Product Program

Girl Scout Cookie and Fall Product Programs

From marketing tools and selling tips to info on pins, badges, and more—check out these handy resources for your Girl Scouts' businesses.

Learning to think like an entrepreneur? Developing business smarts? Getting to know customers and building lasting relationships? There’s so much more to that package of Thin Mints®.

Whether they participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program or the Girl Scout Fall Product Program (or both!), Girl Scouts learn things that prepare them to take on the world. Plus, Girl Scout Cookie proceeds stay in your local community to power amazing year-round experiences that broaden Girl Scouts' worlds and spark their sense of wonder.

Fall Product Resources

Earn start-up funds and practice entrepreneurship skills.

For Cookie Volunteers

Get tips and tricks to support your savvy cookie entrepreneurs.

Product Program Forms

Search for important forms for managing your troop's Product Programs.

Your Role as a Volunteer toggle arrow

You play an exciting role in giving your Girl Scouts opportunities to practice the five essential skills as they learn how to think like entrepreneurs. Some of the things you’ll do include:

Get Girl Scouts excited about the opportunities to support the troop (but allowing their participation to be voluntary).
Support both competitive and apprehensive cookie bosses, helping all of them set meaningful goals for themselves.
Fostering partnerships with each Girl Scout’s family to ensure cookie season success, whatever that may look like for the Girl Scout, will help you build a positive partnership with Girl Scouts and families. The Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin is designed to help families support their growth at home.

Not only can Girl Scouts sell individually, both in-person and using the online tools provided, they can also participate in group booth sales during product programs. Girl Scouts will always be able to sell cookies to members of their personal network, regardless of where they live. Your local council may have additional guidance and processes to ensure every booth is in a safe and appropriate location.

As your Girl Scouts grow, your role will evolve from a hands-on one to providing oversight and support where needed. No matter their ages, remember that volunteers and parents/caregivers do not sell the product. Your role is to encourage your troop and let their entrepreneurial spirit soar. Learning by doing is exactly how your Girl Scouts develop the business savvy and communication skills that will empower them to reach any goals they set for themselves.

Another critical task for each troop is to establish a clear accounting system for all proceeds and product during the programs. It's up to you to make sure that money is spent wisely, that excellent records are kept (remember to keep copies of all receipts), and that all product is tracked. For older Girl Scouts, your job is to oversee their work as they learn to keep impeccable records. Be sure to attend product program orientation or training so you are aware of the systems and helpful tools available.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program and the fall product program can be exhilarating and busy times during the troop year, but you’re never alone in your efforts! You can reach out to your service unit product program manager when you’re feeling stuck, or you can build a cookie team to provide the support your troop needs.

Five Essential Skills toggle arrow

Girl Scouts as young as five develop five essential skills through the Girl Scout Cookie Program that will help them be successful today and throughout their lives:

Goal Setting. Girl Scouts learn to create a plan to reach their goals.
Decision Making. Girl Scouts learn to make decisions on their own and as a team.
Money Management. Girl Scouts learn to create a budget and handle money.
People Skills. Girl Scouts find their voice and up their confidence through customer interactions that build relationships.
Business Ethics. Girl Scouts learn to act responsibly and honestly, both in business and in life.

But building their business know-how isn’t just tied to the cookies themselves! Girl Scouts at any level can continue honing their entrepreneurial skills by earning the Cookie Business badges, Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin, and the Financial Literacy badges year over year.

Before your entrepreneur opens shop, be sure to check out these helpful troop leader resources that will empower you to:

Manage your troop’s funds.
Learn how Girl Scouts participate in money earning.
Discover how your troop can reach its financial goals.
Plan activities to help them earn cookie pins and badges.
Understand just how much your Girl Scouts are capable of by grade level and how their entrepreneurial skills progress.

Girl Scout Cookie History toggle arrow

What started with Girl Scouts selling home-baked cookies to raise money grew into enlisting professional bakers in 1936 to handle the growing demand—and the rest is history. Explore Girl Scout Cookie History to find out how cookies have helped build generations of female entrepreneurs and leaders who make the world a better place.

Where Cookie Proceeds Go toggle arrow

After paying for the cost of cookies and materials, Girl Scout Cookie proceeds stay local and help councils provide Girl Scout programs in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship, and more—in camps, through leadership training, and multiple other ways. Troops directly manage a portion of the proceeds, and it’s up to them to decide how to invest their troop’s share of the earnings.

A breakdown of how cookie program proceeds support Girl Scouts of Central Texas activities locally can be found in the Cookie Booth Essentials (PDF). Please share this information with your troop and their families so everyone understands that product program sales make it possible for Girl Scouts of Central Texas to serve our members.

Troop members share in the proceeds from a successful product program; proceeds are not distributed to individual youth members. Girl Scouts, however, may be eligible for rewards and credits that they put toward council-sponsored camps, programs, and Girl Scout swag. The council plan for rewards applies equally to all youth participating in the product program activity. Visit For Cookie Sellers for more information about individual rewards.

The Girl Scouts Blue Book of Basic Documents specifies that:

“All money and other assets, including property, that are raised, earned, or otherwise received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting must be held and authorized by a Girl Scout council or Girl Scouts of the USA. Such money and other assets must be used for the purposes of Girl Scouting.”

