Troop Cookie Chair Key Duties

We hope you’re as excited and ready as we are to get the Girl Scout Cookie Season started! As a Troop Cookie Chair, you play a large role in the success of your troop’s Cookie Program, and even get to experience first-hand the girls’ growth in character and confidence as they learn new skills!

TROOP COOKIE CHAIR KEY DUTIES

Troop Cookie Chair Role Overview

As the Troop Cookie Chair, your main responsibility is to oversee the Cookie Program for your troop. That means holding a family cookie meeting, helping girls set goals, managing the troop’s cookie inventory, managing troop finances including making deposits, and distributing girl recognitions.

Distribute Materials

The Service Unit Cookie Chair will distribute materials to you during your training. With this year being unique, follow your Service Unit Cookie Chair’s instructions on how to receive and distribute the materials to your girls.

Materials for You

⚬ The Cookie Scoop ⚬ Receipts Booklets

Materials for Girls

⚬ Recognition Flyers ⚬ Money Envelopes ⚬ Order Card

Online Materials

⚬ Step-by-Step Guides ⚬ Digital Forms ⚬ ABC Smart Cookies

Preparing Yourself and Your Troop

Notes

⚬ In myGS, check that all girls are registered and on your roster. ⚬ Confirm your troop bank account information on file with GSMH. ⚬ Attend a cookie training held by your Service Unit Cookie Chair. ⚬ If your troop participated in the Fall Product Program, ensure the troop bill is paid in full. ⚬ All adults helping with the Cookie Program must be registered and background checked.

Goal Setting with Your Girls and Troop

One of the most important lessons girls can learn through selling Girl Scout Cookies is how to set and reach their goals. It’s one of the five key skills built during the Cookie Program.

Tips for Setting Troop Goals

For new troops, talk with your fellow Troop Leaders, Service Unit Cookie Chair, or your New Leader Specialist for a recommendation based on your troop’s Girl Scout grade level. For returning troops, review your 2021 total sales. Discuss with your troop how to meet or exceed last year’s sales. Discuss with the girls how they can help each other reach the troop goal and what they want to do with their proceeds.

Amount per Package

After working with your girls to determine their troop goal and what they would like to do with their troop proceeds, use this chart to calculate your goal in packages!

Base Troop Proceeds $0.60

Troop Bonus (p.25 for details)

Subtotal 5¢ Option for Juniors+

(p.24 for details)

Total

$0.25 $0.85

$0.05

$0.90

COOKIE ROOKIE Divide the amount of your monetary goal by the amount you can earn per package and this will give you the number of packages that your troop needs to sell!

⚬ Discuss individual goals with each girl. Talk about the recognitions that each girl would like to achieve. See the girl recognitions on page 23 or scan this QR code to watch a fun promo video with your girls! ⚬ For returning troops, compare each girl’s goal with last year’s sales information in Smart Cookies. Discuss with her if she feels the goal is reasonable and how she plans to reach this year’s goal. ⚬ Include the caregivers! Do they agree with the goal? The Family Cookie Meeting is the time to make sure caregivers are on board with both the girl and troop goals.

Tips for Setting Girl Goals

TROOP COOKIE CHAIR KEY DUTIES

Host a Family Cookie Meeting

Family cookie meetings are critical to the success of the program and required to receive the Troop Bonus. They help provide a foundation of understanding and agreement for both the volunteers and families. Families can talk with their Troop Leaders and Troop Cookie Chair about the upcoming Cookie Program and discuss their goals, learn about forms, share best methods for staying in contact, and agree on roles and responsibilities. We recommend hosting this meeting prior to the start of the program.

Preparing for the Meeting

First things first, invite parents to the upcoming Family Cookie Meeting! At least one adult from each family must participate in the meeting. Then, fill in girl order cards with girls’ first name and last initial, troop number, and program dates.

Sample Meeting Agenda

Welcome and Introductions

⚬ Give out names, contact information, and hours of availability for yourself and others helping with the Cookie Program. ⚬ Distribute girl packets (depending on how you are hosting your meeting, determine the best way to distribute packets to your girls. If hosting virtually, consider porch pickup with assigned time slots!) ⚬ Discuss and fill out the Parent Permission and Adult Responsibility Form.

Parent Permission Form

Parents fill out the Parent Permission and Adult Responsibility Form online before their daughter receives a girl packet and any cookies to sell. Parents living in separate households, who will both be assisting their daughter with the Cookie Program, will each need to fill out a form.

