Cookie Program Resources

It’s going to be AWESOME. Are you ready? Great. Let’s do it. Check out these great tools to help you reach your goals, and have your best cookie season yet!

Girl & Family Resources

When you sell Girl Scout Cookies, you're doing more than just helping your customers stock up on delicious treats (and having lots of fun). You're doing it with a goal in mind. Whether that goal is going to summer camp, a community project, or your first overnight trip with your troop, you know how many packages you need to sell to make it happen.

But did you know that you're also part of the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world? Even cooler: being a Girl Scout Cookie Professional gives you skills essential for success both now and later!

Goal-Setting
Money Management
Decision Making
People Skills
Business Ethics

Key Program Dates

Activity	Date
Troop Cookie Program parent meeting	December/January
Troop initial orders and opt-out choice due	January 13
Digital Cookie email to parents	Early January
Digital Cookie GO DAY! Program Begins—online selling opens 2 weeks prior to in-hand selling	January 25
Digital Cookie Day events at offices	January 25
Cookie distribution window to troop volunteers and girls	February 5-9
Cookies In-hand GO DAY! Program Begins—girls selling in person	February 10
First ACH Debit	February 25
National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend	February 28- March 1
Girl Scout Week	March 8-14
Girl Scout Birthday	March 12
Cookie businesses close	March 15
Final ACH Debit	March 25
Reward Cards mailed to girls	Late April
Recognition items distributed	May
Experiential Rewards and Events	May-July, October

Cookie Selling Resources

Pins and Badges

Girl Scout Cookie Program Pins & Badges poster (PDF)
Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin – Together you and your girl can grow her skill set and make amazing memories by following the steps of the new Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pins, and earn a different pin for her uniform every season to show off her newest skill developments! The guidelines have been tailored for each Girl Scout level (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador), making success a snap!
Award and Badge Explorer: Encourage her to explore her interests and learn new skills through earning her Cookie Business and Financial Literacy badges.
Buy Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pins—available now!
Product Program Parent Responsibility Agreement

Care to Share

Care to Share is GSNorCal’s service project in which we share our delicious cookies with the community! Girls sell virtual cookies ($5 per package, no specific variety) either online or in-person to be donated by the council to a local organization, such as food banks or military bases, at the end of the program. (Per IRS regulations, all donations collected while participating in product programs should be put toward Care to Share.)

Handouts and Links

2020 Little Brownie Baker Girl Scout Cookie Line-up Video - Get to know the entire line-up of Girl Scout Cookies for 2020! Perfect for sharing at upcoming rallies, events, or social media.
Cookie Family Guide – Everything you need to have a successful Cookie Program. Key dates, selling tips, and more helpful resources.
Lemon-Ups Girl Scout Cookie Video - Meet the newest addition to the cookie lineup
Parent Cookie Kickoff Presentation - Learn more about the Cookie Program's key dates and elements so that you can best support your Girl Scout entrepreneur.
Parent Responsibility Form – Each Girl Scout family submits this completed form to their troop cookie manager prior to participating in the Cookie Program, including cookie booths. Talk with your troop leader for more information.
Cookie Program Retail Products – Boost your sales this cookie season with these exciting promotional products. These items will make your stand out and draw attention to your business. From booth decorations and cookie carts to fun patches and apparel, GSNorCal shops have everything your girl needs for a successful Cookie Program!
Cookie Experiences and Higher Rewards Details – From adorable plushies to tech treats, and even awesome experiences, there's plenty of opportunities for your girl to set her eyes on the prize and get-goaling!
Entrepreneur Progression Chart
Little Brownie Bakers – In addition to tasty cookies, our bakers also provide handy resources and activity ideas to help girls set goals, practice money management, decorate their booths, share their excitement and their business on social media, and more!
Reward Card Conversion Specifics – From camp and award projects to retail shops and more, Reward Cards give girls financial empowerment. Checkout this document for details!

Elevate Your Cookie Business

Branding You, Cookie Logistics, Cookieology, and Entrepreneur to Entrepreneur give you tips, activities, and other resources to strengthen specific parts of your cookie business!

