The vast majority of events at the Service Unit or Borough Level are
not fundraising events; they are program events that should be
designed to run at cost. They should follow the Girl Scout guidelines
for girl and adult participation.
In the event there is a profit on an event, the proceeds should go
to the service unit or borough’s program committee in a separate
account to be used for start-up funds for future events or other
approved Service Unit Expenses. A Service Unit or Borough Program
committee should not maintain a balance or greater than $100.00 at year-end.
Service Units/Boroughs who are interested in running a fundraising
event need to:
First, consider whether a fundraising event is the best approach.
Fundraising events require a great deal of time and resources; the
vast majority of events yield a small return and some events lose money.
Understand the proceeds from Fundraising Events must come to the
Girl Scout Council. The proceeds may be designated in one or more of
the following ways:
- Family Partnership Appeal (link to family partnership
page)
- Overall Council Programs
- With approval, they
may be designated to one of the Council’s Program Priorities such as
Camp or Older Girl Programs.
Manage the event at the volunteer level including promoting the
event, recruiting volunteers, girls and attendees and managing the funds.
Submit a written proposal to your Borough Membership Manager on the
event, including its budget, date and anticipated proceeds. Proposals
must be submitted no less than two months prior to anticipated event
date and allow at least 3 weeks for approval. The proposal must be
approved by your Membership Manager and the Director, Major/Individual
Giving & Special Events.
If approved:
- Ensure promotional materials clearly state the percentage of
proceeds that will benefit the Girl Scout Council, so this amount is
transparent to the participants. For example, “10% of the proceeds
will support the Girl Scouts of Greater New York.”
- If applicable, confirm the tax-deductible portion and
receipt process with the Council’s Individual Giving/Special Events
team.
- Ensure you follow Girl Scout branding
guidelines when using the Girl Scout name or logo.
When given at least 6 weeks notice, the Council may be able to
include approved Service Unit/Borough Events as an additional
opportunity in one of its regular e-letters. Note that products or
brands cannot be promoted or endorsed in these communications.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact Customer Care.