Gold Award Girl Scouts

Issues of the world, meet your match.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Once achieved, it shows colleges, employers, and your community that you're out there changing the world. Check out our Gold Award Girl Scouts and their Take Action projects for inspiration.

Learn about our most recent class of Gold Award Girl Scouts!

You can pursue your Girl Scout Gold Award if:

You're in high school (ninth through twelfth grade, or equivalent)

You're a registered Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador

You have completed two Senior or Ambassador Journeys OR earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completed one Senior or Ambassador Journey

You have attended a mandatory GSEMA online Gold Award Orientation

You have submitted a Gold Award Project Proposal on GoGold Online

Reaching your Goals

Gold Award Steps

Complete the prerequisites. Become a Girl Scout member, complete two Senior or Ambassador Journeys OR one Senior/Ambassador Journey if you've earned the Silver Award. You must take the Gold Award Orientation online. To begin the online orientation, Seniors and Ambassadors must request access.

Identify an issue. Choose a community issue or need you care about.

Investigate. Conduct research and learn all about the issue.

Get help and build your team. You are the leader of your project, but you are required to have others to support you, and your team should expand beyond your family and troop.

Create a plan. Identify the root cause of the issue, determine your project goals, and create solutions to the issue.

Present your plan to GSEMA. Submit your Gold Award Project Proposal for approval. All project proposals must be approved before a Gold Award plan can be initiated. Approval is determined through the Gold Award Committee Review process. Submit your proposal at GoGold Online by the 15th day of each month. Need help with GoGold Online? Read through the GoGold FAQs for Girl Scouts.

Take Action. Finalize your Project Plan Agreement, lead your team, and carry out your plan.

Educate and Inspire. Put together your Final Report and a presentation to tell your story and share your impact!

See the GSUSA Gold Award Guidelines for additional support.

Important Deadlines

Project Proposals are due by 11:59 PM on the 15th day of each month. If a proposal is submitted after a month's deadline, it will be counted toward the next month's deadline.
If you are a senior in high school and want to earn the Gold Award, GSEMA requires that you submit a Gold Award Project Proposal by September 15 of your graduating year of high school. Project proposals submitted by high school seniors after this deadline will not be accepted.
Those wishing to be recognized at an upcoming Gold Award Celebration (held annually in June) must submit Final Reports no later than March 31 of that year. Those who complete their project after March will be invited to the following year’s celebration.
Those who have graduated high school can take the summer to complete their projects. However, all projects and Final Reports must be completed by September 30.

Developing a Project Proposal

Before starting on your Gold Award project proposal, review these guidelines for success.

Research the issue by finding the answers to these questions:

What is the history of the issue?
What causes it?
Why does it matter?
How does it impact communities?
How is your community currently addressing it?
Are there community experts who may be able to support you?
Is it a true need?

A successful project proposal includes:

a community issue and the root cause
the target audience
a clear project description
three goals to provide direction for your project
team members from several backgrounds with diverse skills (non-family members, community members, experts, and students, etc.)
clear action steps
a realistic timeline
how you'll reach the suggested 80 hours of planning and execution
who will sustain the project

Choosing a Project Advisor
After you have a project proposal, share it with your team, and identify what permissions you may need and how will you obtain them. As you work with your community, it is also important to identify a Project Advisor, who is an adult outside of your troop who can provide guidance, expertise, and feedback throughout the project. You and your Project Advisor must sign an agreement form.

Review the Girl Scout Gold Award Guidelines and Girl Scout Standards of Excellence, or email customercare@gsema.org for assistance.

Submitting a Project Proposal

Project Proposals must be submitted through GoGold Online. You must register for an account to begin the process.

Before submitting a Project Proposal:

Review the Gold Award Orientation resources.
Proofread for grammar, typos, and clarity.
Attach any supporting materials you’d like GSEMA and the Gold Award Committee to review.
Collect the signatures of your Project Advisor (if confirmed) and your troop leader or caregiver if registered as a Juliette.
Make copies for you, your Project Advisor, and your troop leader/caregiver.

When using GoGold, be sure to:

Request approval from your Project Advisor and troop leader or caregiver in GoGold at least 4-5 days before a deadline, to allow enough time for approval.
Once your proposal has been approved by your Project Advisor and troop leader or caregiver, you must also submit it to GSEMA through GoGold. A confirmation email will be sent to you once your proposal has been successfully submitted.

Need help with GoGold Online? Read through the GoGold FAQs for Girl Scouts.

Proposal Review Process

After your proposal’s deadline, the proposal will go through a review process with the Gold Award Committee. After the review process (approximately three weeks), you will receive your next steps from council, as well as be matched with your Gold Award Advisor. In the first meeting with your advisor, you will walk through your proposal and create your project plan, incorporating next steps.