Cookieology
- At a Glance (PDF)
- Career Finder (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
Entrepreneur to Entrepreneur
- At a Glance (PDF)
- Business Plan (PDF)
Branding You
- At a Glance (PDF)
- Booths (PDF)
- Digital Spaces (PDF)
- Images (PDF)
- Words (PDF)
Cookie Logistics
- At a Glance (PDF)
- Quiz (PDF)

Marketing Tips

There are a variety of opportunities to sell cookies beyond door-to-door sales and cookie booths—below are suggestions for selling cookies.

Ask away! The number one reason people don’t buy cookies is because they were never asked.
Encourage customers to buy enough cookies to last until the following cookie season. A hot summer day is the perfect time for a frozen Thin Mint.
Always tell customers your goals for selling cookies. Decorate t-shirts, paint posters, or make signs explaining your goals.
Host a troop door-to-door sales party. Split into teams and walk door-to-door in designated neighborhoods, then meet as a troop to warm up and celebrate the troop’s success. Consider recognizing each team for a unique accomplishment: most cookies sold, most Samoas sold, best manners, best energy, etc.
Save your order cards from year-to-year and contact previous buyers first.
Offer Girl Scout Cookie recipes.

Do you have ideas not covered here? Feel free to share your tips on our Facebook page!

Turning a "No" into a "Yes"

Her potential customers might have questions or be reluctant to buy cookies. Don't be discouraged! Sometimes a "not sure" is really an invitation for you and your Girl Scout to explain more about the Cookie Program. Practice these talking points with your Girl Scout so that she can share them with tough customers.

All cookie money stays local.
Suggest purchasing Care to Share—it gives her customer an easy way to support your Girl Scout, her troop, Girl Scouting, in addition to giving back to their community.
The council proceeds are reinvested into the girls and troops through grants, subsidizing camp fees, and providing programming.
The Cookie Program is about the Girl Scouts who are learning skills and earning money for their troops.
Her Girl Scout troop's personal cookie and entrepreneurship goal.

If her customers still prefer not to buy cookies, remind her to thank them for their time with a smile!

Note: If the topics or questions become heated or controversial, you can step in as the adult and kindly ask the customers to check GSUSA’s Cookie FAQ webpage or to reach out to our council for more detailed information.

Safety Guidelines

All girls who participate in the Cookie Program must follow the safety guidelines from Girl Scouts of the USA below.

Computer and Internet Use Safety Actvity Checkpoints
Cookie and Product Program Safety Activity Checkpoints
Show you’re a Girl Scout. Wear your Girl Scout membership pin and/or Girl Scout clothing to identify yourself as a Girl Scout.
Buddy up. Always use the buddy system. It’s not just safe, it’s more fun!
Be streetwise. Become familiar with the areas and neighborhoods where you will be selling cookies.
Partner with adults. Adults must accompany Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors when they are selling or delivering product. Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors must be supervised by an adult when they are selling or delivering product. They must never sell alone. Adults should be present at cookie booths at all times.
Plan ahead. Always have a plan for safeguarding money—avoid walking around with large amounts of it or keeping it at home or school. Give cookie money to supervising adults who should deposit it as soon as possible.
Do not enter. Never enter the home or vehicle of a person when you are selling or making deliveries. Avoid selling to people in vehicles or going into alleys.
Sell in the daytime. Only go door-to-door during daylight hours, unless accompanied by an adult.
Protect privacy. Girls’ names, addresses, and email addresses should never be given out to customers. Use a group contact number or address overseen by an adult for customers to request information, reorder, or give comments. Protect customer privacy by not sharing their information elsewhere. Girls should never take down credit card numbers.
Be safe on the road. Always follow safe pedestrian practices, especially when crossing at intersections or walking along roadways. Be aware of traffic when unloading product and passengers from vehicles.
Be internet savvy. Take the GSUSA Internet Safety Pledge before going online and follow the specific guidelines related to marketing online.

Digital Cookie Day—January 25, 2020

Hey entrepreneurs! Looking to up your cookie branding this season? Join us for Digital Cookie Day on January 25, 2020 between 10:00 AM–2:00 PM at any local GSNorCal office where you can set up and launch your Digital Cookie storefront, taste test the brand new cookie and more!

During this event, girls will:

Set up and launch their Digital Cookie storefront
Learn how to brand yourself online
Teleconference with cybersecurity experts
Earn a free cybersecurity patch
Invent your own cookie with Cookieology ingredients
Taste test the brand new cookie and more!

