We want the Girl Scout Cookie Program to be as successful as possible for girls and volunteers! Check out the girl and family resources below for everything you need to know about the cookie program. Resources for volunteers can be found under Volunteer Cookie Resources.
Share the Love with the Military Patch Opportunity!
NEW! Girl Scouts can earn a patch when they help show “axolotl love” to the military!
To get this patch, Girl Scouts must collect 14 packages of Girl Scout Cookies donated through Digital Cookie on Feb. 14. These donations will be shared with U.S. service members and veterans through our collaboration with H.E.R.O.E.S. Care.
Watch for our post on Feb. 14 that caregivers can share to help let friends and family know that their Girl Scout is sharing her appreciation for U.S. military members through a gift of Girl Scout Cookies! You can also download a post to share!
Please note: Only Gift of Caring donations collected ON Feb. 14 and through Digital Cookie will apply towards earning this patch.
2024 FAQs
Rewards
Pricing and Proceeds
Programming
Each troop has the option to end the cookie program early and may have some additional dates. Please double check all dates with your Girl Scout’s leader.
Before the Girl Scout Cookie Program starts on January 20, your troop should be hosting a Troop Cookie Meeting to go over what the plans are for the cookie program.
Here are a few important items your troop cookie meeting should cover:
In January, the troop leader will place an order for cookies to start out the program. These cookies can be sold at booths and door-to-door sales or used to fulfill girl delivery orders through Digital Cookie. Once the cookies arrive, troop leaders will distribute the cookies out amongst the girls to sell!
When the time arrives that a Girl Scout is about out of cookies, the caregiver will request more cookies from the leader. Always make sure, you as a caregiver, are aware of the leader’s availability for picking up more cookies.
At any time that a caregiver picks up additional cookies, cookie money from the previous cookie pick-up must be paid. If cookie money is not turned in at this time, troop leaders can withhold distribution of more cookies. Ensure you have signed receipts anytime money or cookies exchanges hands. This is also a good time to check in with your troop leader to confirm that your Girl Scout’s total sales matches on both ends.
At the end of the program, on March 10, troop leaders will enter in all the cookie rewards that a Girl Scout has earned. If your Girl Scout has reached any levels of rewards where there is an option, let the troop leader know which item she has chosen.
If a Girl Scout chooses the option of GS Bucks, the caregiver will receive an email by April 1 with instructions on how to use GS Bucks. GS Bucks can be used to register for any event listed on our gsEvents calendar, Girl Scout Membership and GSofSI shop purchases. GS Bucks has a NEW extended expiration date of March 1 of the following year.
Troop Leaders should receive all rewards by the end of May.
There are many ways to sell Girl Scout cookies, and each one helps girls gain different skills along the way. Let girls take the lead in picking how they want to run their businesses.
Telephone and text sales - Review order cards from previous years and use them to contact customers again. Once cookies have been delivered, girls may want to call customers to thank them for their orders and ask if they need additional cookies.
Try a text-a-thon - Older girls may want to text their friends and family to let them know “It’s Cookie Time!” and to collect their orders.
Walkabouts/Red Wagons - Go door-to-door with a wagon/cart full of cookies to sell to customers directly! Here's how to make your own Cookie Wheelbarrow!
Traditional Cookie Booths - Cookie pop-up sales in areas with lots of foot traffic are a fun way for girls to connect with their community and practice their sales pitch with new customers. Troop booth locations must be approved by councils and facilitated within our council’s jurisdiction. Participants must follow council booth guidelines about setting up, running, and taking down a booth. For additional details on booth guidelines, click here.
Virtual Cookie Booths - Host a Facebook live or create a FB event for your friends and family so they can join in on the cookie fun! Girls can host virtual booths to promote their sites where they make their pitches via video and direct customers to their Digital cookie site.
Drive Thru Booths - Like a fast food drive-thru, set up different stations (order taking, order picking, order giving and money taking) in a large enough parking lot or circle drive. A great way to make things contactless and painless for girls and customers.
Lemon Up Stands - Booths are a great way for girls to build teamwork and have fun together, but some girls may opt to host individual stands, based on their location, schedule, or goals! Follow the booth sales guidelines for setting up Lemon Up stands.
Gift of Caring (Donations) - Customers can also donate cookies to our gift of caring program. Monetary donations of $6 increments can be collected and marked as a package donation. These virtual packages will then be donated to H.E.R.O.E.S Care.
Workplace Sales - Girls can either make sales pitches to local businesses or go with a parent to their workplace to take orders.
Digital Cookie Sales - Use your council approved online digital platform (Digital Cookie) to reach customers near and far. Girls can promote their site by emailing friends and family, creating videos to share on social media, and hosting a virtual cookie booth where they make their pitch online. There are endless ways for girls to get creative in spreading the word about their Digital Cookie site. For additional information on Digital Cookie, click here.
