Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Troop
Cookie Chair
Guide
For EVERY Troop Cookie Chair at EVERY STAGE
of the Girl Scout Cookie Sale
2018
Being a Troop Cookie Chair
Thank you for accepting the role of the Troop Cookie Chair! Your efforts are extremely important to the success of this
sale for our girls and troops.
Being A Troop Cookie Manager means that you have the passion to generate girls’ interests in learning how to be
their own boss and help them shape their dreams into something tangible. You will help girls discover their inner
entrepreneur, connect them and their parents to resources that make participating in the cookie program FUN and easy,
while taking action to ensure that all girls in the troop learn to take risks, think outside the box and dream big!
Read through this manual to learn more about the sale: what your troop can sell, different ways to sell, how to set troop
and individual goals, and what awesome rewards your girls can earn by participating. Make sure to share the information
in the manual with your troop and families so that together your troop can reach their goals!
Online Resources
Council website: www.nmgirlscouts.org eBudde Troop App:
The council website will have general information on our cookie https://ebudde.littlebrownie.com/troopapp/home
sale, videos and tip sheets, forms and a link to register as a Girl Mobile app that allows Troop Chairs to conduct their troop
Scout. business in eBudde through their smart phone or mobile device.
Sale Dates
The cookie sale runs from February 12, 2018 through March 25, 2018.
Troop Proceeds
Troops will earn 65 cents for every box of cookies that they sell. In addition, if your troop participated in the 2017 MagNut sale
and increased your sales by 35%-100% over your 2016 MagNut sales, then your troop earns anywhere from $.01= $.10 extra for
every box of cookies that your troop sells.Eligible troops will be notified in December.
Cookies
Flavors $4.25 a box: Thin Mints, Dosidos, Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, Savannah Smiles
Flavors $5.00 a box: S’mores, Gluten Free Toffee-tastic
Types of Payment
Cash and checks can be accepted as payment for
cookies. However; checks should only be accepted
from people you know. The council will not reimburse
troops for NSF checks and fees. A credit card option is
available through the Digital Cookie phone app.
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The Cookie Excitement Begins!
Did you know that our cookies have...
RSPO Certified (Mass Balance) Palm Oil
NO High-Fructose Corn Syrup
NO Artificial Colors
NO Artificial Flavors in Do-Si-Dos, Toffee-tastics, or Girl Scout S’mores
Zero Grams Trans Fat per Serving
100% Real Cocoa
Plus...
Do-Si-Dos have Hearty Whole Grain Oats
Thin Mints are Vegan
Toffee-tastics are Gluten Free
Girl Scout S’mores are made with natural flavors
New Format!
Cookie Nutrition Labels for 2018
Larger font for calories, added sugars declared, & new
vitamin/mineral categories.
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Program Highlights
Gift of Caring Online Store
The Gift of Caring Program is a great option for customers Digital Cookie allows girls to have their very own e-commerce
that want to support the troop but do not want any cookies store where customers can shop and pay for cookies online. It
for themselves. allows girls to manage their cookie business online with tools
to: set goals, compile a contact list of names, phone numbers
There are two Gift of Caring options: The troop option or the and email addresses, send digital order cards to customers
council option. Troops can promote one or both programs, where cookies can be paid for online with the option to have
AND earn troop proceeds and girl rewards at the same time! them shipped or delivered by their favorite Girl Scout! All
Either is a fantastic way for our Girl Scouts to reach out to parents with an email on file will receive an email invitation to
the community with cookies. register for online store access. Be sure to have the parents
add this email to their address book (email@email.girlscouts.
Council Gift of Caring. Troops receive the money and org) so that they receive all notifications. Contact khammon@
girls receive credit for their sales, but neither will take nmgirlscouts.org if you do not receive the registration email.
possession of the donated cookies. The Troop Cookie Chair
will enter the number of Gift of Caring boxes sold per girl Download the free Digital Cookie Mobile App from the Apple
into eBudde. The cookies will be allocated from the council’s App or Google Play store. Girls must be registered (it’s free!)
inventory and delivered to Blue Star Moms at the end of the for the Digital Order Card online store in order to use the app.
