What to do, what to do…with all your troop funds? If you participated in fall product or the cookie program, your girls likely have some planning (and spending!) to do. Regardless of who participated in troop money-earning activities or to what level they contributed, troop funds belong to all girls in the troop. As a troop, girls must work together to decide HOW to use their troop funds. Do your girls need to spend some time at an upcoming meeting chatting about how they will spend their hard-earned cash? Here are 10 ideas to help them brainstorm…
- Carry out a service project—because all Girl Scouts like to make the world a better place.
- Pay for next year’s GSUSA membership dues. While this may not be the most exciting way to spend troop funds, it’s nice to know that everyone is registered and ready to get their Girl Scouting on in the fall. Plus, everyone will want this year’s Early Bird patch!
- Go to Girl Scout troop camp— horses, kayaking, and s’mores. Need I say more?
- Use a portion to pay for uniforms or My Girl Scout Kit.
- Purchase earned badges or fun patches to put on those shiny new uniforms.
- Hold a year-end celebration! Pizza party, anyone?
- Take a field trip—visit a local museum or check out our website for ideas.
- Save for a future troop trip. (This is great for older troops.) Duluth? Savannah? Sangam? Let the world be your guide!
- Attend a council-sponsored event.
- Are your girls passionate about a specific cause or organization? They can choose to use part of their earned money and donate to a non-profit of their choice.
All girls, regardless of their level, can have a hand in making troop finance decisions. Leaders might present Girl Scout Daisies with a few options and ask them to vote on their favorite. Brownies and Juniors may spend time brainstorming a list of ideas together. Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can help research the cost of activities and track their budget. Real life math skills, for the win! I bet if you encourage your girls to spend a little, save a little, and give a little, they will end up with their very own list of how to spend their troop funds.
What would you add to my brainstorm list? I would love to hear what your troop has in store!
Emily Schmall – Emily is the volunteer services manager at Girl Scouts River Valleys. She was a Girl Scout growing up and now leads her daughter’s troop of spirited Cadettes, where they share many adventures. Her background is in programming, education, and curriculum development. She has a BA in visual art and attended the M.Ed. initial licensure program in art education, both through the University of Minnesota. She lives in the Twin Cities with her family, where they are busy training their rescue puppy and teaching their old cat new tricks. In her (non-Girl Scout related) free time, Emily enjoys photography, playing the ukulele, and attending the Minnesota State Fair.