Safety Tips for the Girl Scout Cookie Program
Make Girl Scout Cookie season a family affair! Earning Cookie Entrepreneur Family pins makes spending time with family easy, fun, and even sweeter during cookie season. Start your collection today, and get ready to rock your Girl Scout Pride all season long.
Find your girl’s level below to get started.
Start selling on DOC here: digitalcookie.girlscouts.org
On this online selling platform, girls can personalize their Digital Cookie site and send emails to invite friends and family to buy cookies with the option of getting in-person delivery or direct shipment to their home, based on Council approved methods of delivery.
Teens can customize their online site using Digital Cookie. Once their website is set up, they can tell their network of friends and family on social media that they are taking cookie orders online.
Girls younger than 12 can ask parents or guardians for help. Encourage girls to personalize their website with their goals and cookie pitch; then parents or guardians can post or email links to friends and family.
Girl Requirements
Upon DOC Activation
Digital Cookie - No Registration Email Received
Digital Cookie - Registration Process
Digital Cookie - How Families Can Market to Customers
Customer Options
Donated cookies - Purchase virtual cookies that will be donated to American military members through HEROES Care.
Direct shipped - Purchase cookies that are shipped to customer address as provided. The cost for shipping is 4-8 packages $12.99 or 9-12 packages $14.99.
Mobile app In Hand - Customer must meet with girl in person to purchase cookies using the Digital Cookie mobile app. The mobile app allows customers to use a credit card as payment. Cookies come out of the girl’s on-hand inventory.
Girl Delivery - Customers can order cookies online and have them delivered by the Girl Scout. Caregivers must confirm Girl Delivery for each order. If a caregiver declines delivery, the customer is given the option to cancel the order or have their cookie donated.
Tips for DOC
You will receive cookies with your initial order and should deliver to customers right away. There is no money to collect, since orders are paid for online with a credit card! Girls can only have one Digital Cookie account. Separated caregivers are encouraged to work together to manage one Digital Cookie account for their Girl Scout. Work with your troop cookie manager to get the cookies to fulfill any girl delivered orders through Digital Cookie. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois cannot delete or change an order once approved. Therefore, you must be willing to deliver to the customer before you approve their order. Girls must approve their customers’ orders within FIVE days of the order being placed or the order will default to the customer’s second choice-either cancellation or donation. Check your email and digital orders regularly to approve those sales!
Online Marketing Guidelines
Girls should NEVER share their last names, addresses, or any contact information when marketing their products. Online marketing should always be done with accounts set to private. Girls can only market their online storefront to friends and family: people that the girl or family personally knows. Girl Scouts forbids selling on storefronts or websites like Craigslist, eBay, Facebook, Amazon or sales groups where the Girl Scout does not know all the members. Digital Cookie storefronts may be deactivated if we find girls selling cookies in ways that are unsafe. Adding a $ (dollar sign) to a post on your personal page will automatically move it to FB marketplace, which is not allowed. Girl safety is our number one priority. If you come across a Facebook post as mentioned above, please message the admin of the group and let them know the post goes against Girl Scout Marketing Guidelines. They will then have the option of then removing the post and/or letting the caregiver know that it is not allowed.
How-To Videos:
How the Cookie Crumbles
Zero Tolerance for Misuse of Girl Funds
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois has a zero-tolerance policy for misuse of girl funds; any adult accepting responsibility for handling money is accountable for its proper use and safekeeping. Unresolved debt under $1,000 will be referred to a collection’s agency. Unresolved debt above $1,000 will be turned over to law enforcement for prosecution. Misuse of funds may result in legal action with law enforcement and termination of volunteer service. This policy includes both parent/caregiver and troop leader debt. Unpaid debt may jeopardize the opportunity to sever as a Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois volunteer.
In order to minimize the risk of loss, TCMs should regularly collect payments from caregivers throughout the sale and make prompt deposits into the troop bank account. Please provide weekly/monthly financial updates to families for full transparency. We appreciate your understanding and support of the Girl Scout Cookie Program. The intent of the program standards are to ensure a positive experience for all.
Proceeds
All Troops will earn $1.00 per package and can earn an additional $0.05 a package if the troop reaches a per girl average of 250+.
Reward Opt-Out
Troops with a majority of Cadette, Senior or Ambassadors have the option to opt out of rewards to earn an additional $0.10 per package. Opt-out troops can earn all patches and troop initial or final rewards.
Service Unit Proceeds
Service Units will earn cookie proceeds too! Each service unit can earn between $0.01 to $0.025 per package sold by troops in their service unit. Each service unit is given a cookie box goal and depending on the percentage to goal will determine the proceed rate.
