GUIDELINES AND REMINDERS FOR GROUP MONEY-EARNING Money-earning projects require considerable advanced planning. Please review the Blue Book of Basic Documents (http://gsneny.org/wp-content/uploads/bluebookofbasicdocuments.pdf, page 18) and Volunteer Essentials (http://gsneny.org/wp-content/uploads/volunteer-essentials_web.pdf, pages 51-53 & 59-60) to help you get started and to determine what type of request you are submitting. Money-earning projects, including grants, should not exceed what the group needs to support its activities. Therefore, a realistic and detailed budget needs to be prepared prior to determining whether a money-earning project is needed, and which project is the best prospect for the project. IMPORTANT REMINDERS: Participation in both QSP and the Cookie Programs is required to receive approval for additional money-earning projects or grants Income from money-earning projects and grants never becomes the property of individual girls or adults; it must be held in the Troop s/community s account and used only for expenses outlined in the application. Income from money-earning projects must be reported on the Troop s/community s Finance Report. Girl Scout Daisies can participate in one additional money-earning project outside of Product Sales. Permission MUST be obtained BEFORE ordering any products or scheduling the event or activity, or before any paperwork is submitted to a grant funder. Money-earning projects should not be scheduled from the onset of the QSP program through the payment due date (roughly mid-september through October), and not from the beginning of initial ordering to the payment due date for the Cookie program (roughly early January through March). Exceptions to these black-out periods may be granted only if BOTH the following criteria are met: 1. Either the date of the money-earning opportunity is outside the control of the Troop or Community, or the event is a longstanding tradition with impact on the larger non-girl Scout community which happens to conflict with a Product Sales Program, AND 2. The product or service being offered through the money-earning project does not conflict with the Product Sales Program. Examples: Doing a bake sale at a mall during the Girl Scout Cookie Program would NOT be approved. Hosting a lemonade stand at a large community event that attracts crowds of attendees from outside the community during QSP may be an acceptable exception to the black-out period. To apply for special permission to do a money-earning project during the black-out periods, submit your Group Money-Earning Request Form TWO MONTHS in advance to your Community Chair, who will submit it for approval to your Regional Strategic Partners (SP). GENERAL REMINDERS: o Be sure to list the amount you hope to earn from your money-earning project or receive from a grant in the project budget. o It is your responsibility, after completing a money-earning project, to email the person who approved your project and notify them how much money you earned/how much the grant funded. o If the request is for a Community instead of a Troop or money-earning project instead of a grant, you may mark some items N/A (i.e. Troop #, Grant funder s contact info).
FOR A MONEY-EARNING PROJECT: Money-earning projects involve the girls providing a service or selling an item that they have made. Girls should be included or lead the choosing of, preparing for, and execution of the money-earning project, as appropriate for their ages and abilities. Instructions for form: 1. The group completes the request and submits at least one month prior to the project date. o Troop requests go to the Community Chair o Community requests and requests for troops led by the Community Chair go to the Strategic Partner. o Bronze Award requests go to bronzeaward@gsneny.org. Silver Award requests go to silveraward@gsneny.org and Gold Award requests go goldaward@gsneny.org. 2. Appropriate volunteer or staff member verifies participation in both of the Product Sales programs. 3. If approval is granted, the person approving the project contacts the applicant and inputs the information into the appropriate Google docs tracking tool. OR If the request is denied the requestor will be contacted to discuss the request and offer suggestions. The form must still be approved before the project may take place. FOR A GRANT APPLICATION: Grants are money-earning projects listed in the Money-Earning Basics and Financial Procedures section of Volunteer Essentials as an example of an inappropriate money-earning activity for girl involvement as they are direct solicitations for cash. However, Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York has the option to make exceptions in particular cases. To comply with IRS regulations, all grant funds must be receipted at the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York Fund Development Processing Office and a check will be reissued back to the Troop. Grants can be extremely competitive, depending on the number of groups or individuals that apply and the amount of available funds. Projects that closely align with a funder s mission and funding priorities are more likely to be successful. Grants require careful research and planning, and attention to details and deadlines. Be sure that you know when the grant funder will notify applicants of their decisions and that your project fits that timeline. Be prepared to report back to the funder if you are awarded a grant as most grant funders require reporting. Many grant projects require copies of all receipts as part of a financial report, as well as narrative report(s) on the progress made toward your stated goals. Instructions for form: 1. After conferring with council staff, adult volunteer completes request and sends it to the Grant Writer in the Plattsburgh Service Center for approval at least one month prior to the grant deadline. 2. After conferring with Strategic Partnership staff and Regional volunteers, Grant Writer will notify the volunteer of approval or denial within one week of receiving request. If approval is not given, the Grant Writer will return the request to the volunteer with an explanation. 3. If approval is given, the Grant Writer will contact the volunteer within one week of receiving request to discuss details of project and grant requirements. For questions about grants or to submit a request: Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York P (518) 563-1560 x 307 Fund Development Processing Office F (518) 563-5003 107 Hammond Lane, Suite 1 nhilchey@gsneny.org Plattsburgh, NY 12901
GROUP MONEY-EARNING REQUEST FORM *SUBMIT ONE MONTH BEFORE STARTING PROJECT OR BEFORE GRANT DEADLINE Money-Earning project Grant Application Date Community # Region Troop#/Group Applicant s Name Girl Scout level: Phone Address Street City Zip Email address Balance in Group treasury at present date: $ Troop dues: $ We have participated in: QSP/Be A Reader Sales Girl Scout Cookie Program other Group money-earning projects: Money-Earning Project Information (How you will earn the money) Proposed money-earning project or grant funder: (i.e. car wash or who the application will go to) Grant funder s contact info (if applicable): Outline of money-earning project (activities, timeline) How are girls involved in planning/implementing the money-earning project?
Girl Scout Leadership Experience-Related Activity Information (How you will spend the money) Bronze/Silver/Gold Award project GSLE project (Journey, Badge, etc.) Pathways Activity Name of activity the funds will support: Date(s) of activity Approximate number of girls participating Adults participating How are the girls involved in planning and implementing the Girl Scout Leadership Experience activity? What need(s) is the activity addressing? How many people will be affected by the activity? Which expenses will the money earned or grant funds cover? (Be specific) Discover, Connect, Take Action: Please complete the sections applicable to your project: What will the girls discover through this activity? Who will the girls connect to or how will the girls strengthen their connection to each other? What will the girls learn by taking action? How and when will you evaluate that these goals were achieved?
ACTIVITY BUDGET (If needed, please list additional details on a separate page.) Description of Expense Items (What are you spending the money on?) Materials and Supplies Amount Food & Beverages Printing/Marketing Postage Venue Fee Transportation Rental Gas Tolls Lodging Other Travel Costs Insurance Other Description of Income Items (How are you paying for the expenses above?) Troop contribution from treasury (Troop dues, product sales income) Amount (must be =/< expenses) Community contribution from treasury (product sales income) Program Fees In-Kind Donations Money-Earning Projects Grants FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Approved Denied Signed by Volunteer name: Date GSNENY staff name: