VOLUNTEER COOKIE MANUAL 2020-2021 New volunteer? We’ve got you covered with a 5-STEP ACTION PLAN! eBudde™ Mobile meets you wherever you’re at in the Girl Scout Cookie Season The largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world is moving forward in bold ways. We’re offering you more options than ever as a volunteer to build the foundation for entrepreneurship and guide girls to success, while keeping their safety in clear focus. No matter which path you take—virtual, in-person or both—we’ve got tips and resources to support you the whole way. TABLE OF CONTENTS What’s New from Little Brownie Bakers—4-5 Important Dates—6 Hot Cookie Pro Tips—7 Helpful How-To Video Links—7 Girl Scout Cookies—8 Necessary Forms & Links—10 Contact Your Council—11 5 Steps to Support Her Pathway to Success—12 Step 1: Get Yourself Set for a Great Season—13-14 Step 2: Meet with Girls and Families—15-16 Step 3: Tap into the Power of eBudde—17-18 Step 4: Help Girls Succeed as Cookie Entrepreneurs—19-26 Cookie Cupboard Locations—20 Cookie Cupboard Guidelines—21 How to Re-Order Cookies—21 Council Promotions—22 Cookie Booths & Booth Etiquette—23 Cookie Booth Essentials—24-25 Step 5: Recognize Achievements—27-31 Final Girl Rewards—30 Cookie Points Chart—31 Additional Girl Rewards—31 Cookie Booth Flow Chart—32 Service Area Map—33 Cookie Booth Letter—34 Parent Debt Procedure Form—35 Troop Debt Procedure Form—36-37 Delinquent Account Form—38 Service Area Bonus Form—39 2 Your Invaluable Role Troop Cookie Managers are an invaluable part of the Girl Scout Cookie Program.® Volunteers like you are the champions, role models and cookie coaches who help girls discover their amazing potential and take steps toward achieving their goals. 5 ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR GIRLS With your support, girls in the program build essential skills and learn to think like entrepreneurs. GOAL SETTING Girls learn how to set goals and create a plan to reach them DECISION MAKING Girls learn to make decisions on their own and as a team MONEY MANAGEMENT Girls learn to create a budget and handle money PEOPLE SKILLS Girls find their voice and build confidence through customer interactions BUSINESS ETHICS Girls learn to act ethically, both in business and in life Today’s girls are already thinking like entrepreneurs.* With your guidance, girls are able to build on their thinking and start running their own Girl Scout Cookie™ businesses. *SOURCE: “Today’s Girls, Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs,” A Report by the Girl Scout Research Institute Every Girl Scout has it in her to do great things. WITH YOUR SUPPORT, SHE’LL RISE TO SUCCESS! 3 What’s New from Little Brownie Bakers Your busy life picks up speed during Girl Scout Cookie Season. You need tools and digital resources that not only keep pace, but also help keep you and your girls moving toward success—while having lots of fun along the way. We’ve got you covered! eBudde™ Mobile The must-have app for volunteers in the Girl Scout Cookie Program® now has a new name. eBudde Mobile makes your life simpler by meeting you wherever you are in the season. From a troop or service area dashboard, get all the information you need Simple icons take you to important messages, booth locations*, checklists and more Watch training videos and get help from within the app *See social-distancing and online safety guidelines. 4 Continued What’s New from Little Brownie Bakers Social Media Shareables Online Tips & Ideas How can you help tomorrow’s female entrepreneurs Help girls build online marketing skills and learn about promote their Girl Scout Cookie™ businesses? e-commerce with the support of online tools like the Digital We’ve got all the social resources you need on Cookie® platform. We’ve also got inspiration for engaging LittleBrownie.com. girls in virtual activities! Resources are easily searchable by category, Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie including cookie news, special promotions, holiday Entrepreneurs and Families themes, profile pictures and more Girls of all ages should partner with their parents Each post includes a professionally designed or guardians to develop a plan to safely market their graphic and customizable message cookie business online. Get started using this resource New posts are added throughout the year available at girlscoutcookies.org/digitalmarketingtips. MAKE IT VIRTUAL! Find familiar in-person resources with a tech twist, along with several new digital ideas. These strategies help girls reach their goals in virtual environments when in-person is not an option. Girl Scouts® of the USA has a suite of resources— including social media tools and more—available for download at girlscoutcookies.org/ troopleaders. *See social-distancing and online safety guidelines. 