Money Management
Caregivers are financially responsible for all cookies received and all money received from customers.
Checks-verify with your troop leader regarding accepting checks from customers.
Handling money is a serious matter and any misuse of girl funds collected is a criminal offense.
Since switching to a direct sale, all money should be collected from the customer at the time the order is received/given to the customer. This should result in zero collections at the end of the season. All Digital Cookie orders are paid for by credit card at the time of the order.
You are responsible for lost or stolen funds.
Money Safety
What to do if theft occurs:
Receipting
You will receive a paper or electronic receipt when cookies and/or money is exchanged with your troop. The TCM will keep the white copy and the caregiver gets the yellow copy. Again, please keep these receipts for your records even after the sale is over.
Stay organized! Every time that you pick up cookies form your troop cookie manager and/or give her/her money, be sure to get a receipt Keep all receipts for your records. Do not take cookies from the TCM or give him/her money without also receiving a receipt in return.
Transactions
For each transaction, troop cookie managers are caregivers should count cookies and money together, then complete a receipt for the transaction. This way everyone is on the same page.
Note: Troops that get checks with Non-sufficient funds, can send those to their state’s attorney office collection.
Download a copy of the 2024 Rewards Card
Initial Order Rewards
If your troop earned the initial order reward(s), these will now be given out at the time of the service unit initial order cookie pickup!
Samoa Adventure
This season’s Samoa Adventure, 600-package level, will be hosted at the STL Zoo on May 11. This will be a family event. Girls who earn this reward will be able to take up 3 family members on this day.
Higher Reward Levels
Final reward level 1000 to 3000: Council will work with and ship these rewards directly to the Girl Scout. Girl Scout home addresses must be up to date on their Girl Scout membership account.
GS Bucks
If GS bucks are selected as a reward, the caregiver of the girl will receive an email from Council within a week of final reward submissions with the amount available to spend. This can be used right away. Please remind your Girl Scouts and caregivers that GS bucks funds are good from April 1 to March 1.
Girls can choose to use their GS bucks’ funds on program events, membership, day and resident camps, and GSofSI shop items.
To redeem GS bucks, the Girl Scout and her caregiver will need to fill out the GS Bucks Request form. This form will ask for the amount requesting to be used and what the girl would like to use it on. If you are using it for a program event, resident camp, or day camp, the caregiver will need to know the name, date, and cost of the event. Customer Care will then process your request and be in contact with the caregiver.
Cookie Crossover Patch
Patches will be mailed directly to the Girl Scout from M2. Please contact M2 customer care if you have any questions on your patch’s status. 800-372-8520
To earn:
Independent girls, known as Juliettes, may participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, learn business skills, and earn rewards! Juliettes cannot have a troop account; therefore, proceeds will be calculated on a per box range and will be distributed in the form of a council gift card.
Girl Scout Juliettes will no longer receive a physical council gift card. Instead, each Juliette will be assigned a virtual gift card number. This gift card will stay with the Juliette throughout her Girl Scouting years, and will be reloaded with the proceed amount earned at the end of each Product Program.
Similar to the GS Bucks process, to use proceeds earned, fill out a Juliette Proceeds Request form. This form will ask for the amount requesting to be used and what the girl would like to use it on. In the case of a program event, resident camp, or day camp the caregiver will need to know the name, date, and cost of the event. Juliettes can also use their proceeds on SU events. Customer care will then process your request and be in contact with the caregiver. In the case of a shop purchase, the shop will be in contact with the caregiver within 4 business days to collect the order.
Juliettes will earn $1 per package sold. These funds will be loaded onto a virtual council gift card.
Initial Order
How does the Juliette Come Up with Her Initial Inventory? By goal setting which is an important life skill!
When Can the Juliette's Starting Inventory Order (IO) be Picked-up? Communicate often and frequently with your Juliette Advisor.
Ways to Sell
Walkabouts: Door-to-door sales with cookies in-hand!
Cookie Booths: Juliette Girl Scouts can participate in a booth sale or Lemon Up Stand.
Digital Cookie: Online sales.
Gift of Caring Donations: Donations can be collected from all aspects of the Cookie Program!
Getting More Cookies
The Service Unit Cookie Manager/Juliette Advisor can order additional cookies as needed. Please out to them if you need additional cookies. As a reminder, orders can only be placed in full case amounts.
Paying for Cookies
How is Money from Product Sales Handled?
Forms
Additional Websites
Little Brownie Bakers | littlebrowniebakers.com
The official baker of Girl Scout Cookies! You’ll find information, fun and games for girls.
Girl Scout Cookie Finder | Find Cookies
Digital Cookie | digitalcookie.girlscouts.org
Cookie portal for girls to create their online store front, set goals, track sales, and email customers.