Drop in anytime between 10:00 AM–2:00 PM, no registration required! All Girl Scouts and their families are welcome. Feel free to bring your own laptop or tablet.

Setup Your Digital Cookie Page

With the Digital Cookie® platform, the Girl Scout Cookie Program you know and love is better than ever. Fun, easy-to-use tools help you superpower your sale and go beyond the booth with online and mobile channels that make it easy for cookie fans near and far to order their faves online, pay by credit card, and support your sale.

That’s more ways to participate, more ways to sell, more ways to buy and more ways to learn. Girls who used the platform in addition to traditional sales, sold more cookies and reached their goals faster!

Plus, on your very own personalized cookie site, you get to play interactive games, watch videos, enjoy printable activities, take fun quizzes and more—all while taking your entrepreneurship skills to the next level.

The Digital Cookie platform allows you to customize the way you learn and earn, using technology in new and engaging ways, all while earning cool cookie business badges along the way.

Check out these Digital Cookie resources!

4 Easy Steps to Get Movin’ with the Digital Cookie™ Platform (PDF)

Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Families (PDF)

How to Market to Your Customers (PDF)

How to Set Up Your Site (Under 13) (PDF)

How to Set Up Your Site (Over 13) (PDF)

Keep Track of Your Cookie Badges (PDF)

Supplemental Safety Tips for Online Marketing (PDF)

Tips for Success with Digital Cookie

Get going with the Digital Cookie app for iOS and Android.

Request Your Goal-Getter Kit (Grades 6–12)

Calling all GSNorCal Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors—looking to show everyone that you're a goal-getter? Share with us your amazing cookie-powered experiences, and we'll send you a goal-getter kit!

After you fill out your form, we'll send you an "Ask Me How Long I've Been a Girl Scout" button, a table tent, a booklet full of ideas for earning your Entrepreneurship badges, and a customized poster to display at your booth that shows your potential customers you're a goal-getter!

Social Media Toolkit for Girls & Families

Download the Kit

Cookie Countdown

Facebook & Twitter Cover Photos

Cookie Varieties

Lemon-Ups

Holiday Promotions

Girl Scout Cookie Championship

Food Network and GSUSA are teaming up to bring television viewers a four-part series, Girl Scout Cookie Championship, which premieres on Food Network Monday, February 3, at 8:00 p.m. PT/ET, and runs the three following Mondays (February 10, 17, 24). On the show, professional bakers are challenged to transform Girl Scout Cookies into delicious desserts. Host and Girl Scout alum Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother ) is joined each week by current Girl Scouts, and the series emphasizes Girl Scout programming, including our badges.

Check out our watch party toolkit to get in on the fun!

Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pins

Each Girl Scout grade level has its own set of requirements to help families guide their Girl Scout as she runs her own cookie business year after year. Girls can earn all 13 pins in the collection—one unique pin for every year they participate and meet the requirements. Guidelines for each program level are on the Volunteer Toolkit in the resources tab and linked below.

Daisies (PDF) | Brownies (PDF) | Juniors (PDF)
Cadettes (PDF) | Seniors (PDF) | Ambassadors (PDF)

2020 Cookie Challenges

Are you a Girl Scout go-getter and a cookie creativity captain? Show us your awesome entrepreneurial moves by entering our 2020 Cookie Challenges! Prepare your Perfect Pitch, Bling Your Booth, or share how you reach for your goals in the Goal-getter Challenge (for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors only). Enter January 1, 2020 to 12 PM PST March 20, 2020 for the chance to win prizes ranging from retail swag and free council-sponsored programs to discounted lifetime memberships.

Share on social! Tag your posts @GSNorCal #GSNorCalentrepreneurs for a chance to be featured on our social media channels.

Perfect Pitch Video Challenge

We know that our Girl Scout entrepreneurs work hard to master marketing and customer service skills, so we want to see you proudly share them in your most compelling sales pitch. Whether a song, slogan, rap, or elevator pitch, we want to hear them! Your challenge is to film your “perfect pitch” in 60 seconds (or less!) and share it with us for the chance to win a $75 Girl Scout Rewards card or GSNorCal swag. We’ve expanded the challenge to include more social media because we want to hear from even more of you!

Challenge opens 12:01 AM PST January 1, 2020 and all entries must be submitted by 12 PM PST March 20, 2020.

