Donations to Troops/Groups
To be compliant with the policies and procedures of GSUSA and the IRS Guidelines, no troop, group or
Service Unit is permitted to actively solicit charitable donations specifically for their troop or service unit.
This policy can be found in the GSUSA Blue Book of Basic Documents:
https://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/about-girl-
scouts/facts/GSUSA_BlueBook_2017.pdf
Girls: “Girl members may not engage in any direct solicitation for money.”
Adults: “Adult members in their Girl Scout capacities may not solicit financial contributions for
purposes other than Girl Scouting. Adults may engage in combined fundraising efforts authorized
by the Girl Scout council and in which the local council is a beneficiary.”
Money: “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.”
It is a national policy that girls cannot fundraise. Adults can only fundraise, if approved, for their local
council not a specific Troop/Group and all money that is raised must be held by that Girl Scout council –
it cannot go into a Troop’s bank account.
Troops/SUs can use the council’s nonprofit EIN to be tax-free eligible for purchase of program supplies.
o The difference with that example is no money is exchanged – you can use the EIN
passively to be tax-free, but not to actively raise funds.
The council makes an exception for Gold Award project sponsorships, because the funds are used for a
community service project with a community benefit rather than benefiting an individual girl or troop.
If you have any questions about donations please contact our Fund Development department at 1-800-
248-3355.
Refer to the Appendix: GSWPA Procedures/Forms for the following:
● Donations to Troops/Groups Exceeding $250 Procedure
Collaborating with Sponsors and Other Organizations
Sponsors help Girl Scout councils ensure that all girls in the community have an opportunity to
participate in Girl Scouting. Community organizations, businesses, religious organizations, and individuals
may be sponsors and may provide group meeting places, volunteer their time, offer in-kind donations,
provide activity materials, or loan equipment. The sponsor’s contribution can then be recognized by
arranging for the girls to send thank-you cards, inviting the sponsor to a meeting or ceremony, or
working together on a Take Action project.
For information on working with a sponsor, consult your council; it can give you guidance on the
availability of sponsors, recruiting responsibility, and any council policies or practices that must be
followed. Your council may already have relationships with certain organizations, or may know of some
reasons not to collaborate with certain organizations.
Refer to the Appendix: GSWPA Procedures/Forms for the following:
● Girl Scout Sponsorship Agreement
●
Girl Scout Sponsorship Certificate