2017 Cookie Program. Girls that sell 12 or more Council Gift of
Caring boxes, will receive a Gift of Caring Patch. For further instructions on how to use Digital Cookies and the
Digital Cookies app, check out our tip sheets at:
Troop Gift of Caring. Troops also have the option to www.nmgirlscouts.org / COOKIES+ / For Cookie Sellers
donate cookies to a charitable organization of their choice.
By selecting the Troop Gift of Caring option, troops will
receive the money, girls will receive credit for their sales and
the cookies will be pulled from the troop’s inventory and
distributed by the troop to the organization of their choice at
the end of the 2017 Cookie Program.
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What’s New For 2018
Girl Experiences: Levels and Dates
• 750+ boxes – A Day at Cliff’s on June 2, 2018 (alternate date is July 14, 2018)
• 875+ boxes – Paint Party on May 5, 2018
• 1000+ boxes – Waterpark Fun @ Wyndham Albuquerque – April 28, 2018
• 1250+ boxes – Mini Resident Camp Session @ Rancho del Chaparral – July 5-July 8, 2018
• 1500+ boxes – Tea Party @ St. James Tea Room with the CEO – April 27, 2018
• 2000+ boxes – White Water Rafting – June 1, 2018
Contests!
GSNMT will have various contests throughout the cookie sale. Look for the requirements in our weekly cookie newsletters.
If you don’t receive the newsletter, contact the council and have your email added to the distribution list.
How to Participate
Participating in Girl Scouts of the USA’s Cookie Pro 2018 Contest is
literally as easy as 1, 2, 3!
1. Let your girls and parents know about the contest.
2. Choose a photo you want to submit, and have it ready to upload.
3. Choose the Cookie Pro Résumé survey for your grade level,
complete it, and upload your photo.
Every girl who enters Girl Scouts of the USA’s Cookie Pro 2018 Contest
will unlock this awesome, limited-edition Cookie Pro 2018 patch.
Grand Prize: Six girls nationwide, one per Girl Scout grade level, will be
named Girl Scouts of the USA’s Top Cookie Pro 2018 and get the epic chance
to:
• Be featured on the Girl Scout Cookie box!
• Travel to New York City for an all-expenses-paid Cookie
Entrepreneur Experience!
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Troop Cookie Checklist
December/January
� Register all of the troop volunteers and girls.
� Establish a troop bank account with two council approved volunteers.
� Attend cookie training and sign and submit Troop Cookie Chair & ACH Forms.
� At a troop meeting, assist girls in setting a troop goal and establishing their individual goals.
� Hold a parent meeting. Collect signed Product Sale Permission forms for each participating girl.
� Recruit parents to assist you. The troop will need help with initial order pick-up, coordinating and attending
cookie booths, picking up additional cookie orders, and making reminder phone calls for deadlines.
� Log into eBudde and verify that all registered girls are visible; verify contact info & add troop bank account.
� Have girls attend the Cookie Palooza on January 19-20 to boost their excitement about the cookie sale!
� Enter initial troop cookie order into eBudde by 11:59pm on January 24.
� Select initial order pick up time in eBudde, starting January 24.
February/March
� Sign up for cookie booths; round 1 of cookie booth selection starts on February 4 at 8pm.
� Set up your Troop’s Digital Cookie account AND encourage ALL girls to register for their Digital Cookie
account. Remind them to use their registered name- no nicknames.
� Pick up your troop’s initial cookie order. Go into eBudde and confirm delivery time and amount of cookies
you are picking up.
� Distribute ALL cookies to the girls and SUBMIT the troop’s final rewards in eBudde--make reward selections
for girls where needed--by 11:59pm on March 30.
Using the login and password you were given, login to eBudde https://ebudde.littlebrownie.com/ .
Once you have logged into eBudde you will need to do the following things:
• Contacts Tab: Verify that your personal information is correct. You can click the edit button to make any changes.
