Money-Earning Molly

Money-Earning Molly

Hi! I'm Money-Earning Molly, here to answer all your questions about earning money as a Girl Scout. Are your Ambassadors aching to catch a Broadway show? Have your Brownies been begging for an overnight at a nearby waterpark? Are your Juniors just jumping for a fun weekend at camp? Get creative! Money-earning activities can be fun – while teaching girls real-world skills and driving them to succeed as a group.

There are several great places to learn more about money-earning. Below is a Q & A that answers questions that are emailed to me or check out GSWPA's most recent Volunteer Essentials. The money-earning policies and procedures in your manual are the most up-to-date information from Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania. Also, consult GSUSA’s Safety Activity Checkpoints and Blue Book of Basic Documents.

If you have questions about money-earning, send me an email or contact your Membership Manager.

Q & A with Money-Earning Molly

Can our troop designate a portion of our cookie sale proceeds or treasury to charity (such as the approved list from GSUSA for the Haitian Relief Effort)?

Yes!

  • Girls decide what charitable organization to support from the approved list.
  • Set a goal -- $50, $100 or more – for the amount you hope to raise or a percentage of your proceeds that you plan to designate toward Haitian relief efforts.
  • Be sure to pick up extra cookies for your booth sales. Cupboards are located throughout the council. A complete list was sent out through e-budde.
  • Submit your 2011 Cookie Sale Booth Permit Form to your Service Unit Cookie Manager with date, time and complete location with the zip code (please print clearly) so that we can post all the booth sales on Little Brownie Bakers online Booth Sale Locator. Customers looking for cookies will be directed to the Locator from GSWPA’s website.
  • Keep customers apprised of your charity, goal and your progress throughout the booth sale.

Can troops or groups also solicit cash donations for Haiti?

While soliciting cash donations is not usually an approved money-earning activity, GSUSA has made an exception from January 14, 2010 to September 8, 2010. You will still need to complete and submit the Money Earning Activity form when seeking donations for any of the approved agencies. Girl Scout cookie booth sales provide a good opportunity for this too.

What if I am contacted by or know of a funder? Who is responsible for talking to them?

Fund Development raises funds for the greater good of all Girl Scouts in the council jurisdiction. Because of IRS guidelines on charitable organizations, the council must adhere to specific fund development and money-earning policies in order to protect itself. The council holds the 501c3 charitable status, is board-governed, and is responsible for specific financial and fund development guidelines.

Please forward any contacts to your membership manager who will give the information to the fund development department of the council. These staff members are the only people who should be communicating with funders on behalf of GSWPA.

My company offers a matching gift or volunteer recognition program. How can I make sure this gift comes back to my troop?

In the case of a company’s volunteer recognition or matching gift program (such as Wal-Mart, Verizon, Alcoa, etc.), GSWPA may act as a fiscal agent for the cash donations to a troop/group or service unit, a 10 percent processing fee will be assessed for such donations and all paperwork must be provided to the council before funds are requested by the volunteer. The 10 percent processing fee is instituted because of the staff time, processes, postage, etc. costs to the council for this transaction. Please speak to your membership manager before applying for a matching or volunteer gift to ensure the paperwork is done correctly. Companies often take awhile to process these gifts (some only send out gifts once quarterly) so please be patient in waiting for your funds, it is not unusual to wait up to 6 months for these matching gifts. Funds cannot be given to troops or groups until they arrive at GSWPA’s corporate office.

For additional questions regarding matching or volunteer gifts, please contact your Membership Manager.

Can troops or groups accept a cash donation to their troop treasury?

As with all Safety Activity Checkpoints, GSWPA supports the standard indicating that direct solicitation of cash is an inappropriate money-earning activity. Examples of a direct solicitation of cash include applying for a grant or cash prize, asking for a cash donation, or requesting a sponsorship, etc. This information can be found in the Safety Activity Checkpoints and GSWPA’s Volunteer Essentials.

Any solicitation of businesses, organizations, or individuals must be a part of any council’s overall fund development plan. The council has to meet its legal obligations to the state in soliciting for donations, to other funders providing support, and under federal statutes for non-profit organizations. By soliciting sponsorships without council approval, Girl Scouts groups and individuals place their council in jeopardy by circumventing the council’s accountability and authority.

Troops can, however, accept an unsolicited cash donation of under $250 to their troop treasury without council involvement. Donation recognition would be from the troop/group for this gift. This is in accord with the IRS regulations governing gifts of this nature.

Can troops or groups sell tickets, pizzas, store coupons, candles, etc.?

No. Inappropriate money earning activities include:

  1. Games of chance - Bingo, auctions, strip tickets, raffles.
  2. Product demonstrations - Avon, Mary Kay, Tupperware, candles, etc.- Blue Book of Basic Documents 2003, page 11: Girls cannot sell commercial products (anything sold at retail) as money-earning activities. Since 1939, the National Board of Directors has had a policy restricting endorsement of commercial products by Girl Scouts- this includes promoting any company by distributing its coupons as a Girl Scout or volunteer, hosting a Girl Scout night or promoting a special night for discount at a restaurant, etc.
  3. Sales that generate a profit for a specific company (Sarris, Pizza Hut, Giant Eagle, etc). This also includes if Pizza Hut wants to have a “Girl Scout night” and a percentage of the proceeds benefit a troop or the organization as a whole, or if Macy’s or Boscov’s wants to do a coupon event where a portion of sales benefit Girl Scouting in any way. Any sales that are done that generate any profit or endorsement of a specific company is inappropriate money-earning.
  4. Direct solicitations for cash, including foundation grants – any request for cash support from a foundation, company or organization is inappropriate. Troops can receive unsolicited donations of under $250 per IRS guidelines, in this case, the council cannot assist with a tax-receipt or any other requirement of the donor.
  5. Internet sales of any type.
  6. Door-to-door solicitation.
  7. Funds raised for other organizations - Per Safety Wise standard 33 (page 76), “Girl Scouts, in their capacity as Girl Scouts, may not raise or solicit money for other organizations or participate in walkathons or telethons, or similar activities, that raise funds for other organizations. However, girls may contribute a portion of their group treasury to organizations or projects they consider worthwhile, for example, local or international community service organizations or environmental projects (suitable service projects include stuffing envelopes, serving as aides, helping to organize a library book sale). For example, a Girl Scout troop cannot solicit pledges to take part in a walk-a-thon for Race for the Cure, but they can support the event by volunteering to prepare goodie bags for participants or passing out water at the event.

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