(CNN) It's not every day the Girl Scouts or any non-profit is handed a $100,000 pledge.

The Girl Scouts of Western Washington recently received the donation to help fund activities for girls participating in Girl Scouts.

But the gift came with a catch.

As transgender stories took over the airwaves in May, the Girl Scouts national organization clarified its long-existing policy allowing transgender girls to be Girl Scouts.

That may have inspired the donor to sending a note adding one condition: "Please guarantee that our gift will not be used to support transgender girls," the note read, according to Seattle Metropolitan magazine's Monday story. "If you can't, please return the money."

Girl Scouts of Western Washington council head Megan Ferland said she felt "very sad" after receiving that letter. But shortly thereafter, she says she decided to return the money.

"Girl Scouts is for every girl," she told Seattle Metropolitan. "And every girl should have the opportunity to be a Girl Scout if she wants to."

and more than $249,000 from over 4,900 donors in two days. The Western Washington council set up an Indigogo fundraiser to replace the donation, and the "Girl Scouts is #ForEVERYGirl" page has already raised more than $175,000 from more than 3,200 donors in one dayand more than $249,000 from over 4,900 donors in two days.

Transgender girls are welcome in the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, a stance that has attracted controversy from some quarters.

"Our position is not new," Andrea Bastiani Archibald, the Girl Scouts USA's chief girl expert, told CNN in May. "It conforms with our continuous commitment to inclusivity."

The Girl Scouts' guidance on serving transgender girls, on its "Frequently Asked Questions" page , was actually made public four years ago.

"Placement of transgender youth is handled on a case-by-case basis, with the welfare and best interests of the child and the members of the troop/group in question a top priority," states the FAQ. "That said, if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe."

@GirlScoutsWW, I'm a Gold Award recipient Lifetime Member. Scouting shaped who I am, and I *LOVE* seeing inclusiveness, positive news! — Lily Rowan (@MissLilyRowan) June 30, 2015

In 2012, a Denver troop attracted accolades and criticism for allowing a transgender girl to join its troop. One side effect: Supporters encouraged people to buy more cookies from their local troops while opponents advised people to stay away from the treats.

The guidance has upset conservative religious groups , which claimed that the Girl Scouts would be allowing boys "who are confused" as members.

The American Family Association created an online petition on May 13 to ask the organization to restrict its membership to "biological girls." It's attracted more than 40,000 e-signatures as of June 30.

"This means girls in the organization will be forced to recognize and accept transgenderism as a normal lifestyle," the petition reads. "Boys in skirts, boys in make-up and boys in tents will become a part of the program. This change will put young innocent girls at risk."

"Our mission to build 'girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place' extends to all members, and through our program, girls develop the necessary leadership skills to advance diversity and promote tolerance," Archibald wrote.

Photos: Transgender identity in the news Photos: Transgender identity in the news It was rare for black models like Tracey "Africa" Norman to break into the cutthroat lily-white world of modeling in the 1970s. Norman, who had exclusive contracts for Avon skin care and Clairol's Born Beautiful hair color, didn't tell anyone she was also transgender and had been born male. Once her secret was out, the work dried up. Here are some other notable moments in the recent history of transgender identity. Hide Caption 1 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Raffi Freedman-Gurspan is the first openly transgender White House staff member. She will serve as an outreach and recruitment director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Hide Caption 2 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news The Girl Scouts of the United States of America now welcomes transgender girls, a stance that was made public several years ago but attracted controversy from conservative groups when it became widely known in May Hide Caption 3 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Olympic gold medalist and reality TV star Bruce Jenner told ABC's Diane Sawyer, "Yes, for all intents and purposes, I'm a woman," during an interview that aired April 24. She has now made a highly publicized transition from male to female as Caitlyn Jenner. Hide Caption 4 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Renee Richards, here in 2011, made headlines for undergoing a sex change while a professional tennis player in the 1970s. She was barred from playing as a woman in the 1976 U.S. Open but played in the tournament the next year after the New York state Supreme Court ruled in her favor and overturned the ban. Hide Caption 5 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Born female, Brandon Teena was living as a man in Nebraska when he was raped and killed by two men in 1993. Teena was 21. His case inspired the 1999 drama "Boys Don't Cry" starring Hilary Swank, who won an Oscar for her performance. Hide Caption 6 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news The 2006 indie film "Transamerica" starred Felicity Huffman as a transgender woman taking a road trip with her long-lost teenage son. Huffman was nominated for an Academy Award for the role. Hide Caption 7 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Chaz Bono, the only child of entertainers Cher and Sonny Bono, arrives at a "Dancing With the Stars" special in May 2013. Bono was named Chastity at birth but came out as a lesbian in 1995 and later transitioned to living as a man. His transformation was chronicled in a book and a documentary feature, "Becoming Chaz." Hide Caption 8 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Filmmaker Lana Wachowski attends a tribute to the late film critic Roger Ebert in October 2013 in Chicago. Born Larry Wachowski, he made the "Matrix" trilogy with brother Andy Wachowski before transitioning to living as a woman. Wachowski is the first major Hollywood director to come out as transgender. Hide Caption 9 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news "Orange Is the New Black" actress Laverne Cox attends an August 2014 event for Emmy nominees. Cox became the first openly transgender person to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Hide Caption 10 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Transgender model and reality TV personality Carmen Carrera attends a fashion show in September 2013 in New York. That year, thousands of fans signed a petition requesting that she be a model during the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, but the campaign was unsuccessful. Hide Caption 11 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Actor Jeffrey Tambor portrays a divorced father who begins transitioning to a woman in the Amazon series "Transparent," which debuted in February 2014. For his performance, Tambor won a Golden Globe for best actor in a TV musical or comedy series. Hide Caption 12 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Transgender activist and author Janet Mock attends the eighth annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards in New York in September 2014. Her 2014 memoir, "Redefining Realness," was a best-seller. Hide Caption 13 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news On January 20, 2015, President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to mention the word "transgender" in a State of the Union address. Transgender activists hailed his speech. Hide Caption 14 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news After years as an androgynous male model, Australian Andrej Pejic underwent sex-reassignment surgery in 2014 and is now Andreja Pejic. Hide Caption 15 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Joshua Alcorn voiced a desire to live as a girl, but the Ohio teenager's parents said they wouldn't stand for that. In December 2014, Alcorn, 17, was fatally struck by a tractor-trailer on an interstate after leaving a suicide note that said in part, "To put it simply, I feel like a girl trapped in a boy's body." It was signed "Leelah." The case drew national attention to the plight of misunderstood transgender youth. Hide Caption 16 of 17 Photos: Transgender identity in the news Jazz Jennings became famous at age 6 when Barbara Walters interviewed her for a "20/20" segment about transgender children. Now 14, she hosts a popular series of videos on YouTube and is starring this summer in a TLC reality show about her life. 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However, the Girl Scouts USA will not make local councils admit anyone. The 112 Girl Scout councils across the country are all separate nonprofit organizations. That's 2.8 million Girl Scouts -- 2 million children and 800,000 adult members who are mostly volunteers.

"Inclusion of transgender girls is handled at a council level on a case by case basis, with the welfare and best interests of all members as a top priority," Archibald wrote in her blog post.

What about their critics? "Luckily, we don't serve our critics," she told CNN. "We are proud to serve all girls."