Troop Finances

With your guidance, your Girl Scouts will learn money skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Helping girls earn and manage money is integral to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Your troop is responsible for planning and financing its own activities. This gives girls the opportunity to be in charge and, with your supervision and guidance, to cooperatively set goals, manage budget, spend responsibly, and maintain records. Girls will learn effective marketing, business ethics, math, and financial skills.

Girl Scout troops are funded by a share of the money earned through council-sponsored product program activities (such as the Girl Scout Cookie Program), troop money-earning activities (council approved, of course), and any dues your troop may charge.

Participating in the product programs is an excellent way of generating revenue for the troop and learning valuable financial literacy and customer service lessons.

Remember that all funds collected, raised, earned, or otherwise received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting belong to the troop and must be used for the purposes of Girl Scouting. Funds are administered through the troop and do not belong to individuals.

New Troop: Establishing a New Troop Account toggle arrow

Each troop/group bank account requires two registered unrelated Girl Scout members of that group.

Before you request to open a Girl Scout bank account, each account signer must:

Be a registered Girl Scout member. Join now!
Pass a background check.

STEP 1: Choose a bank where you want to open your Girl Scout account. Some banks waive or reduce service charges for Girl Scout troops. Check with your bank before opening the account. Your service team should be consulted for names of banks waiving service charges.

STEP 2: Complete request to Open Bank Account Form

The GSKSMO Customer Care Department will confirm that the named signers on your form are listed in the GSUSA membership database as currently registered members of the troop/group and have passed a background check.

Once all volunteer roles and background checks are verified, the council will email the chosen bank branch a letter authorizing the requestors to open a Girl Scout troop/group business checking account using the EIN (Employer Identification Number) of GSKSMO.

Each volunteer will receive a copy of the authorization letter sent to the bank.

*Wait to go to the bank until you have received your bank authorization letter from GSKSMO. You will need this information to open your account.

STEP 3: With the authorization letter in hand and your government-issued ID, visit your bank and fill out signature cards. After opening your account, get bank documentation of your account routing and account number. This can be in the form of a starter check, a letter from the bank stating your routing and account number, or a copy of your signature card with your account number.

**Please contact your chosen bank to make an appointment to come in and complete the account opening.

STEP 4: Submit your Annual Bank ACH Authorization form to the council with an image of a voided check. This will allow the Product Program Department to debit your Girl Scout account for the scheduled cookie program and credit your account for proceeds awarded from the council. ACH Authorization for Volunteer Bank Account: You will be asked to verify your bank account, the last four digits of your bank account, and your account signers annually.

Bank Account Set Up

All bank accounts are titled in the name of Girl Scouts of NE KS & NW MO, troop # _____, service unit # ____, or day camp service unit # ____, with a minimum of TWO authorized, unrelated signatures. Only one signature is required on each check.

Resolution: If your bank asks for a signed resolution, ask them for the Resolution for Lodges, Schools, and Other Unincorporated Groups. Complete it using your troop’s meeting day and time as authorization. Include the number of signatures required. Cross out the word “secretary,” write “troop/service unit/day camp leader,” and sign and date the form. Other requests for corporate resolutions should not be completed.

Service charges: Some banks waive or reduce service charges for Girl Scout troops. Check with your bank when opening the account. Your service team should be consulted for names of banks waiving service charges.

Printing troop checks: Print checks with Girl Scouts of NE KS & NW MO on the first line and your troop/service unit # or day camp service unit # on the second line. Do not put a mailing address on the checks. The bank will ask you for a mailing address for their records-provide your home address. Addresses on checks complicate changes in bank account leadership. Some banks ask for additional information. If you need assistance, contact our council Customer Care Team.

Established Troop: Change Signers on an Established Account toggle arrow

Troops that already have an existing Girl Scout account through their neighborhood bank can request changes here.

Please include all signers on the request, including signers to remain, be removed, or be added.

Each troop/group bank account requires two registered unrelated Girl Scout members of that group.

Each account signer must:

Be a registered Girl Scout member. Join now!
Pass a background check

STEP 1: Complete the request to Change Signers on an Existing Account

STEP 2: GSKSMO Customer Care will confirm that the named signers on your bank account signer change form are listed in the GSUSA membership database as currently registered members of the troop/group and have passed a background check. You will be asked to verify your bank account, the last 4 digits of your bank account, and your account signers annually.

