Troop Fundraising
Money Earning Guidelines for Girls, Service Units and Adults
Helping girls plan, budget, earn, and manage money is an integral part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Funds to carry-out troop plans are primarily provided by council-sponsored product sales and troop dues. When supplemental funds are needed, additional council-approved money earning activities can be utilized.
Girl Scout Daisies are not allowed to participate in money-earning activities outside of council-sponsored product sales.
Money Earning by Girls
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.
Criteria for money-earning activity:
- 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 GSHS policies and guidelines
- Be approved by GSHS fund development department. Troop Money Earning Activity Request Form must be submitted at least two weeks prior to a planned event.
- Be scheduled outside Fall Product Program dates (from order-taking through girls’ final payments to troops) and Cookie Sale Program booth sales (from first day of booth sales through girls’ final payments to troops)
- Participation must be voluntary
Eligibility
- Each girl must be a registered member of Girl Scouts of the USA.
- Troop must participate in Fall Product and Cookie Sale programs. New troops forming after a council-sponsored product sale, must agree to participate in the following sale.
- Troop must be in good standing with the council – no council-owed debt, co-leader agreement on file, Volunteer Essentials training completed, and previous year’s financial reports on file (for returning troops).
Examples of appropriate money-earning activities for girls:
- Spaghetti dinner; pancake breakfast
- Bake sale; yard sale
- Car wash; pet wash
- Gift wrapping
- Serving or bussing tables at restaurant for “tips”
- 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:
- Internet sales; Go-Fund Me pages; “crowd sourcing”
- Solicitation of cash donations without a service or product being sold
- Raffles; drawings, games of chance (including Bunco), 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.)
Individual girls can participate in money earning activities to fund Girl Scout Bronze, Silver and Gold Award projects, to attend council-sponsored trips, summer camp and events, or participate in GSUSA Destinations. If a girl changes troops, earned funds transfer with the girl, but does not go to the girl if she leaves Girl Scouts.
Community Service Grants
Girls and troops may apply for grants that support community
service work, such as Youth Service America, The Awesome Foundation,
Karma for Cara Foundation, and KidsGardening. For assistance or tax
documentation, contact the GSHS fund development department.
West TN Kick-Start Funds
Troops living in designated counties of west Tennessee may
apply for a West TN Girl Scout Mini-Grant offered by the West TN
Community Action Cabinet through the West Tennessee Healthcare
Foundation. Troops must reside in the following TN counties: Benton,
Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin,
Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion,
and Weakley. This Opportunity is Under Revision and Not Available
at this Time.
Money Earning by Service Units
Service units may hold money-earning activities for service
unit projects and events. It is recommended girls outside the service
unit and non-Girl Scouts be invited to participate. Adults involved in
planning and hosting a money-earning activity must be registered
members of GSUSA and have position agreement, appropriate trainings,
and background checks required for their volunteer position.
Money-earning activities may include:
- Badge or Journey workshop
- Camporee (all camporee approvals, trainings and policies must be obtained prior to requesting approval for money-earning activity)
- “Girl Scout Night” at local business where a percentage of sale from food or tickets is donated
- Silent auction (for adults only)
- Scholarship Social
- “Lock In”
Money Earning by Adults
Adults may ask for donations of cash, gift cards or supplies
from companies that do not exceed a value of $100. Any request over
$100 must first be approved by GSHS Fund Development department. Cash
gifts over $250, must be made payable to Girl Scouts Heart of the
South with a note that the money is designated to the troop or service
unit. A check for the full amount will be issued back to the troop or
service unit from the council. A Gift Acceptance Form must be
completed and submitted to GSHS fund development department at
info@girlscoutshs.org.
Adults requesting funds or items must be registered with GSUSA and
may not represent the council when making a request - only ask on
behalf of the troop or service unit. If the company requests
documentation, such as 501(c)(3) or verification of involvement with
GSHS, contact the GSHS fund development department at
info@girlscoutshs.org.
An adult can choose to host a product demonstration party (Pampered Chef, Premier, Avon) or Bunco tournament and make a donation to a troop or service unit, but the event cannot be marketed as a fund raiser for Girl Scouts and girls cannot be involved.
Some companies make charitable donations to organizations where their employees volunteer their time (Kohl’s, Bank of America, Nike, Verizon, Allstate, etc) and/or match cash donations (First Tennessee, GAP, CarMax, Choice Hotels, etc.). Contact the GSHS fund development department at info@girlscoutshs.org if your company requires verification or to discuss how your company’s donation should be designated. Donor designated funds contributed through a United Way campaign will be honored.
Scholarship Socials
Scholarship Socials- Food, Fun and Friendship for HER Future are a fun way for service units to raise money to provide college scholarships specifically for graduating seniors from that service unit. Service units or troops can organize an event and invite Girl Scout supporters, family and friends to attend. The purpose of the event is not only to get together and have fun but to raise funds for the service unit’s scholarship fund.