5 Important Dates 12/1—Cookie Product Program Volunteer Training goes LIVE on gsLearn December 12/15—”Cookies in January” Mini-Training Session, 6:30 p.m. 1/1—Girl Scout Cookie Program begins ____Troop information verified in eBudde system ____Troop bank account information entered into eBudde system 1/12—”Cookies in February” Mini-Training Session, 6:30 p.m. 1/18—Initial Cookie Order ends ____Initial cookie order due in eBudde system by 11:59 p.m. ____Initial order rewards due in eBudde system by 11:59 p.m. 1/22—Paperwork Due ____Product Manager Agreement Form - Online ____Withdraw Authorization Form (ACH Form) - Online January ____Parent Permission Forms (Verified by Troop Product Manager) - Online ____Troop Debt Form – Signed paper turned into Council ____Parent Debt Forms – Signed paper turned into Council ____Booth Selection Spreadsheet from Service Area Product Manager turned into Council 1/30—Cookie Booth Sign-Up Day (See details on page 23) 2/4-2/9—Initial cookie delivery to Service Areas 2/11—Cookie cupboards open February 2/12—Cookie booths begin 2/19-2/21—National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend 2/22—First half of your initial order payment due into your troop bank account 3/2—“Cookies in March” Mini-Training Session, 6:30 p.m. 3/5—Cookie cupboards close 3/14—Girl Scout Cookie Program ends 3/15 – 3/16—Troops finalize eBudde system by 11:59 p.m. ____ All cookies are assigned to a girl resulting in a zero inventory balance ____ Rewards are selected and submitted in eBudde system ____ Any parent delinquent forms completed and given to the Service Area Product Program Manager 3/17—All money should be deposited into the troop bank account March ____Troops should notify their Service Area Product Program Manager if a decrease in the final payment is needed, must include receipts and all accompanying documentation 3/17 – 3/18—Service Area Product Manager to finalize eBudde system by 11:59 p.m. ____Service Area Product Manager to notify Council if a decrease in the troop final payment is needed, must include receipts and all accompanying documentation ____Service Area Product Managers to complete Service Area Bonus Form - Online April First part of April – Theme Rewards & Cookie Point Credits Distributed May First part of May – Council Rewards Distributed/Available 6 Hot Cookie Pro Tips Helpful How-To Video Links https://www.youtube.com/LittleBrownieBakers Placing an Initial Cookie Order: http://youtu.be/8kwinF3HT7c Initial Cookie Order Delivery: http://youtu.be/tEzohypsS0Q Sign-up for Cookie Booths: http://youtu.be/2KufWt4noaM Final Cookie Balance: http://youtu.be/HfsH5dxfa9s 7 $4.00 $4.00 $4.00 $4.00 $4.00 $4.00 $6.00 $6.00 8 Make It Virtual! We’re giving you more ideas and resources than ever to take your cookie season to the next level, digitally! Look for this icon. Virtual Resources on LittleBrownie.com Visit LittleBrownie.com for virtual activities, resources and digital tools that allow you to customize an experience that makes sense for your troop. Use a few, use them all, or create your own! Girl Scouts’ Online Safety Resources Whatever approach you decide to take this Girl Scout Cookie Season, we have tools to equip you to be flexible in a range of environments. You can find Girl Scouts® safety materials and resources later in this manual, and additional information at girlscoutcookies.org/troopleaders. 9 Necessary Forms & Links 10 Contact Your Council 11 5 STEPS to Support Her Pathway to Success There’s only one way to have a successful Girl Scout Cookie Program®, and that’s to plan for it! In the remainder of this manual, you’ll find everything you need to plan, build and celebrate a successful program for 2020-2021—all organized into five simple steps. GET STARTED Get Yourself Set Meet with Girls 1 for a Great Season 2 and Families Primary Contacts Key Dates Volunteer Training Girl Stories Cookie Season Planner Cookie Story Sharing Girl Scout™ Badge Portfolio Girl Scouts® My Cookie Friend Goal-setting Activities Cookie Program Health and Safety Guidelines Girl Scouts® Cookie Rookie Girl Scouts® Cookie Captains Family Guide Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin collection OPEN FOR BUSINESS Tap into the Help Girls Succeed as 3 Power of eBudde™ 4 Cookie Entrepreneurs eBudde™ Mobile Key Dates eBudde™ Quick Guide Volunteer Shareables Girl Order Card Digital Cookie® platform Booth Events Girl Scouts® Cookie House Party CELEBRATE Recognize GIRLS ARE READY… Achievements 5 AND YOU ARE, TOO! Key Dates Recognizing Girls 79% of Girl Scouts have an Send “Thanks!” entrepreneurial mindset Celebrate Achievements of Girl Scouts are interested in 91% becoming an entrepreneur SOURCE: “Today’s Girls, Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs”: A Report by the Girl Scout Research Institute 12 GET STARTED Get Yourself Set for 1 a Great Season My Service Area is: The Girl Scout Cookie Program® ____________________ is led by girls, but getting all the right tools in place starts Service Area with you.