Product Programs | Volunteer Essentials | Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan

There’s so much more to that box of Thin Mints®.

She'll learn to think like an entrepreneur, develop business smarts, and get to know customers while building lasting relationships.

Whether they participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program or the Girl Scout Fall Product Program (or both!), everything they learn prepares them to take on the world. Plus, Girl Scout Cookie proceeds stay local in your community to power amazing year-round experiences—experiences that broaden their worlds and spark their sense of wonder.

Five Essential Skills toggle arrow

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls as young as five develop these five essential skills that will help them be successful today and throughout their lives:

Goal setting: Girls learn to create a plan to reach their goals.
Decision-making: Girls learn to make decisions on their own and as a team.
Money management: Girls learn to create a budget and handle money.
People skills: Girls find their voice and up their confidence through customer interactions that build relationships.
Business ethics: Girls learn to act responsibly and honestly, both in business and in life.

But the exciting skill-building isn't just tied to the cookies themselves! Girls of all Girl Scout levels can continue honing their entrepreneurial skills by earning the Cookie Business badges, Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin, and Financial Literacy badges year after year.

Before your cookie bosses open shop, be sure to check out these helpful troop leader resources that will empower you to:

Manage your troop's funds.
Learn how girls participate in money earning.
Discover how your troop can reach its financial goals.
Plan activities to help her earn cookie pins and badges.
Understand just how much your girls are capable of by grade level and how their entrepreneurial skills progress.

Girl Scout Cookie History toggle arrow

What started with Girl Scouts selling home-baked cookies to raise money grew into enlisting professional bakers in 1936 to handle the growing demand—and the rest is history.

Explore Girl Scout Cookie History to find out how cookies have helped build generations of female entrepreneurs and leaders who make the world a better place.

Where Cookie Proceeds Go toggle arrow

After paying for the cost of cookies and materials, Girl Scout Cookie sale proceeds stay local and help councils provide Girl Scout programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship, and more—in camps, through leadership training, and multiple other ways. A portion of the proceeds is directly managed by girls, and it's up to them to decide how to invest their troop's share of the earnings.

GSSEM provides a breakdown of how Cookie Program sale proceeds support Girl Scout activities locally in the Cookie Program Troop Manager Guide. Please share this information with girls and their families so everyone understands that product program sales make it possible for your Girl Scout council to serve girls.

Troop members share in the proceeds from a successful product program; proceeds are not distributed to individual girl members. Girls, however, may be eligible for rewards and credits that they put toward council-sponsored camps, programs, and Girl Scout swag. The council plan for rewards applies equally to all girls participating in the product program activity. Visit www.gssem.org/cookies for more information about individual rewards and troop proceeds locally.

The Girl Scout Blue Book of Basic Documents specifies that:

All money and other assets, including property, that are raised, earned, or otherwise received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting must be held and authorized by a Girl Scout council or Girl Scouts of the USA. Such money and other assets must be used for the purposes of Girl Scouting.

—"Ownership of Assets," Blue Book of Basic Documents

Making s'mores under the stars, creating a lasting impact in your community, or ordering supplies for an eye-opening STEM project—there are limitless ways to put troop proceeds toward dynamic Girl Scout experiences. However, there are a few things that don't qualify for "purposes of Girl Scouting," for instance, using troop proceeds to purchase memberships or uniforms for another organization. We encourage all councils to remind their volunteers of this policy in order to protect the all-girl environment and to avoid the diversion of Girl Scout funds.

GSSEM's Role toggle arrow

When you're set up for success, you are better able to set up your girls for success. That's why every year, GSSEM provides training sessions, guidelines, and procedures for conducting the Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program and determines how the proceeds and product rewards system will be managed. Visit www.gssem.org/cookies to find the answers you need as well as local training sessions and resources.

Each council also selects the vendors of its choice to provide the products for its product programs. Two commercial bakers are licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to produce Girl Scout Cookies: Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers. You can also Meet the Cookies and find additional info on cookie varieties, including nutritional details.

Councils also work with vendors to offer magazine subscriptions, nut and candy products, and more for the fall product program. These companies are Ashdon Farms, Trophy Nut, and M2 Media Group. Each provides online tools and activities for girls to download. Magazine selection and sales may take place online—check with GSSEM's Product Program team at productsales@gssem.org for more details.

Your Role

You play an exciting role in giving your Girl Scouts opportunities to practice the five skills as they learn how to think like entrepreneurs. Some of the things you'll do include:

Get girls excited about the opportunities to support the troop (but allow their participation to be voluntary).
Support both competitive and apprehensive cookie bosses, helping all your girls set meaningful goals for themselves.
Fostering partnerships with each Girl Scout's family to ensure cookie season success, whatever that may look like for her, will help you build a positive partnership with girls and families, and the Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin is designed to help families support girls' growth at home.

