All members, volunteers, families, and general public are responsible for compliance with these policies when acting as a Girl Scout or interacting with Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys, or any other Girl Scout council.
Girl Scouts of the USA Policies
All Girl Scout councils, members, volunteers, families, and the general public are bound by the policies set forth by Girl Scouts of the USA in its official publications when acting as a Girl Scout, or when interacting with Girl Scouts of the USA or any Girl Scout council. These policies are found in the Blue Book of Basic Documents English or Español.
Girl Scouts River Valleys Policies
Members, volunteers, families, and the general public are further bound by the policies set forth by the Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys (hereinafter referred to as “River Valleys”), as set forth here. In the event the Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys policy provides further detail than the Girl Scouts of the USA policies, the policy of Girls Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys prevails.
- Accident/Incident Reporting Policy
In the event of an accident/incident involving a child or non-staff adult participant at a Girl Scout activity, the responsible volunteer or staff member must follow all established procedures for obtaining medical assistance and reporting the accident/incident. - Annual Council Issued Service Unit Funding Policy
River Valleys provides annual funding to service units that meet the established requirements. River Valleys reserves the right to deny funding to service units that do not meet the requirements. - Banking & Money Management Policy
River Valleys is legally responsible for all Girl Scout banking within its jurisdiction. River Valleys reserves the right to define banking and money management requirements for troops, service units, and other Girl Scout groups. - Confidentiality Policy
It is the responsibility of River Valleys employees, contractors, vendors, volunteers, or anyone else with access to maintain the confidentiality of all proprietary, privileged, or sensitive information (confidential information) to which they are exposed while serving in their role—whether this information involves a staff person, volunteer, girl, or River Valleys business in general. - Cookie Booth Policy
Girls and their accompanying adults participating in cookie booths are required to follow all applicable standards set forth by Girl Scouts of the USA and River Valleys, including those found in River Valleys policies, Safety Activity Checkpoints, and other information communicated by Girl Scouts River Valleys. - Cookie Credits and Fall FUNds Policy
Cookie Credits and Fall FUNds are issued and redeemed at the discretion of River Valleys. - Cookie Program Payments Accepted Flyer
Troops can post these at their cookie booths or they can be shared with customers if they inquire. - Cookie Program Digital Sales & Social Media Policy
Digital sales and social media marketing related to the River Valleys Girl Scout Cookie Program must be conducted in accordance with Girl Scouts of the USA and River Valleys standards. - Cookie Program Girl Rewards Policy
River Valleys reserves the right to define Cookie Program girl rewards, including type, earning requirements, distribution, and redemption. - Cookie Program Participation Policy
Participation in River Valleys’ Girl Scout Cookie Program must be conducted according to River Valleys and Girl Scouts of the USA policies and standards, and within the timeframes published annually by River Valleys. - Cookie Storage & Handling Policy
Girl Scout Cookie Program inventory must be handled according to River Valleys standards. - Data Governance Policy
Girl Scouts River Valleys is the sole proprietor and governing body of its data. River Valleys’ member, donor, and employee data is essential to its successful operation and integrity, and is held in the utmost regard. It is the responsibility of River Valleys employees, contractors, vendors, volunteers, or anyone with access to data, whether electronic or printed, to comply with this policy and its standards. - Data Security Policy
River Valleys takes the security of personal data seriously. It is the responsibility of River Valleys employees, contractors, vendors, volunteers, or anyone with access to data and personally identifiable information to keep it protected. - Debt Policy
Volunteers, members, or non-members may not be indebted to River Valleys. River Valleys has the authority to release, deny, or limit an individual’s participation if in violation of this policy. - Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Diversity and inclusion have been core values of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912. Girl Scouts River Valleys and Girl Scouts of the USA value diversity in all its forms and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, gender, marital status, familial status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identification, genetic information, public assistance, local human rights commission activity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Girl Scouts River Valleys will not tolerate discrimination thus defined by its staff, volunteers, members, partners, or participants. - Donations & Grants Policy
