Chapter 5: Managing Group Finances

Helping girls earn and manage money is an integral part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.  Your Girl Scout group is responsible for planning and financing its own activities, with your guidance.
This puts girls in charge, giving them the opportunity (with your oversight) to cooperatively set goals, manage a budget, spend responsibly, maintain records, earn social skills, and develop good marketing, entrepreneurial, math, and financial skills. Teaching these skills to the girls will serve them the rest of their lives.

Girl Scout groups are funded by:

• A share of money earned through council-sponsored product sale activities (such as Girl Scout Cookie sales)
• Group money-earning activities (council-approved, of course!)
• Any dues your group may charge. 
  • Troop or Group dues should be set at a reasonable amount for your girls and their families to be able to handle…anywhere from $.50 - $2.00 per meeting.  
  • This is in different from the $12 annual membership dues.  The membership dues go to the national organization.

This chapter gives you the ins and outs of establishing a group account, helping girls manage their group finances, practice successful product-sales techniques, review the safety requirements around product sales, and understand how to collaborate with sponsors and causes.

Establishing an Account

Troop / Group Checking Account Procedures

Closing a Bank Account

Closing Out Your Girl Scout Year

When a girl transfers to another troop

Money-Earning Basics

Helping Girls Reach Their Financial Goals

Understanding Financial and Sales Abilities by Grade Level

Understanding the Girl Scout Cookie Program

Recognizing that Product Sales Are Part of the GSLE

Determining Who Can Participate

Knowing Where Proceeds Go

Using Online Resources to Market Cookies and Other Products

Safely Selling Girl Scout Cookies and Other Products

Additional Group Money-Earning

Collaborating with Sponsors and Other Organizations

Next Section:  Establishing an Account