STEP 3: Reach out to your bank to initiate a change to your account signers, which will likely include updating your signature card. If your bank requires a new authorization letter listing all current signers, you can request a letter from customercae@gsksmo.org.

How to Select a Local Bank toggle arrow

You may choose which bank you use, but there are banks that have established a process for opening new accounts with us and a few banks that will not open troop accounts. If you choose a bank not on this list, please confirm bank fees and minimums with the bank before opening an account.

We have a strong relationship with the following banks:

US Bank
Equity Bank (will allow you to open an account using DocuSign)
Commerce Bank (does not offer online banking for troop accounts

Bank Midwest will establish troop accounts, but you will need to ask about account fees and the minimum balance required.

The following banks will not establish troop accounts:

Bank of America
Bank of the West
BOK Financial
Community America Credit Union
Lead Bank
Mazuma Credit Union
UMB

Banking Best Practices toggle arrow

Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri believe helping girls earn and manage money is integral to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE).

Your Girl Scout troop is responsible for planning and financing its own activities. This gives girls the opportunity to be in charge and, with your supervision and guidance, to cooperatively set goals, manage budget, spend responsibly, and maintain records. They will also gain practical marketing skills, business ethics, math, and financial skills. Regularly share the troop’s account activities publicly at troop meetings.

Adults are to guide the girls and coach them on how to spend their earnings to support their Girl Scout program responsibly.

Keep all receipts from all GS transactions for a recommended minimum of 3 years.
Ensure the troop uses troop funds.
Balance your bank account each month by comparing receipts with the bank statement.
Use your Girl Scout checks or debit card for all troop spending.
Be sure all troop money goes through the troop bank account.
Include girls in all financial decisions – It’s part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience!
Be sure to provide an accounting of troop expenditures/deposits on a regular basis with the families in your troop. The Finance Tab in your troop’s VTK is a great place to do so.
Deposit all money. Do not hold on to parent and customer checks or other forms of payment for more than a week.
Verify your bank account, the last 4 digits of your bank account, and your account signers annually when requested.

Disbanding Troops and Unused Troop Funds toggle arrow

When a troop disbands, any unused Girl Scout money left in the account becomes the property of the council. Troop funds are not the property of any individual member. Before disbanding, ask your girls how they want to pay it forward. They may decide to donate unused funds to their service unit or another troop or to pay for Girl Scout activities. Activities can also include purchasing materials to support another organization through Take Action projects.

Troop Disband Form – Please complete this form to begin the process.

Girls transferring to another troop toggle arrow

When a girl transfers to another Girl Scout troop, troop funds may also be transferred to the receiving troop. The amount that is transferred is based on the amount of money in the troop account and the number of girls in the troop. The amount is not, by how much a girl raised in money-earning programs. The whole amount that is in the account should be divided by the number of girls in the troop. This number is the amount that should be sent to the receiving troop. The monies should be transferred via a check or electronic payment to the receiving troop leader made out to the receiving troop.

Example: Erica is moving to a different town and will be joining a new troop. Her current troop account has a $300.00 balance. Her current troop has 12 girl members. (300/12= 25) A check for $25.00 should be sent to her receiving troop.

**At no time should money from a disbanding troop be given to a girl or parent for personal use.

Closing the Troop Account toggle arrow

When closing a troop account, be sure all checks and other debits have cleared the account before you close it. Remember, you may have to close the account in person. Turn remaining funds over to a council staff member.

Troop Money Earning toggle arrow

Is your troop ready for a money-earning activity?

Money earning refers to activities organized and carried out by girls (in partnership with adults) who earn money for troop activities. Brownie–Ambassador troops can FUND the FUN by following these five steps to money earning:

Five Steps to Money Earning

Follow good money management practices. See the Troop Finances section of Volunteer Essentials and determine your need for money earning. If you are considering a money-earning activity to fund a trip, be sure you have submitted your Activity & Trip Application and it has been approved.
The best way for your troop to begin their money earning is to participate in our nationally approved Product Programs. Your troop can do other money-earning projects by submitting an application and gaining approval. Cookie Program participation is required as one step in your Troop Money Earning application process.
Submit your Troop Money Earning application at least four weeks prior to your proposed activity. Resubmit your application annually to verify continued approval for any activities your troop participates in annually.
Await approval. You will be contacted within five business days of submission with a response to your application: approved, pending with additional information needed, or denied. If you receive a pending or denied response, your membership manager will provide guidance on other activities you might consider.
Once you are approved, your troop can plan and carry out the money-earning activity.