Girl Scouts may ask for donations or apply for grants only if the donation or grant is consistent with rules set by Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scouts River Valleys, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), outlined in the policy. - Electioneering Policy
All Girl Scouts River Valleys employees and members (girls, adults, and volunteers) are required to abide by the following electioneering standards when acting in official Girl Scout capacity or as Girl Scout representatives. - Event & Cancellation Policies
Girl Scouts River Valleys events, camps, programs, meetings and trainings follow policies around animals, behavior, personal items, weather, and cancellations. - Financial Assistance Policy
River Valleys provides financial assistance to girls and adults who need it to access the Girl Scout experience. - Fundraising for Other Organizations Policy
In accordance with Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scouts are not allowed to solicit donations of money (including cash, checks, digital currency, or gift cards), or raise funds for or on behalf of other organizations. - Juliette Girl Scout Money Management Policy
In accordance with the Internal Revenue Service and Girl Scouts of the USA, Juliette Girl Scouts are not allowed to have bank accounts or hold cash. Therefore, Juliette Girl Scouts may hold funds in the form of council issued Juliette Program Credits. - Limiting Participation of Non-Member Adults Policy
River Valleys reserves the right to limit or prohibit the presence of non-members at Girl Scout activities whose actions put member safety or well-being in jeopardy, and/or negatively impact Girl Scouts River Valleys’ financial or organizational health. - Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse Policy
As a youth-serving organization, River Valleys is required to report any suspected abuse or maltreatment of minors as applicable by Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa state laws. - Membership Dues Policy
To be registered as members of Girl Scouts, individuals must pay annual, lifetime, or other applicable membership dues. - Money Earning Policy
River Valleys members are required to follow all money-earning requirements set forth by River Valleys, Girl Scouts of the USA, and any applicable local, state or federal laws governing members of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. - Misappropriation of Girl Scout Funds Policy
Misappropriation of Girl Scout funds is strictly prohibited. River Valleys reserves the right to pursue collection efforts, remove a volunteer or member found to be misappropriating funds, and/or prosecute to the fullest extent allowable by law. River Valleys reserves the right to remove volunteers for non-compliance/no response to suspected misappropriation inquiries. - Ownership of Assets Policy
Assets, including property, that are received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting must be held and authorized by River Valleys. - Properties & Facilities Use Policies
The following policies apply to all members and non-members who enter Girl Scout spaces. - Recording Custodial Relationships Policy
River Valleys uses Girl Scout membership and participation systems to ensure safety of girls and communicate with members. This requires the contact and relationship information documented in Girl Scout membership and participation systems to reflect legal and/or custodial relationships. - Safety Activity Checkpoints Policy
All adults who work directly with girls, manage Girl Scout (council, service unit, or troop) finances, and/or perform tasks in support of Girl Scouts must understand their responsibilities and follow the guidelines set forth in the Girl Scouts River Valleys Safety Activity Checkpoints document. - Service Unit Event Electronic Registration and Payment Policy
Service units may use River Valleys approved electronic registration and payment methods for volunteer-led events and activities. - Service Unit Volunteer Appointment Policy
Council appointment is required for an individual to serve in a service unit volunteer role. Appointment is at the discretion of River Valleys. - Service Unit Manager Term Limit Policy
The number of years an individual may be appointed to the volunteer role of service unit manager is subject to a term limit. - Sustainability Policy
River Valleys is committed to finding ways by which we can reduce the environmental impact of our work in our council offices, program events/activities, camp properties, and community. We are committed to helping our members, volunteers, partner organizations, and community reduce environmental impact by promoting and modeling good sustainability practices. - Tax Exempt Policy
River Valleys troops, service units, and volunteers are required to adhere to all applicable state and federal tax laws and policies, as well as those put in place by River Valleys council and Girl Scouts of the USA. - Troop Disband Policy
Troop Leaders must follow Girl Scouts River Valleys procedures regarding troop disbandment. - Troop Funds Distribution Policy
Individual girls may not benefit financially from Girl Scout-related money-earning activities. - Volunteer Eligibility Policy
River Valleys reserves the right to define the criteria for volunteer eligibility.
Girl Scouts of the USA Guidelines
Volunteer Essentials outlines guidelines for Girl Scout activities and information about the Girl Scout program and experience. Girl Scouts River Valleys’ policies take precedent over Volunteer Essentials where applicable.