WHY Do Troops/Service Units Need Money?
- So girls can learn decision-making.
- So troops can support themselves and their activities.
- So girls can learn healthy and fun financial literacy.
WHAT Can Troops/Service Units Do With Their Money?
Troops can do so many things—let the girls decide! Below are only some examples of how troops/service units can spend their funds.
- PROGRAMS like Journeys
- RECOGNITIONS like badges
- EVENTS, PROGRAMS, and ACTIVITIES
- MEMBERSHIPS
- TRIPS
- RESIDENT CAMP
- TRAININGS
- TAKE ACTION PROJECTS
* To ensure that the girls enjoy an optimal Girl Scout Leadership Experience, money should be spent within the Girl Scout membership year. *
HOW Do Troops/Service Units Earn Money?
Council-Sponsored Product Programs like the Girl Scout Cookie Program & Fall Product Program
Troop Dues (optional). Always consider the financial situations of the girls/families and the purpose for collecting troop dues. If a troop chooses to collect dues from girls/families, the following must be followed:
- Inform girls/families why troop dues will be collected and how it will be used. (Example: We are asking each girl/family to contribute $5 per month to the troop, for the next six months, to purchase troop meeting snacks.)
- Receipts, from the troop, must be provided to the girl/family each time dues are contributed to troop. This is to ensure that there is a paper trail and proper accounting of troop funds.
- Troop dues collected at each meeting must be documented in the troop ledger and deposited in troop bank account accordingly.
- Girls are NEVER penalized for not paying dues. We never know the situation of each family. There may be other in-kind contributions that they may contribute to troop such as the snacks themselves, craft supplies, etc.
Money-Earning Activities. These are additional fundraisers. In order for troops/service units to hold a fundraiser of their own, read below and get permission from council first.
- Troops/service units must participate in both council-sponsored product programs first.
- Troops/service units can NOT endorse commercial products (i.e. selling another company’s chocolate bars or water bottles, etc.)
- Troops/service units MUST receive permission from council before fundraiser by turning in Guidelines for Donation Requests and Money-Earning Projects or Events to info@gsdsw.org ATTN: Fund Development.
* Troop funds are intended to benefit the girls, not adults. *
* Money belongs to the troop/service unit, not individual girls. *
* Make sure to be transparent and communicate troop/service unit finances with members of the troop/service unit. *