Money Earning Guidelines for Girls and Adults

Way to go! You are taking the first steps in expanding your girls’ opportunities.

Helping girls plan, budget, earn and manage money is an integral part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girls learn the important skills of goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics through Girl Scouts’ Fall Product and Cookie Programs. Additional Council-approved Troop Fundraising – through either Money Earning Activities or Adult Fundraising – provide opportunities beyond Cookie and Fall Product Program proceeds.

Girl Scout Daisies are not allowed to participate in money-earning activities outside of the Council-sponsored product programs.

Troops and Service Units may not apply for corporate or foundation grants without prior Council approval.

Step 1: How do I get my troop/group started? toggle arrow

Answer these simple questions:

Is every girl in troop/group a registered member of Girl Scouts of the USA and girl/adult ratios met?
Is your troop/group is in good standing with GSKWR (no Council-owed debt, current financial report on file with the Council, all volunteer training complete)?
Does your bank account meets GSKWR guidelines per Volunteer Essentials - Troop Finances.
Did members of troop/group participate in BOTH the Fall Product and Cookie Programs (with the exception of first year troops/groups based on start date)?

If the answer to all these questions is “YES!” – Congratulations!

Please continue to STEP 2 to understand Troop Fundraising basics.

Step 2: The Basics of Troop Fundraising toggle arrow

GSUSA’s Blue Book of Basic Documents specifies “All money raised, or earned, and other assets received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting must be authorized by a Girl Scout Council or Girl Scouts of the USA and used for the purposes of Girl Scouting. Such monies and other assets become the property of and are administered by the Girl Scout Council or GSUSA. Such assets are not the property of individuals, geographic units, or communities within the Girl Scout Council.”

Donations of $250 or more must be received by Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road. Once the Donation Authorization Form is completed and approved, GSKWR will accept and acknowledge the contribution as a nonprofit organization on behalf of the requesting troop/group. GSKWR will transfer donated funds to the troop/group once they are received. If a donor contributes less than $250 and requests an acknowledgement letter for tax purposes, the donation must be received by GSKWR and a Donation Authorization Form must be completed.

Troops and Service Units may not apply for corporate or foundation grants without prior Council approval. For more information, please visit Volunteer Essentials Troop Finances under the Money-Earning Basics for Troops drop down header.

Please let us know your ideas and plans so we can guide and support you. Start with your Membership Team, and they will help guide you through the process.

Please continue to STEP 3 to determine which kind of fundraising activity you want to plan and how to ask for the Council’s support.

Step 3: Money Earning Activity or Adult Fundraising? toggle arrow

Basically, the main difference is who will be planning and organizing. Both require a specific form to be completed and submitted to the Council. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

Money Earning Activities refer to activities that follow a budget and are planned and carried out by girls in partnership with adults to earn money for the troop/group.

Money Earning Activity Request Form

Adult Fundraising refers to a relationship between an adult Girl Scout volunteer and a donor – one in which the donor lends support to the troop/group in the form of money or products/services to benefit a specific, budgeted activity for the troop/group. These donors may receive a tax deduction, as allowable by law. Girls are not allowed to solicit these funds.*

*please reference "Highest Awards" section below for details.

Donation Authorization Form

More questions? Check out Fundraising Facts here!

Fundraising Facts Q&A toggle arrow

Check out Fundraising Facts here for answers to your questions.

Highest Awards toggle arrow

Only Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors may solicit philanthropic donations for Girl Scout Gold Award Projects. These donations may be in-kind goods or funds, and girls must have secured prior written permission from the designated Council staff.

Bronze or Silver Award Girl Scouts cannot solicit cash or in-kind donations. A Junior or Cadette Girl Scout cannot "ask" for any donation for her Bronze or Silver Award project. She can present her project, dressed in uniform, but an Adult Volunteer must make the ask.

Criteria for Money Earning Activities toggle arrow

Girls should earn funds by providing a service or product. They should also be learning while earning, even if they just learn they have to work hard and as a team to meet their goals.

The Criteria for Money Earning Activities are:

Be girl-led – planned, generated, produced and performed by girls – with supervision and guidance provided by adults.
Be suited to ages and abilities of the girls and consistent with goals and principles of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience program.
Fill a specific need that adds to the value of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience program for the girls.
Meet all Safety Activity Checkpoints and GSWRC policies and guidelines.
Be approved by GSWRC Program Department.
Be scheduled outside Fall Product Program dates (from order-taking through girls’ final payments to troops) and Cookie Sale Program sales (from first day of sales through girls’ final payments to troops).
Participation must be voluntary.

Examples of Appropriate Money Earning Activities for Girls toggle arrow

Spaghetti dinner; pancake breakfast
Bake sale; yard sale
Car wash; pet wash
Gift wrapping
Badge workshop for younger Girl Scouts
Talent show; fashion show
Craft fair
Yard work
Concession stand, as long as policies of company on ages, adult supervision and training are adhered to

Activities that are NOT Allowed for Girls toggle arrow

Internet sales; Go-Fund Me pages; Crowdfunding
Solicitation of cash donations without a service or product being sold
Raffles; drawings, games of chance (including Bunco/Bingo), or auctions
Sale of commercial products (i.e. Chick-fil-a calendars, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, Avon, Pampered Chef)
Raising money for another organization (girls may choose to give a portion of their troop funds to another organization, but they cannot directly raise funds)
“Girl Scout Night” at local business where a percentage of sale from food or tickets is donated (i.e. Chick-fil-a or sports venue fundraiser where percentage of all sales is given to troop and girls have not offered a service.)

Resources

Donation Autorization Form

Fundraising Facts - Q&A Grid

Money Earning Activity Request Form