• Settings Tab: Click “edit settings” and enter your troop’s banking information. Click “update” once you are finished.
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2 Set Goals With Your Troop
Hold a Troop Meeting
Schedule a meeting with your troop to discuss your troop goals. What plans does your troop have? What will
it cost to accomplish those plans? Some examples of things that troops like to spend their cookie proceeds
on are books and uniforms for the girls, troop activities, field trips, service projects, Bronze/Silver/Gold Award
TIP
Encourage girls to set two types of goals:
Something FUN they would like to try and
Something they can do to help others
Troop Cookie Pickup Only Users: If you have a parent that is only picking up cookies for a troop, they will need to
complete the Volunteer Financial Responsibility Form. The Troop Cookie Chair must submit the form before the parent can
go and pick up cookies.
Troop Booth Recorder Only Users: Troops are required to use the Booth Sale Recorder. If there is a parent in a troop that
will only supervise booths for the troop and will be responsible for distributing the cookies after the sale, the Troop Cookie
Chair must have a signed Volunteer Financial Responsibility form and submit it to council before the booth shift.
TIPS
Let the girls share their individual and troop goals with the adults.
Show an inspiring video about why families value the program
(Little Brownie’s YouTube Channel).
Establish a system of communicating
during this busy time of year.
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4 Planning Your Initial Order
All cookie orders are entered into eBudde; the troop’s online ordering system. Cookie orders must be placed in increments of 12
packages by flavor as cookie orders are fulfilled by the case (12 packages per case). If you accidently enter a number less than the
number of packages in a case, the system will automatically round up to the nearest case. For example, if you order 22 packages of
Thin Mints, the system will round up to 24 packages equaling two full cases.
Initial Order for Returning Troops (troops that have participated in two or more cookie sales)
Council recommends that each girl begin with a minimum order of 160 packages per girl. This is approximately $680 in product. The
initial amount ordered is specifically for the first two weeks of the sale. On average, girls in our council sell a total of 300 packages
during the 6 week sale. You can determine whether or not to increase or decrease the recommended amount of packages based on
the girl’s customer list or sales goals. You can order extra cookies so that you can easily replenish the girl’s inventory after she has
sold and paid the troop for all of the initial packages. Council recommends that troops order an extra two cases of the top six flavors
since you cannot get more until February 28 when the cookie cupboard opens. Do not include packages that are intended for booth
sales in this order.
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5 Pick Up Your Initial Order
How many cookies will fit in my vehicle
The following is a comfortable guideline to use when planning to pick up
cookies. The approximate amounts stated are figured with the vehicle empty
using all space except the driver’s seat.
Approximate #
Car Type
of Cases
Compact Car 23
Hatchback Car 30
Mid-Size Sedan 35
Sport Utility Vehicle (Lrg) 60
Station Wagon 75
Minivan (seats in) 75
Pickup Truck (full bed) 100
Cargo Van (seats in) 200
Deadline to place order Available to pick up order How many cookies and what
February 26, 2018 February 28-March 2, 2018 varieties should you order?
March 5, 2018 March 7 – 9, 2018 Most troops will sell an average of 70 boxes of cookies
March 12, 2018 March 14-16, 2018 during a cookie booth. This is just an estimate--many
March 19, 2018 March 21 – 23, 2018 things such as weather, location, time of day, and day of
the week play a part in the success of a troop’s cookie
• Albuquerque cookie cupboard is open 8am-5pm Wednesday – Friday booth sales. Also keep in mind the first two weekends of
only. Regional area cupboards times will vary from area to area. Contact booths are very popular vs. the last two weekends.
your Service Unit Cookie Chair for more details.
Troop to Troop Transfers The troop transferring the cookies out is responsible
Another great way to get cookies for your troop is to contact other troops for entering the transaction in eBudde. This needs to be
through your Service Unit Email group or the GSNMT Product Program completed as soon as the exchange happens so that the
Chairs Facebook Page. This will not only help your troop out but also the receiving troop can distribute the cookies in eBudde to
troop that is looking to transfer cookies or willing to trade flavors. their girls. Don’t forget to complete a receipt.
