Fall Product & Girl Scout Cookie Program
Girls can participate in two council-sponsored Product Programs each
year: the Fall
Product Program and the Girl Scout Cookie
Program. A troop’s primary money-earning activity should be the
Girl Scout Cookie Program (however, it is not a requirement).
All girl members, including Girl Scout Daisies and Juliettes
(individually registered members), are eligible to participate in
council-sponsored Product Programs with volunteer supervision. Please
remember: volunteers and Girl Scout council staff don’t sell cookies
and other products—girls do.
Troop Money-Earning Activities
Troop money-earning projects need written approval from the council
before a group money-earning activity. Submit the Group Money Earning and Project Funding Approval
Form to your community development manager.
There are a few specific guidelines—some required by the Internal
Revenue Service—that ensure that sales are conducted with legal and
financial integrity. To that end, consider the following reminders and cautions:
- All rewards earned by girls through product program activities
must support Girl Scout program experiences (such as camp, travel,
and program events), but not scholarships or financial credits
toward outside organizations.
- Rewards are based on sale
ranges set by councils and may not be based on a dollar-per-dollar
calculation.
- Girls cannot participate in games of chance,
pledge events (including walk-a-thons), and product demonstration
parties.
- The Girl Scout Blue Book policy forbids girls from
the direct solicitation of cash. Girls can collect partial payment
toward the purchase of a package of Girl Scout Cookies and Girl
Scout Fall Product Program products through participation in
council-approved product program donation programs like Cookies for
a Cause. gswo.org/bluebook
- Girl Scouts forbids the use of
the Girl Scout trademark to increase revenue for another business
(for example: in-home product parties). Any business using the Girl
Scout trademark must seek authorization from GSUSA.
- Troop/group money-earning activities need to be suited to the
age and abilities of the girls and consistent with the principles of
the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
- Money earned is for
Girl Scout activities and is not to be retained by individuals.
Girls can, however, be awarded incentives and/or may earn credits
from their Girl Scout Product Program. Funds acquired through group
money-earning projects must be reported and accounted for by the
group, while following council procedures.
- Decisions about
how money will be earned and spent should be made by the girls in
the troop and communicated in writing to parents/caregivers.
- No account may be set up in a girl’s name that is replenished
through troop funding efforts or donations. No matter what
accounting method is used, money earned by girls in Girl Scouting is
the property of the troop.
- Money donated to the troop may
not personally benefit one member of the troop.
- In order to
ensure compliance with IRS and audit guidelines, Girl Scouts of
Western Ohio has specific policies regarding donations and grants
from individuals and organizations to Girl Scouts groups or service
units. Please refer to Volunteer Essentials for more
information.
For ideas about additional money earning, review the
Finances section in Volunteer Essentials or brainstorm ideas
with your service team or community development manager.
Troop Dues
Troop dues are an option for troops to cover the costs of snacks,
supplies, and other materials used by the girls at regular meetings
and girl activities. Troop dues are meant to supplement Cookie and
Fall Product Program activities. No girl shall be denied membership in
a troop or have her participation restricted based on an inability to
pay troop dues.
When setting the amount of troop dues, the fees should be decided on
by all members, with consideration given to the income levels of all
of the girls in the group. Any collected troop dues should be
documented and deposited into the troop account within 3 days of collection.
For example, to lower troop dues, host a troop birthday party for
your first meeting to collect supplies. Girls bring supplies as
"birthday presents," and everyone opens them up during the
party. Instead of asking the parents for supplies regularly, you can
build a stockpile up front.
