Your Girl Scout troop will plan and finance its own activities, and you’ll coach your girls as they earn and manage troop funds. Troop activities are powered by proceeds earned through council-sponsored product program activities (such as the Girl Scout Cookie Program), group money-earning activities (council approved, of course), and any dues your troop may charge.
Remember that all funds collected, raised, earned, or otherwise received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting belong to the troop and must be used for the purposes of Girl Scouting. Funds are administered through the troop and do not belong to individuals.
Download the GSCO Troop Financial Management Guide.
No matter how much your troop plans on saving or spending, you’ll need a safe place to deposit your troop dues, product sale proceeds, and other funds. If you’ve stepped up to lead an existing troop, you may inherit a checking account, but with a new troop, you’ll want to open a new bank account.
Here are a few helpful tips:
When opening a new bank account or changing signers on an existing account, a bank account authorization letter is required. Make your request online by completing the Bank Authorization Request form linked under the Forms section of the Girl Scouts of Colorado website.
Product Program Rewards and Troop Proceeds
Troop funds belong to the troop, and never to an individual girl. When girls and troops participate in the Fall Product Program or the Girl Scout Cookie Program, there are two types of rewards earned: troop proceeds and girl prizes. Troop proceeds are those funds that the troop earns by selling cookies or fall products and these funds belong to the troop and not to individual girls. Girls in troops and individually registered girls (Juliettes) may earn official Girl Scout grade-appropriate rewards such as participation patches, rewards, and Cookie Credits.
GSCO takes misuse of troop/group funds seriously and follows up on reported concerns and inquiries by conducting financial audits and investigations when required. Misuse of troop funds is means for removal of volunteer roles or the implementation of volunteer restrictions. Volunteer roles may be temporarily suspended pending the outcome of an investigation or audit.
Financial Audits of Troop Bank Accounts
Sometimes Girl Scouts of Colorado needs to take a closer look at troop or group finances through a financial audit to better support the Girl Scout experience of the volunteers and girls in the group. Generally, an audit is triggered by issues with council debits following participation in the product programs or inquiries or expressed concerns about group finances from girls or adults connected to the troop or group. In the event that something happens to trigger an audit, the troop leadership team and bank account signers will be contacted by a member of the GSCO staff formally requesting past bank statements, including a detailed transaction history and other relevant documentation. Generally, GSCO staff will request 3-6 months of bank statements, but could request more than 12 months of bank statements and associated receipts if relevant to the timeline of the reported concerns. Failure to produce the requested documentation in a timely manner may result in bank signers either being released from their volunteer roles or having a financial restriction placed on their volunteer activities.
Download the GSCO Troop Financial Management Guide. This document lays out general expectations that all volunteers are held to and how various scenarios requiring intervention by Girl Scouts of Colorado staff would be handled.
Resource sheets include:
Disbanding groups
A disbanded group is a group that is no longer meeting or has not re-registered by December 1. If your troop is disbanding, please notify Girl Scouts of Colorado using the Troop Update form and consult the Disbandment Checklist for guidance.
When a troop disbands, any unused Girl Scout money left in the account becomes the property of the council. Troop funds are not the property of any individual girl. Before disbanding, ask your girls how they want to use current funds in their account--either using it for a final group activity determined by the girls or by paying it forward: they may decide to donate any unused funds to a worthwhile organization their service unit or another troop or to pay for girl activities. Girl activities can include purchasing materials to support another organization through Take Action projects.
Funds may not be distributed by cash/check to members, used to purchase gift cards or used for any non-Girl Scout purpose.
As when closing a personal account, be sure all checks and other debits have cleared the account. You may have to close the account in person, have the balance issued as a cashier’s check to Girl Scouts of Colorado and give to your volunteer support specialist.
When a troop disbands and girls continue in other groups
If girls from a disbanding group decide to join another group, the disbanding troop can send all remaining funds to the new troop. The amount is transferred directly from the disbanding group bank account to the account of the group the girls are joining. If girls continue in multiple troops, the funds should be split proportionally based on the number of girls joining each troop. Remember that troop funds may not follow an individual girl. If an individual girl chooses to continue in Girl Scouting as an individually registered girl or Juliette, troop funds may be donated to Girl Scouts of Colorado. At a later date, should that girl need funding support to reach her programmatic goals, she may seek Girl Scouts of Colorado grant support to reach that goal.
When a troop disbands and no girls continue
The girls must decide how to use existing group funds. They may do a final group activity or donate a portion to a charity or cause they consider worthwhile, including Girl Scouts of Colorado. If there are still remaining funds after the group has disbanded, close the bank account and have the balance issued as a cashier’s check to Girl Scouts of Colorado and give to your volunteer support specialist.
These funds will be used to support opportunity grants and programs for other Girl Scouts. You may also mail a cashier’s check, with a brief explanation of your disbandment status, to:
Girl Scouts of Colorado
Attn: Finance
1485 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 210
Denver, CO 80222
When closing a troop account, be sure all checks and other debits have cleared the account before you close it. Remember, you may have to close the account in person. Any funds remaining upon closure of the account should be turned over to Girl Scouts of Colorado. These funds will be used to support opportunity grants and programs for other Girl Scouts. You may send remaining troop funds directly to GSCO online through the donation link on our website or you can mail a cashier’s check, with a brief explanation of your disbandment status, to:
Girl Scouts of Colorado
1485 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste. 210
Denver, CO 80222
Troops flex their financial muscles in two distinct ways:
Participation Guidance
Girls’ participation in both council-sponsored product sale activities and group money-earning projects is based upon the following:
Additional Guidelines
Keep these specific guidelines—some of which are required by the Internal Revenue Service—in mind to ensure that sales are conducted with legal and financial integrity.
Sample Money-Earning Activities
Collections/Drives
Food/Meal Events
Service(s)
The Girl Scout Cookie Program and other council-sponsored product programs are designed to unleash the entrepreneurial potential in your girls. From there, your troop may decide to earn additional funds on its own.
We get it—there’s something exciting about opening that first case of Girl Scout cookies. However, before your girls take part in all the cookie program fun, it’s important they have a clear plan and purpose for their product-sale activities. As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to facilitate girl-led financial planning, which may include the following steps for the girls:
Remember: It’s great for girls to have opportunities, like the Girl Scout Cookie Program, to earn funds that help them fulfill their goals as part of the GSLE. As a volunteer, try to help girls balance the money-earning they do with opportunities to enjoy other activities that have less emphasis on earning and spending money. Take Action projects, for example, may not always require girls to spend a lot of money!
Local sponsors can help councils power innovative programs for Girl Scouts. Community organizations, businesses, religious organizations, and individuals may be sponsors and may provide group meeting places, volunteer their time, offer in-kind donations, provide activity materials, or loan equipment. Encourage your girls to celebrate a sponsor’s contribution to the troop by sending thank-you cards, inviting the sponsor to a meeting or ceremony, or working together on a Take Action project.
For information on working with a sponsor, consult your council, which can give you guidance on the availability of sponsors, recruiting guidelines, and any council policies or practices that must be followed. Your council may already have relationships with certain organizations or may know of some reasons not to collaborate with certain organizations.
Before entering into any agreement or collaboration with a business or organization with a national, statewide, or regional presence, you must contact Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Resource Development team at giving@gscolorado.org to ensure compliance with GSUSA’s policies and relationships.
Fill out the Troop Donations form to make a donation to a specific troop. Please note: This form is for use of direct donations only. Girl Scouts of Colorado does not pass Employee Match donations through to specific troops
When collaborating with any other organization, keep these additional guidelines in mind:
Avoid Fundraising for Other Organizations
Girl Scouts are not allowed to solicit money on behalf of another organization when identifying themselves as Girl Scouts by wearing a uniform, a sash or vest, official pins, and so on. This includes participating in a walkathon or telethon while in uniform. However, you and your group can support another organization through Take Action projects. Girl Scouts as individuals are able to participate in whatever events they choose as long as they’re not wearing anything that officially identifies them as “Girl Scouts.”
Steer Clear of Political Fundraisers
Girl Scouts empowers girls to speak their own minds, champion their own ideals, whatever they may be. Girls may participate in civic action by advocating for positive change in their communities, standing up against everyday injustice, mobilizing others to donate or volunteer for causes, meeting with public officials and community leaders to educated them about important issues and lots more. When in an official Girl Scout capacity or in any way identifying yourselves as Girl Scouts, your group may not participate, directly or indirectly, in any political campaign or work on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for public office. Letter-writing campaigns are not allowed, nor is participating in a political rally, circulating a petition, or carrying a political banner.
Be Respectful When Collaborating with Religious Organizations
Girl Scout groups must respect the opinions and practices of religious partners, but no girl should be required to take part in any religious observance or practice of the sponsoring group.
Avoid Selling or Endorsing Commercial Products
A commercial product is any product sold at a retail location. Since 1939, girls and volunteers have not been allowed to endorse, provide a testimonial for, or sell such products.
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