funding provided by the Women’s Foundation of Boston will pay the full costs for 190 girls in It’s a Girls World programs in the target cities. The girls will receive free membership in Girl Scouts for the entire year as well as uniforms, to get the full Girl Scout experience.

“There’s a lot of preconceived notions about what Girl Scouts is,” said Maloni. “This helps us not only to be able to bring it to the girls that might not have access, but also show them that there is a world of girl-led possibilities that they have a role in, and it helps them feel empowered and confident as they’re participating in the program.”

Mahon added, “We get to discover all of the different programs the girls can do on their own, if they so choose, or if they want to join a troop in the future.”

She continued, “It’s not just about the cookies. It’s not just about summer camp and arts and crafts. Girls are making instruments in their STEM program. They learn about how to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families. They work on budgeting and build upon skills that support them now and in the future.”

In each of the target cities, Maloni said the scouts will connect with a community partner, such as a school, youth organization or housing development, offering It’s a Girl’s World and Girl Scout programs as an option during existing after-school or enrichment programs. In Springfield, for example, the Springfield Housing Authority has already signed on to offer an It’s a Girl’s World program based at Robinson Gardens.

The scouts plan to hire another community partnership specialist to work alongside Maloni to develop more partnerships.

“The most rewarding part of It’s a Girl’s World is seeing the girls strengthen their courage, confidence and character during every session, and witnessing their joy as they learn essential life skills, try new things and master new challenges,” Maloni said.

For more information about It’s a Girl’s World, contact Brandi Maloni at 508-749-3634 or email bmaloni@gscwm.org. To join, volunteer or donate, call 413-584-2602 or email info@gscwm.org.