See last year’s winning entries:

Kloe of Troop 33094

Micaya of Troop 30374

Perfect Pitch Video Challenge Rules & Eligibility Details

How to qualify:

Individual Girl Scouts, Girl Scout troops, or groups of Girl Scouts participating in the 2020 GSNorCal Cookie Program can enter. Girl Scouts of all levels are eligible.
Entrant(s) must be a currently registered Girl Scout(s) with the Girl Scouts of Northern California (GSNorCal) Council to participate. Contest is for GSNorCal girl members only (not adult volunteers).
Entries can be submitted by an adult on behalf of a Girl Scout or group of Girl Scouts, but must be in the girl’s own words.
Only one entry per unique entrant/entrant group. You must provide all information requested in the form. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of Girl Scouts of Northern California. Exception: The same person can submit multiple entries on behalf of other members (ex. a troop volunteer can submit entries for each of the girls in her troop), but each entry must be submitted separately.
All minors who appear in the video must have a current appearance release on file, or have their parents give permission for public use of their image. This will be indicated by a check box on the entrance form.

How to enter:

Submit all necessary information via the Perfect Pitch Challenge form at www.gsnorcal.org/cookiechallenges by 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.
Share a 60 second or less video of your perfect business pitch via our online form. You can either post your video publicly to social media and then share the link in the entry form, or upload the video directly to the form. Accepted formats: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok video link, or .mov and .mp4 video files.
Include a short description of your pitch, your troop number, your Girl Scout level(s), your first name(s).
If you upload to social media, include the tags @GSNorCal #GSNorCalentrepreneurs.

Prizes:

Two (2) winners will be selected by the GSNorCal Product Program team from the qualifying entries to receive the following prizes, as well as a shout out on GSNorCal social media. Qualifying videos will be judged based on demonstration of marketing and customer service skills, and creativity.

Grand Prize: $75 Girl Scout Rewards card
Honorable Mention: GSNorCal retail swag bag (approximate retail value of $25).

Read the official contest rules for details.

Bling Your Booth Facebook Challenge

Looking for that extra something that will give your troop entrepreneurs a leg up during your Girl Scout Cookie Program? By creating a colorful cookie booth, Girl Scouts can not only practice creative marketing and grab the eye of potential customers hurrying by, but also have their skills recognized in the Bling Your Booth Facebook Challenge! The top two booth designs with the most votes win! Brainstorm ideas together, then collaborate on designing the decorations and collecting any props. Share a picture of your blinged-out booth via the official challenge form, then rally your friends and family to like your booth photo on Facebook for the chance to win prizes!

Last day to submit an entry to Bling Your Booth is 12 PM on February 24, 2020. Bling Your Booth voting period is 12 PM PST on March 2, 2020 to 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.

Need inspiration? Check out this Trailhead article or search the hashtag #blingyourbooth on Instagram!

Bling Your Booth Challenge Rules & Eligibility Details

How to qualify:

Individual Girl Scouts, Girl Scout troops, or groups of Girl Scouts participating in the 2020 GSNorCal Cookie Program can enter. Girl Scouts of all levels are eligible.
Entrant(s) must be a currently registered Girl Scout(s) with the Girl Scouts of Northern California (GSNorCal) Council to participate. Contest is for GSNorCal girl members only (not adult volunteers).
Entries can be submitted by an adult on behalf of a Girl Scout or group of Girl Scouts, but must be in the girl’s own words.
Only one entry per unique entrant/entrant group. You must provide the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules, your submission may be removed from eligibility at the sole discretion of Girl Scouts of Northern California. Exception: The same person can submit multiple entries on behalf of other members (ex. a troop volunteer can submit entries for each of the girls in her troop), but each entry must be submitted separately.
All minors who appear in the video must have a current appearance release on file, or have their parents give permission for public use of their image. This will be indicated by a check box on the entrance form.

How to enter:

Submit all necessary information via the Bling Your Booth Challenge form at www.gsnorcal.org/cookiechallenges by 12 PM PST on February 24, 2020.
Share one (1) photo of your creatively decorated booth and a description of your booth concept, your troop number, your Girl Scout level, and your first name(s).
GSNorCal will upload all entries to a Facebook photo album.
Once the Facebook photo album is live on March 2, 2020, share your booth post with your family, friends, and troop and ask them vote before March20, 2020 for your booth design by liking your entry!
Bling Your Booth voting period is open 12 PM PST on March 2, 2020 to 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.

