With your guidance, your Girl Scouts will learn money skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
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.
TIP: Download a Troop Budget Worksheet to customize and use for your own troop!
Establishing a Troop Account 
No matter how much your troop plans to save or spend, you’ll need a safe place to deposit your troop dues, product program 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.
As a volunteer, here's what you need to know about setting up your troop banking account:
1. Find Your Other Signer
All troop bank accounts MUST have two authorized signers. Both account signers should fill out their portion of this form. Completing this form on another person’s behalf is considered fraud.
Both signers must be registered for the current Girl Scout year AND have a current, eligible background check on file. The signers cannot be related by blood or marriage, and they cannot live in the same household.
Need help getting your second signer registered? Contact us.
2. Submit Troop Bank Account Authorization and ACH Agreement Form
To request a letter of authorization, fill out and submit this online form.
This form will also act as your ACH agreement. You will also be required to submit a Troop Agreement Form to participate in the Fall Product and Girl Scout Cookie Programs.
Within three business days, both signers on the bank account will receive an email from the council with a copy of the corporate resolution and letter of authorization.
You'll take these with you to the bank.
3. Go to the bank
Take the corporate resolution, letter of authorization, and your second signer with you when you go to open your bank account.
Note: Some financial institutions require different amounts of start-up cash. Be sure to ask whether there is a lesser amount available. Some troops choose to collect dues from parents/caregivers to cover this initial cost. Additionally, some service units offer new troops a start-up loan.
4. Send a copy of your bank signature card/account agreement form to council.
Send a copy of your bank signature card/account agreement form to the council at info@girlscoutcsa.org, or by fax or mail. You can also drop it off at your local Leadership Center.
The bank signature card/account agreement form may look like this example.
To Change Bank Account Signers
The volunteer being added to the troop’s bank account should be the one to complete the Change in Bank Account Signer Form. Completing this form on another person’s behalf is considered fraud.
The signer must be registered for the current Girl Scout year AND have a current, eligible background check on file. The signer cannot be related by blood or marriage and cannot live in the same household as another account signer.
Need help getting your second signer registered? Contact us.
1. Complete the Change in Bank Account Signer Form
To request a letter of authorization, submit the Change in Bank Account Signer form. This form will also act as your ACH agreement. You will also be required to submit a Troop Agreement Form to participate in the Fall Product and Girl Scout Cookie Programs.
Click to Open Change in Bank Account Signer Form
Within three business days, both signers on the bank account will receive an email from the council with a copy of the corporate resolution and letter of authorization.
You'll take these with you to the bank.
2. Go to the bank
Take the corporate resolution and letter of authorization to the bank to initiate the approved change.
3. Send a copy of your bank signature card/account agreement form to council.
Send a copy of your bank signature card/account agreement form to the council at info@girlscoutcsa.org, or by fax or mail. You can also drop it off at your local Leadership Center.
4. YOU'RE DONE!
The bank signature card/account agreement form may look like this example.
Troop Financial Worksheet
Help Your Troop Reach its Financial Goals
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 program activities. As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to facilitate girl-led financial planning, which may include the following steps for the girls:
- Set goals for money-earning activities. What do girls hope to accomplish through this activity? In addition to earning money, what skills do they hope to build? What leadership opportunities present themselves?
- Create a budget. Use a budget worksheet that includes both expenses (the cost of supplies, admission to events, travel, and so on) and available income (the group’s account balance, projected cookie proceeds, and so on).
- Determine how much the group needs to earn. Subtract expenses from available income to determine how much money your group needs to earn.
- Make a plan. The group can brainstorm and make decisions about its financial plans. Will cookie and other product programs—if approached proactively and energetically—earn enough money to meet the group’s goals? If not, which group money-earning activities might offset the difference? Will more than one group money-earning activity be necessary to achieve the group’s financial goals? In this planning stage, engage the girls through the Girl Scout processes (girl-led, learning by doing, and cooperative learning) and consider the value of any potential activity. Have them weigh feasibility, implementation, and safety factors.
- Write it out. Once the group has decided on its financial plan, describe it in writing. If the plan involves a group money-earning activity, fill out an application for approval from your council and submit it along with the budget worksheet the girls created.
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 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!
Financial Management and Product Program Abilities by Grade Level
As with other Girl Scout activities, girls build their financial and sales savvy as they get older. Every girl will be different, but here you’ll find some examples of the abilities and opportunities for progression of girls at each grade level.
Money-Earning Basics for Troops
Working with Sponsors and Other Organizations
Disbanding Troops and Unused Troop Funds
Closing the Troop Account
Additional Finance Forms
- 2023 Troop/Service Unit Banking Policies
- Gift in Kind Form
- Service Unit/Troop Program Reimbursement Request Form
- Joyce Maienschein Leadership Grants: Cadettes, Seniors, or Ambassadors who are working on a community service, Take Action project, or High Award can apply for a Joyce Maienschein Leadership Grant to help make their dream a reality. (Final Report)
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