Next steps may include:

Required changes to the project plan to qualify for the Gold Award (i.e. expanding community engagement, adding sustainability plans, reviewing money earning policy, etc.)
Recommended changes to increase effectiveness of the project (i.e. expanding team, improving measurements, etc.)
Workshop attendance with Gold Award Committee

Your project plan may answer the following questions:

What issue do you want to address?
Why is it an issue?
How did you determine this need?
What are others doing now to address it?
What are your project goals?
What solutions have you included in your proposal?
Who will you be working with?
How will you measure success?
How will your solutions be sustained? Who will help sustain them?

Completing Your Project

After your Gold Award plans have been approved, you will be assigned a GSEMA Gold Award Advisor, and together you will create a project plan agreement that includes any recommendations or required changes shared in your interview. You will also schedule check-in meetings.

As you work on your project:

document your successes
continue to evaluate your plan and solutions
check-in with your Project Advisor and your Gold Award Advisor
reach out when you need help
email customercare@gsema.org if you need to report a problem

A Gold Award Project is complete when you:

have completed tasks stated in your Project Plan Agreement
ensure your project will be sustained by others for at least a year and obtain written agreement from those who have agreed to sustain your project
receive confirmation from your GSEMA Gold Award Advisor and Project Advisor
share documentation including a time log, a budget, and other supporting documentation
submit a Final Report

Remember: Girls who have graduated high school must complete and submit their Final Reports by September 30. No exceptions will be made.

Final Reports

Final Reports can be submitted through GoGold Online. You must register for an account to begin the process.

Before submitting a Final Report:
Review these tips for completing a Gold Award Final Report.

Review your draft and finalize with your GSEMA Gold Award Advisor.
Proofread for grammar, typos, and clarity.
Attach any supporting materials you’d like GSEMA and the Gold Award Committee to review.
Collect the signatures of your Project Advisor and GSEMA Gold Award Advisor.
Make copies for you, your Project Advisor, and your GSEMA Gold Award Advisor.

Gold Award Support Network

GSEMA Program Team: The GSEMA Program team is committed to supporting you as you earn the Gold Award. You will receive support from the Program team while taking a Gold Award Orientation, submitting Gold Award Proposals and Final Reports, and giving final presentations, and sharing feedback to strengthen the Gold Award program for the future.
GSEMA Gold Award Committee: The GSEMA Gold Award Committee members are Girl Scout volunteers who assist GSEMA’s Program team in reviewing and approving proposals, supporting girls as they complete their projects, and officiating the completion of projects. Committee members who support girls with their projects are Gold Award Advisors.

When pursuing the Gold Award, you will be assigned an Advisor to support you through your project. You will check-in monthly with your Advisor regarding project updates, and you can contact them when you need additional support. You will also review your Final Report with your Advisor before submission.
GSEMA Gold Award Committe Advisor: Support Gold Award candidates and the Gold Award process set forth by Girl Scouts of USA (GSUSA) and GSEMA through direct support of individual girls’ projects and aspirations to earn the highest award in Girl Scouting. This is a one-year commitment. Learn more.

GSEMA's Gold Award Committee is actively seeking new advisors. Complete our online application to apply today.

When you've Earned the Gold Award

Apply for the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship: Now that you’ve earned the Gold Award—the highest award in Girl Scouting—did you know that you can apply for a $10,000 scholarship for college? The GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship recognizes and provides financial support to one Gold Award Girl Scout per council.

In addition to receiving a scholarship, each recipient will receive an award letter and recognition in local and national Girl Scout promotions, including on www.girlscouts.org/goldawardclass.

You’re eligible to apply if you are a high school senior or graduate who earned the Gold Award between April 1, 2022-March 31, 2023 and have your final report on file and approved in GoGold. If you earned the Gold Award this year and you’re currently a high school sophomore or junior, plan to apply in your senior year! Apply now through April 17, 2023. Applicants will be notified of their status in July 2023.

P.S. Gold Award Girl Scouts are also fantastic candidates for many other scholarships. Be sure to check out the GSUSA scholarship database.
Recognize Your Accomplishments: Upon earning the Gold Award, you join an elite group of more than 600 Gold Award Girl Scouts who have earned this award since 2008.

GSEMA honors Gold Award Girl Scouts at an official Gold Award Ceremony and Celebration. GSEMA also requests Citations and Resolutions from members of the Massachusetts State House, and works with media for public recognition and celebration.

You now have the opportunity to proudly claim your Gold Award digital credential from Credly, our verification partner! This credential is the digital equivalent of the Gold Award that you earned. You can share it on social media platforms, including LinkedIn so prospective employers, universities/colleges, military academies, and others will be able to verify your achievement by simply viewing your profile. In joining the ranks of credentialed Gold Award Girl Scouts on LinkedIn, you will also be spreading the word about the power and influence of your Girl Scout experience and how it has helped define the woman you are today. Request your Gold Award Girl Scout Digital Credential here.
Celebrate Your Success: Many Gold Award Girl Scouts also celebrate with their local Girl Scout community. Girls and communities may request a GSEMA representative to present the Gold Award pin and certificates locally to a Gold Award Girl Scout. To request a GSEMA representative, please email customercare@gsema.org at least one month before the event.