Prizes:

Two (2) winners will be determined by number of photo likes, with the 1st place prize going to the qualifying entry with the most likes and 2nd place prize going to the qualifying entry with the second most likes as of 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.

1st place: A Girl Scout Rewards card equal to $75.
2nd place: GSNorCal retail swag bag (approximate retail value of $25).

Inspiration and resources:

Read the official contest rules for details.

Goal-Getter Challenge (for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors)

Calling all GSNorCal Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador entrepreneurs—this challenge is for you! Where has the Girl Scout Cookie Program taken you? Did it fund your international travel or Silver Award project? Were you able to attend to summer camp or purchase much needed supplies for a local shelter? Show us how you set your goal, what you did to achieve it, and how you used your well-earned proceeds to fund your dreams, and you could be selected to receive 50% off of a summer 2021 camp session, or a GSNorCal lifetime membership!

Challenge opens 12:01 AM PST on January 1, 2020 and all entries must be submitted by 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.

You must enter via the form to be officially entered, but feel free to share your entry on your social media channels and on our Facebook Page wall, or tag us (@GSNorCal, #GSNorCalentrepreneurs) on Instagram! You’ve worked hard, so share your accomplishments with your world!

Goal-getter Challenge Rules and Eligibility Details

How to qualify:

You must be a currently registered GSNorCal Girl Scout at the Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador level at the time of entry, participating in the 2020 Cookie Program, and have participated in the Cookie Program at least one year in the past.
This contest is for individual Girl Scouts, with only one (1) entry per Girl Scout.
The entry can be submitted by an adult on behalf of a Girl Scout, but must be in the girl’s own words.

How to enter:

Submit all necessary information via the Goal-getter Challenge form at www.gsnorcal.org/cookiechallenges by 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.
Entries must include 1–3 pictures OR a video, and a text description (minimum 100 words) that showcases your goal-getting achievement from a past year in the Cookie Program. Your entry must clearly answer 1) how you set a proceeds goal during Cookie Program in a previous year, 2) what you did to achieve it, and 3) how you used your proceeds to fund your goal.
You need at least 1 photo or video to qualify, and your entry must clearly illustrate the 3 points above. Winners will be selected based on these criteria. Entries that do not clearly answer the questions may be disqualified.
Last chance to submit an entry is 12 PM PST on March 20, 2020.

Prizes:

The GSNorCal Product Program team will select three winners from qualified entries for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes.

1st place: 50% off one (1) camp program of winner’s choice (up to $600 value), OR a free GSNorCal lifetime membership registration (approximately $200 value) if the winner is in the 12th grade.
2nd place: Free registration for Lead the Way 2021 (approximately $255 value), OR 50% off a GSNorCal lifetime membership registration if the winner is in 12th grade.
3rd place: Free membership registration for next Girl Scout year (MY2021), OR 25% off a Lifetime Membership registration if the winner is in 12th grade.

Read the official contest rules for details.

GSUSA's Cookie Pro Contest

Calling All Girls: Win a VIP Trip to Orlando, Florida!

The 2020 Cookie Pro contest opens February 1—are you ready?

Hey barrier breakin,’ challenge crushin,’ and lead takin’ cookie entrepreneurs! Are you putting that unmatchable Girl Scout courage to the test every year to create positive change? We want to hear from you and reward you for all your hard work selling Girl Scout Cookies® in the 2019–20 season with a chance to win BIG. All you have to do is enter the 2020 Cookie Pro contest February 1–March 31.

Entering is simple: participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program® this season and highlight your unique cookie business smarts by answering questions about the skills you learned and your experience selling cookies!

Before the contest opens for entries, start developing your business skills by earning a pin in the NEW Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin collection, the latest addition to the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Now families can help girls learn while they earn—talk about high-quality time with a purpose! Learn more and start your collection today.

Questions? Please reach out to Ash Redfield, PR & Communications Specialist, via email at social@gsnorcal.org, with the subject line “Cookie Challenges Question.”

By entering these challenges, you grant Girl Scouts of Northern California permission to use all images, video, and text on public channels including but not limited to social media, our website, and electronic communications. NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.

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