Review the Girl Packet and Cookie Program Highlights

⚬ Five Essential Skills ⚬ Picking Up Initial Order Cookies ⚬ Gluten Free Cookie Ordering ⚬ Cookie Share Program ⚬ Goal Setting ⚬ Selling Tips ⚬ Smart Cookies ⚬ Cookie Program Credit and Other Girl

Recognitions ⚬ Troop Bonus ⚬ Junior and above 5¢ Option ⚬ Frequently Asked Questions ⚬ Parent Participation ⚬ Cookie Program Safety Guidelines

Selling Guidelines and Perfecting Her Pitch

⚬ Review important dates—do not sell before the sale starts on January 3. ⚬ Review seasons of the program and ways to sell, including digital sales on pages 18-21. ⚬ Review outside of the box ways to pitch her cookie sale on page 28-29.

Cookies are sold for $5 per package. When taking pre-orders door-to-door, money will not be collected until the cookies are delivered. Parents are responsible for collecting and turning in money. Schedule times that parents can submit the money and always make sure to give receipts.

Financial Responsibility

Let parents know that all cookies received by the troop are the troop’s responsibility. Likewise, all cookies received by the girls become the responsibility of the parent—don’t over-extend! Cookies may not be returned or exchanged.

Check it Off the List! It is important that parents understand the deadlines for turning in money. When they turn in their money on time, it helps ensure that your troop is ready for the ACH withdrawal. Remind families of these deadlines for turning in money.

March 9—Troop Deposit for Initial Order Due March 23—Money Due from Girls to Troops for 2nd ACH April 4—All Remaining Funds Due to Troop

Additional Cookies During Direct Sale

Let parents know they can get more cookies if needed. Parents will need to contact the Troop Cookie Chair to get more cookies. Parents are not allowed to pick up cookies from the cupboards unless the Troop Cookie Chair contacts the cupboard to give permission to do so. They can also check with their leader to see if girls in their troop have extra cookies before placing an order!

Planned Orders

Explain to parents the benefits and importance of planned orders. Planned orders allow a troop to schedule a pick up on a designated day from any participating cookie cupboard. This allows the Cupboard Manager to ensure the correct inventory to meet your needs. Planned orders must be placed by Sunday at 11:30 p.m. for pick-up beginning Tuesday. This is the only way to ensure troops are able to pick up orders with a reasonable wait time. Walking in or calling in the day of could result in longer wait times. Always make sure to check the hours and pickup process.

Ask Families to Participate in the Cookie Program

Let parents know you could use their help! Just ask—most people don’t mind to help if they are asked directly.

Discuss with your families if this meeting should be in person or held virtually. If hosting in person, follow all state, local, and GSMH safety guidelines.

Troop Cookie Chair Checklist

Before the Program

Receive your Troop Cookie Chair Guide—The Cookie Scoop. Complete training with your Service Unit Cookie Chair. Receive Cookie Program materials from Service Unit Cookie Chair. Enter number of girls selling under troop information in Smart Cookies. Establish your troop bank account and update your Bank Account and ACH form. Host a Family Cookie Meeting. Verify all families have filled out the 2022 Cookie Program Permission and Responsibility form.

During the Program

January 3: Cookie Go Day! Let’s get started! January 7: First Cookie Merchandise Order Deadline. January 14: Smart Cookies opens at 6 a.m. for troops to choose booth locations. Each troop may initially reserve one premium booth and two non-premium booths. Booths are firstcome, first serve and open in Smart Cookies until January 21. January 17: Deadline for adding girls into Smart Cookies. January 19: Girl Initial Orders are due to the Troop Cookie Chair. January 21: Deadline to submit troop initial order to service unit. January 21: Smart Cookies closes for initial booth choices—confirmations sent. January 24: Service Unit Order Due to GSMH. January 31: Smart Cookies opens at 6 a.m. for the duration of the Cookie Program and troops may sign up for additional booths. Check back often for new locations and vacancies. February 4: Second Cookie Merchandise Order Deadline. February 11-18: Service Unit Cookie Deliveries! Pick up initial order cookies from the Service Unit Cookie Chair on your assigned date. February 11: GSMH Cupboards Open and Direct Sale Period Begins! February 18-20: Celebrate National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend. March 4: Third Cookie Merchandise Order Deadline. March 9: Troop deposit for initial order plus additional cookies is due. March 11: Deadline to submit changes for first ACH. March 16: GSMH will ACH 30% of the total amount due (initial plus additional cookies) from the troop account and enter the amount into Smart Cookies. March 23: Reminder to families, money due to troop for second ACH. March 25: Deadline to submit changes for second ACH. March 30: GSMH will ACH 30% of the total amount due from the troop account and enter the amount into Smart Cookies. April 3: The Direct Sales Period and Cookie Program Ends.