Not only can girls sell individually, both in person and using the online tools provided by each vendor, but they can also participate in group booth sales during product programs. Your local council has additional guidance and processes to market and ensure every booth is in a safe and appropriate location.

As your Girl Scouts grow, your role will evolve from a hands-on one to providing oversight and support where needed. No matter their ages, remember that volunteers and parents/caregivers do not sell the product. Your role is to encourage your girls and let their entrepreneurial spirit soar. Learning by doing is exactly how your girls develop the business savvy and communication skills that will empower them to reach any goals they set for themselves.

Another critical task for each troop is to establish a clear accounting system for all proceeds and products during the programs. It's up to you to make sure that money is spent wisely, that excellent records are kept (remember to keep copies of all receipts in a binder or folder), and that all product is tracked. For older girls, your job is to oversee their work as they learn to keep impeccable records. Be sure to attend product program orientation or training so you are aware of the systems and helpful tools available.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program can be exhilarating and busy times during the troop year, but you're never alone in your efforts. You can reach out to your service unit product program manager when you're feeling stuck, or you can build a cookie team to provide the support your troop needs.

GSSEM also offers training opportunities for both product programs as well as supplementary Cookie Café webinars, which provide a deep dive into Cookie Program topics. Please check our Event List at www.gssem.org/events for live product program training dates.

Product Program Safety toggle arrow

Safety is the top priority while selling Girl Scout Cookies and other products. Volunteers, families, and girls should be familiar with and practice the safety guidelines outlined in local program resources as well as those available in the troop leader resources section of girlscoutcookies.org and in Safety Activity Checkpoints.

Selling Cookies Online

Before Girl Scouts open their online storefront, they should partner with their troop leader and their families to learn how to safely run their online business.

We know Girl Scouts and their troops are creative, and the Girl Scout Cookie Program provides the perfect opportunity to highlight this creativity. Participants can use vanity URLs to add a creative component to their marketing and learning (e.g. Shana's Cookie Sale or Buy Cookies from Shana). Troops and Girl Scouts cannot use GSUSA's intellectual property (Buy Thin Mints Now or Buy Girl Scout Cookies) as part of a vanity URL.

A few more online safety practices to keep in mind:

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a girl-led program; a Girl Scout should always lead online marketing and sales efforts, with the supervision of her parent or caregiver.
Girl Scouts engaging in online sales and marketing must review and apply the Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Their Families.
Girls, volunteers, and parents must review and adhere to the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge, the Digital Cookie Pledge, the Supplemental Safety Tips for Online Marketing, and Girl Scouts' Safety Activity Checkpoints for Computer and Internet Use and Cookie and Product Programs (with the exception that they may share beyond friends and family).
Posting individual or troop sales links to resale sites (Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc.) is prohibited.
Girl Scouts must adhere to all terms and conditions on the Digital Cookie platform.
Girl Scouts of the USA reserves the right to remove or disable their link for any reason including violation of guidance, inventory fulfillment issues, safety issues, or if sales and marketing activity goes viral and otherwise creates unanticipated disruption.

Additionally, families, girls, and volunteers should contact and collaborate with their councils and Girl Scouts of the USA in advance on any national news media opportunities tied to girls' online marketing and sales efforts.

The Buddy System

Using the buddy system, the troop is divided into teams of two. Each Girl Scout is responsible for staying with her buddy at all times, warning her buddy of danger, giving her buddy immediate assistance if safe to do so, and seeking help if needed. Girls are encouraged to stay near the group or buddy with another team of two so that in the event someone is injured, one person cares for the patient while two others seek help.

Preparing for Your Girl Scout Cookie Booth toggle arrow

Cookie booths—that is, cookie pop-up shops in areas with lots of foot traffic-are a fun way for Girl Scouts to connect with their community and practice their sales pitch with new customers. Booth locations must be approved by councils, facilitated within council jurisdiction, and participants must follow all council guidelines regarding setting up, running, and taking down a booth. Cookie Booths are only permitted within the jurisdiction of the Girl Scout and troop's primary council.

Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan will arrange cookie booth opportunities at places of business across the council. Troops may sign up for booth locations in the eBudde cookie management system. or troops may make their own arrangements for cookie booths with local stores in their area not listed in eBudde (e.g. schools, places of worship, local community events, etc. Please refer to the Troop Cookie Manager Guide for more information about selecting and making arrangements for booths in accordance with GSSEM policy.