Girls have fun together planning an in-home cookie sales party and invite their friends
and family learn about their big goals for the season and support their dreams by buying
cases of cookies. A great way for troops to supercharge their cookie sales.
• Girls invite their customers to a cookie themed gathering
• Offer customers samples of the cookies and refreshments
• Share their BIG goals and customers make Big purchases.
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Digital Cookie
Digital Order Card online store, also known as Digital Cookie, allows
girls to have their very own e-commerce store where customers
can shop and pay for cookies online. It allows girls to manage their
cookie business online with tools to: set goals, compile a contact list
of names, phone numbers and email addresses send digital order
cards to customers where cookies can be paid for online with the
option to have them shipped or delivered by their favorite Girl Scout!
All parents will receive an invitation email to register for online store
access by January 22. Be sure to add this email to your address book (email@email.girlscouts.org) so that you will receive all
notifications. If you are a new Girl Scout member or did not receive the link, visit our website www.nmgirlscouts.org/en/cookies/
for-cookie-sellers/digital-cookie.html .
Girls can also take customer orders and payments through the Digital Cookie app on their smart phone or tablet. Simply
download the free Digital Cookie Mobile App from the iTunes or Google Play store. Girls must be registered (it’s free!) for the Digital
Order Card online store in order to use the app. For further instructions on how to use Digital Cookie and the Digital Cookie app,
check out our quick sheet at http://www.nmgirlscouts.org/en/cookies/for-cookiesellers/ digital-cookie.html.
DO DON’T
Girls over 13 and family members may use their Girls and family members may not place online ads for Girl Scout cookies
personal social media accounts to promote or sell cookies on public sites such as Craigslist, eBay, Facebook groups,
the sale and share the girls online store link. Pinterest, Yard Sale groups or send email blasts to a work distribution list. All
Customers can then purchase cookies from the online sales must be conducted through the online store; Digital Order Card.
online store and select girl delivery, shipping or
donation for their purchase.
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Booth Sales
A cookie booth sale is when troops get together to sell cookies in front of approved
businesses during the weekday evenings and weekends during the month of March.
Some location examples of cookie booths include grocery stores, retail stores,
restaurants, places of worship, private schools, sporting events, fairs, malls and coffee
shops.
Booths may not be held in empty lots, sidewalks, liquor stores, medical
dispensaries, store parking lots, casinos, or other
locations deemed inappropriate by Council
Booth sales will begin Friday, March 2, 2018. Council will secure a majority of the booth
locations. Troops have the ability to choose 3 booth locations during each of the first 3
rounds, of which 2 may be at the same location. At the end of Round 3, troops may have
up to 9 booth slots with 6 of those slots being at the same location. Any new booth
locations received during the first three rounds will be entered before the first day of
each new round. For Round 4, Troops may sign up for as many booths as they would
like.
My Sales
Troops have the option of finding their own additional booth locations using the ‘My
Sales Tab’ in eBudde. Examples of My Sales booth locations: places of worship, private
schools, local stores and restaurants, banks, and other private institutions.
• Troops must first verify that council has not already contacted the location by
checking in EBudde. Council will upload all solicited locations.
• Get approval from the location owner/manager
• Enter the location under the My Sales Tab in EBudde at least one business day in advance. Booths should be entered in
two hour increments. You must enter all locations contacted regardless of approval.
• Wait for the booth to be approved or denied by council. You will be notified of this through EBudde.
• It is as important to go into eBudde and cancel a booth as it is to sign up for one. The cookie locator app for smart phones
and the Cookie Locator button on our website receives information from the eBudde booth list. This is how the general
public locates booths.
Booth Rules
• Troops - Have a minimum of two adults and two girls at the booth at all times. From time to time, volunteers might want to
take breaks or will have to accompany your girls to the bathroom, so make sure additional adults are on hand.
