Cookies FAQ

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the country and generates immeasurable benefits for girls, our local communities and our council. Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program girls develop five essential skills:

• Goal Setting
• Decision Making
• Money Management
• People Skills
• Business Ethics

All of the proceeds generated from cookie activities support Girl Scouting, including the portion that goes directly to the troop as proceeds. Troop proceeds never become the property of individual girls. Instead, they are distributed to the troop. Additionally, the cookie program benefits all girls involved in Girl Scouting through the various programs we create, financial assistance for girl program participation, use of council resources, community projects, and travel.

The cookie program is an important part of Girl Scouting. Not only does it support girl programs and activities, but it teaches girls five essential skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is also a fun activity that helps raise critically needed funds that support individual troops and our council.

Selling Girl Scout cookies is voluntary for the girls. Parents/guardians must give written permission for a girl to participate in this activity. Most families want their daughters to participate in this program because of the five leadership skills their Girl Scout develops: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

All of the revenue - every penny after paying the baker - remains in the area where the Girl Scout Cookies are sold. The cookie sale directly and indirectly benefits Girl Scouts in our local communities. Girl Scout Cookie proceeds are used for many purposes such as providing financial assistance for girls, leadership development for adult volunteers and the maintenance of campsites. At the Girl Scout Troop level, the girls vote on how to spend the money they earned. Examples include special trips to museums or exhibitions, overnight stays at camp, and community service projects.

Girls are the ultimate beneficiaries of the revenue from all Girl Scout Product Program Activities-either directly or indirectly. Girls directly benefit by developing the five essential skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Girls also indirectly benefit by participating in a vast range of council-wide activities, made possible - in part - by of the proceeds earned by their troop during our annual Girl Scout Cookie Program. Those proceeds also benefit all of the girls in our Council by providing essential services to our membership such as financial assistance, program resources, training for adult volunteers, and the support of special events. The Board of Directors sets guidelines for the portion of proceeds that goes directly to Girl Scout troops selling Girl Scout cookies. Girl Scout Cookie Program proceeds account for a portion, but not all, of our Council's operating budget.

Every local council sets the price per box, based on its needs and its knowledge of its local market. The price per box, therefore, may vary from one Girl Scout council to another and from one year to the next. Today's prices reflect both the current cost of purchasing cookies from a licensed baker and the realities of providing Girl Scout activities in an ever-changing economic environment.

A supervising adult must always be present for all Girl Scout activities, including the cookie program. The cookie program is a wonderful opportunity for you and your daughter to spend quality time together. If you are not accompanying your daughter, you should find out which adult(s) will be present before giving her permission to participate.

You can feel confident about your participation in the great American tradition of selling Girl Scout cookies because in Girl Scouting, safety is never left to chance.

Girl Scouts cannot make financial transactions or exchange money online for product sales. Please view The 411 on Online Marketing for Girl Scout Product Activities for more detailed information.

Before the start of the Cookie Program, a troop or girl chooses which organization in their community they would like to be the recipient of donated Girl Scout cookies (i.e. senior citizen's centers, VA hospitals, food banks and shelters, local police officers, firefighters, etc). Girls will then ask customers if they would like to purchase an additional box of cookies as a gift to the chosen organization. She explains that this is a Girl Scout Community Service Project. The Cookie Share Program is a great way to engage customers who, due to dietary or other reasons, do not want to receive a box of cookies, but would still like to support the Girl Scouts.

The Cookie Share Taste of Home Program is a council sponsored service project in which boxes of Girl Scout cookies are donated to our soldiers in the Armed Forces. Before the start of the Cookie Program, a troop or girl decides if they wish to participate in this program. Girls ask customers to purchase an additional box of cookies as a gift to a soldier. She explains that this is a Girl Scout Community Service Project and is a great way to support our troops in the military.

Individuals who buy Girl Scout cookies and take the cookies home or consume the cookies have purchased a product at a fair market value. For this reason, no part of the price of a box of Girl Scout cookies is tax-deductible.

Many Girl Scouts ask customers to pay for one or more boxes of cookies for use with their community service project -- for example, supporting the Cookie Share in the Community or Taste of Home program. These customers do not receive any Girl Scout cookies and so do not benefit directly from paying for the cookies. These individuals may treat the purchase price of the cookies as a charitable contribution.

For more information about the Girl Scout Cookie Program in central and southern NJ, contact the Product Program Department at 800.582.7692.