Create a great cookie booth experience for your Girl Scouts by:

Using your best judgment in setting up cookie booths in locations that will be open, accessible, and safe for all members and potential customers.
Choosing a high-traffic area—this could be your local supermarket, mall, or park—where the maximum number of customers can visit the booth.
Checking out your booth site ahead of the sale. Talk to business owners in the area so they'll know what to expect. Find out what security measures are in place—these may include lights for evening sales and whether a security camera watches the booth are and where the nearest bathrooms are located.
Respecting the surrounding businesses by making sure the booth isn't blocking a store entrance or exit

Encourage your Girl Scouts to unleash their creativity—and work on their advertising skills—to make colorful signs and booth decorations that potential customers can't resist! Remind them to be polite and to have their sales pitch ready for interested customers.

And, keep in mind:

Adults must always be present for cookie booths in public places.
For each troop cookie booth, a minimum of two adults (at least one of whom is a registered Girl Scout volunteer with the required background check), and one Girl Scout should be present at all times. With two or more volunteers, you'll have adequate booth coverage if Girl Scouts need to be accompanied to the restroom.
Daisies are still learning how to make correct change. Help them handle money as needed, but remember that Girl Scouts make all sales at the booth!
Keep your customers in the loop and update eBudde if you need to cancel or are unable to attend a cookie booth. If not, customers could be routed to cancelled booths as all scheduled booths are available on the GSSEM Cookie Finder.
Certain locations may be inappropriate for younger Girl Scouts based on the standards of your local community and may negatively impact the cookie program experience for Girl Scouts, and/or may negatively impact our brand in the community. For additional clarity, Girl Scouts should not sell in or in front of establishments that they themselves cannot legally patronize.
Additionally, with respect to marijuana dispensaries, we have been steadfastly combating the unauthorized uses of the Girl Scout trademark by the cannabis community, which has been marketing—without our authorization—certain cannabis products under our youth-appealing brand. We are continuing to aggressively fight these unauthorized uses of the Girl Scout brand and hope that our councils and volunteers will join Girl Scouts of the USA's efforts by discouraging cookie booth locations at such locations.
Retail sales without Girl Scouts present are not approved by GSUSA. Councils, troops, and Girl Scouts may not sell cookies in a retail space where Girl Scouts cannot be present to market, manage inventory, collect, and process payments for cookies. Store employees and/or adults cannot sell cookies on behalf of a Girl Scout or troop.

For more tips to make your booth a success, check out the Cookie Booth Essentials. For additional information about setting up a booth and safety and security suggestions, consult GSSEM's Product Program team. To report an incident at a cookie booth. please email productsales@gssem.org and fill out a Volunteer Report of Accident or Unusual Incident if anyone present at the booth requires medical attention.

Cookie Donation Programs toggle arrow

Cookies also help girls make a big impact in their community! Your council may have an established cookie donation program where customers can purchase cookies that will be donated to an organization by your council. Cookie donations are not only a great talking point for girls to share with their customers—they’re also a thoughtful way to show girls how cookies can help them give back

With cookie donations, remember that:

All cookie donation programs must be approved by your council.
Donated cookies must stay within the council's jurisdiction unless your council has approval from other council jurisdictions.
Donated products cannot be resold and must be used in a responsible and ethical way.
Donated products are used in a way that does not undermine the work of councils or jeopardize the integrity of the Girl Scout brand.

Handling Product Complaints toggle arrow

Girl Scout Cookies are well loved and for good reason—Girl Scout councils and bakers have always tried to guarantee customer satisfaction with their delicious cookies. If a customer isn't satisfied with the quality of their cookies for some reason, they can contact the baker via the phone number printed on the side of the cookie package.

Troops should notify GSSEM's Product Program team if they're aware of any customer dissatisfaction.

Recognizing Cookie Sellers in the Media toggle arrow

Focusing on entrepreneurial outcomes has always been the emphasis of the Girl Scout Cookie Program. The Cookie Program has never been about and does not focus on individual sales results.

There are many impressive cookie entrepreneurs throughout the U.S., and the Girl Scout Movement will continue to recognize dynamic cookie entrepreneurs for various achievements tied to the Girl Scout Cookie Program and through their participation in Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts of the USA does not currently track the top seller(s) of Girl Scout Cookies on a national level and does not identify a specific Girl Scout as the number one or "record-breaking" national cookie seller.
Girl Scout councils should not reference such individuals as "top sellers" in the media. Doing so detracts from the essence of the Girl Scout Cookie Program, which is based on offering members important experiences in entrepreneurship, business, and finance from an early age as well as providing Girl Scouts and local Girl Scout councils with the funds necessary to power amazing experiences and opportunities for Girl Scouts year-round.
A Girl Scout's or troop's sales link should not be highlighted when speaking to the media. All calls to action should be directed to the Girl Scout Cookie Finder or a council's own cookie finder/map and not a specific individual or troop.
Volunteers, parents/caregivers, and Girl Scouts may not secure paid media to enhance a troop's or individual's positioning in the media.

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