• Older girl Troops (CSA’s) - Older girl troops can have one girl and two adults at a booth.
Forms of Payment
We suggest that you only accept cash or credit cards as payment during booth sales. It is recommended to begin your booth
with $125 in your cash box; you should have a minimum of $20 in quarters and plenty of ones and fives.
Troops can accept checks, at their own risk; council will not reimburse for any NSF checks or fees. Credit card sales should be
taken using only one girl’s digital cookie app. Once the booth has concluded, the troop cookie chair should go into eBudde to
reconcile the booth sale amongst the girls who participated in this booth sale:
• distribute boxes sold among the girls that worked that booth
• distribute the money collected during this booth sale (including those sales processed using the Digital Cookie app)
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Every Cookie Has a Mission
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a Hands-On
Leadership and Entrepreneurial Program
Sure, they’re awesomely delicious, but beyond the sweetness, Girl Scout Cookies are an opportunity for girls to do ex-
traordinary things.
When customers make a Girl Scout Cookie purchase, they’re helping the next generation of girl entrepreneurs get an
important taste of what it takes to be successful- teamwork, planning, and a positive outlook (for starters).
Proceeds from our sale stay within our local community and help power new experiences for over 3,000 awesome
G.I.R.L.s (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) who sell Girl Scout Cookies! Whether it’s a trip she’ll never forget, a
service project that will change her community forever, or the opportunity to build a lifetime of memories at camp, Girl
Scout Cookies help make it all happen!
Each box of cookies sold provides income to the Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails
and helps offset operational costs for:
• Delivering programs to over 3,000 girl members in a 23 county territory spanning 71,486 square miles.
• Maintaining two camp properties covering over 1,700 acres--insurance, upkeep, proper land stewardship, tents,
beds,commercial kitchens, and program supplies.
• Providing membership and/or camp scholarship to girls whose families need financial assistance to participate.
• Providing training to over 1,000 adult member volunteers.
• Providing financial support for GSNMT sponsored events to keep activities affordable.
• Operating the Albuquerque and regional service centers.
• Providing volunteer screening and background checks.
• Providing required insurance for Girl Scout activities.
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8 Manage the Money
Troops earn $0.65 in proceeds for every box
sold!
Product and Money Transactions
Set deadlines for parents to turn money in regularly to the troop. Keep in mind to give yourself time to deposit the money in to
your troop account and for checks to clear so that it is available the day before the ACH. Most troops have a weekly meeting
during cookie sales to distribute more cookies and collect money. Do not distribute additional cookies to any family until
you’ve received payment for all cookies previously checked out.
• 1st withdrawal: March 6 for $2 per box due to GSNMT for your initial order
• 2nd withdrawal: April 6 for the remaining amount due for all cookies sold
All troop Chairs will be notified a week before the ACH date with the amount that is to be deducted from their troop’s
account. If you have a question about your amount or do not have enough money to cover the withdrawal, please reply
back to the email immediately- no later than two days before the scheduled ACH date- so that your troop account does
not incur any NSF fees.
Tips
1. Share your deadlines and expectations for the collections
of monies with girls/parents.
2. Issue receipts for all cookies distributed to girls/parents and for every
payment made to the troop. G-3 receipts are perfect for this.
5. The troop should deposit all money collected into their troop account
early and often--don’t hold on to money that you cannot afford to replace.
7. Remember, proceeds become part of the troop’s treasury and are not
given to or belong to any individual girl(s).
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9 Wrap Up the Program
Everything comes to an end and the cookie program is no different...
Enter final sales totals and select final girl rewards
No later than Friday, March 30 at 11:59pm
Tip
Have the girls fill out the reward
selection sheet, available online and
in the girl manual.
In an effort to maintain the spirit of earning individual and troop rewards through
participation, girls must have paid their cookie balance in full by the troop deadline
(typically a few days before the ACH withdrawal).
Failure to do so will result in forfeiting rewards. No exceptions.
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