Ongoing During the Program

Sort and distribute cookies to girls in troops. If your troop needs more cookies, place order with cupboard through the planned order system—more info on page 40. Use Smart Cookies to manage troop inventory and allocate packages to girls—more info on pages 42-45. Make sure all parents have delivered all initial cookie orders and turned in money. Make sure to record all girl financial transactions in Smart Cookies.

After the Program

April 4: All remaining funds due from families to troop. April 6: All final paperwork and recognition orders due to Service Unit Cookie Chair. Final Paperwork includes Troop Balance Summary, Recognition Summary by Girl, 5-Cent Option Form, and Troop Bonus Form. Smart Cookies instructions on page 44. April 8: All Paperwork & Recognition Orders Due from Service Units to GSMH. April 11: Deadline to deposit remaining funds into troop account. April 12: Deadline to submit changes for final ACH. April 12: Uncollected Funds Reports Due. April 15: GSMH will ACH the remaining balance due from the troop account and enter the amount into Smart Cookies. Mid-May: Follow up with ACH debit and credits for those who participated in the extended sale. Pick up recognitions from your Service Unit Cookie Chair. Distribute recognitions to girls!

Extended Sales Period

Distributing Girl Rewards

April 4-30: The Extended Sales Period is an after-program opportunity for troops to sell their remaining inventory and continue earning troop proceeds through their troop ship only link.

The main benefit of the Cookie Program is the opportunity to learn and practice skills, but we all know the girls are super excited to have their efforts recognized by receiving their recognitions. Girl recognitions arrive in May* to your Service Unit Cookie Chair. They will contact you to arrange for a safe pick up of these highly anticipated items to give your girls! *Subject to change due to impacts of the pandemic.

TROOP COOKIE CHAIR KEY DUTIES

Girl Scouts are Always Prepared

As a Troop Cookie Chair, you play a large role in the success of your troop’s Cookie Program. And you even get to experience first-hand the girls’ growth in character and confidence as they learn new skills! We want to help you succeed and feel comfortable in your role. Here’s a summary of resources available to you as a Troop Cookie Chair.

New Virtual Office Hours!

Your Cookies+ Team will have virtual office hours for you to connect with us! Hop on a virtual Zoom meeting any Wednesday during the cookie season from 6–7 p.m. to visit, ask questions, and share best practices with each other. Any Girl Scout is welcome to join.

Facebook Lives Q&A

Join your Cookies+ Team for live Q&As hosted in our Volunteer Group on Facebook, these are a great way to network and get your questions answered!

Our Website

A copy of The Cookie Scoop is available digitally and includes easy to navigate pages with links and even more resources!

Resources to Prepare You for Your Cookie Chair Role

Smart Cookies

While the Smart Cookies Quick Guide on pages 42-45 includes the most helpful Smart Cookies features, inside Smart Cookies itself is a library of videos and tutorials to help you navigate this season.

ABC Bakers – YouTube

Need a little extra help managing your Girl Scout Cookie business? Check out some helpful videos for quick tips! There are more available videos just for you to check out as needed on the ABC YouTube Channel.

Your Support Teams

The Cookies+ Team, the Volunteer Support Team, and the Customer Service Team are all willing and able to help! Answering questions, walking through tasks, you name it! See page 46 for ways to connect with us for help.

Managing the Smart Cookies Software

Smart Cookies is your best friend during the Cookie Program. It’s where you sign up for booths, order cookies, get your social media link, get your virtual troop booth link, transfer cookies to girls, order rewards, and review your troop finances. Almost everything you do will connect back to Smart Cookies. There’s a whole section on Smart Cookies in this guide starting on page 42. As noted above, the ABC Bakers YouTube Channel is a useful tool when learning and mastering Smart Cookies. Scan this QR Code to see their whole channel— some of their videos are referenced throughout this document, but there's more!