— “Ownership of Assets,” Girl Scouts Blue Book of Basic Documents

Making s’mores under the stars, creating a lasting impact in your community, or ordering supplies for an eye-opening STEM project—there are limitless ways to put troop proceeds toward dynamic Girl Scout experiences! There are a few things, however, that don’t qualify for “purposes of Girl Scouting,” for instance, using troop proceeds to purchase memberships in or uniforms for another organization. We encourage all councils to remind their volunteers of this policy in order to avoid diversion of Girl Scout funds.

Product Program Partners toggle arrow

When you are set up for success, you are better able to set up your troop for success! That’s why every year, Girl Scouts of Central Texas provides training, guidelines, and procedures for conducting the Girl Scout Cookie Program and Fall Product Program and determines how the proceeds and product rewards system will be managed. Read on to find the answers you need and local training and resources.

Each Girl Scout council selects the vendors of its choice to provide the products for their product programs. Two commercial bakers are licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to produce Girl Scout Cookies: Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers. Girl Scouts of Central Texas partners with ABC Baker. You can also Meet the Cookies and find additional info on cookie varieties, including nutritional details.

Councils also work with vendors to offer magazine subscriptions, nut and candy products, and more for the Fall Product Program. These companies are Ashdon Farms, Trophy Nut, and M2 Media Group. Girl Scouts of Central Texas partners with M2 Media Group. Each provides online tools and activities for youth to download.

Product Program Safety toggle arrow

Safety is the top priority while participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and other product programs. Volunteers, families, and Girl Scouts should be familiar with and practice the safety guidelines outlined in local program resources as well as those available in the troop leader resources section of girlscout.org and in Safety Activity Checkpoints.

Selling Cookies Online

Before Girl Scouts open their online storefront, they should partner with their troop leader and their families to learn how to safely run their online business.

We know Girl Scouts and their troops are creative, and the Girl Scout Cookie Program provides the perfect opportunity to highlight this creativity. Participants can use vanity URLs to add a creative component to their marketing and learning (e.g. Shana’s Cookie Sale or Buy Cookies from Shana). Troops and Girl Scouts cannot use GSUSA’s intellectual property (Buy Thin Mints Now or Buy Girl Scout Cookies) as part of a vanity URL.

A few more online safety practices to keep in mind:

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a girl-led program; they should always lead online marketing and sales efforts, with the supervision of their caregiver.
Girl Scouts engaging in online sales and marketing must review and apply the Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Their Families.
Girl Scouts, volunteers and caregivers must review and adhere to the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge, the Digital Cookie Pledge, and Girl Scouts’ Safety Activity Checkpoints Product Programs.
Posting individual or troop sales links to resale sites (Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc.) is prohibited.
Girl Scouts must adhere to all terms and conditions on the Digital Cookie platform.
Girl Scouts of the USA reserves the right to remove or disable their link for any reason including violation of guidance, inventory fulfillment issues, safety issues, or if sales and marketing activity goes viral and otherwise creates unanticipated disruption.

Additionally, families, Girl Scouts, and volunteers should contact and collaborate with their council and GSUSA in advance of any national news media opportunities tied to their online marketing and sales efforts.

The Buddy System

Remember to incorporate the buddy system at all times when Girl Scouts engage in Product Sales. Girl Scouts should not sell or deliver cookies alone.

Adults should provide supervision and guidance for all program levels, and must accompany Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors when they are selling, taking orders, and delivering products. Adults oversee Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors and must be aware of how, when, and where they are when selling products. In addition, an adult must be readily available to them when they are participating in product programs. This can be accomplished by an adult being present with them or by having an adult and Girl Scouts exchange telephone numbers.

Preparing for Your Girl Scout Cookie Booth toggle arrow

Cookie booths—that is, cookie pop-up sales in areas with lots of foot traffic—are a fun way for Girl Scouts to connect with their community and practice their sales pitch with new customers. Booth locations must be approved by councils, facilitated within council jurisdiction, and participants must follow all council guidelines with regard to setting up, running, and taking down a booth.

Create a great cookie booth experience for your Girl Scouts by:

Using your best judgment in setting up cookie booths in locations that will be open, accessible, and safe for all Girl Scouts and potential customers.
Choosing a high traffic area—this could be your local supermarket, mall, or park—where you’ll maximize the number of visitors to your booth.
Checking out your booth site ahead of the sale. Talk to business owners in the area so they’ll know what to expect. Find out what security measures are in place—these may include lights for evening sales and whether a security camera watches the booth area—and where the nearest bathrooms are located.
Respecting the surrounding businesses by making sure your booth isn’t blocking a store entrance or exit.

Encouraging your Girl Scouts to unleash their creativity—and work on their advertising skills—to make colorful signs and booth decorations that potential customers can’t resist! Remind girls to be polite and to have their sales pitch ready for interested customers.

And keep in mind:

Adults must always be present for cookie booths in public places.
Certain locations may be inappropriate for younger Girl Scouts based on the standards of your local community, may negatively impact the cookie program experience for girls, and/or may negatively impact our brand in your community. For additional clarity, girls should not sell in or in front of establishments that they themselves cannot legally patronize.
For each troop cookie booth, a minimum of two adults (both of whom are registered Girl Scout volunteers with the required background check), and one Girl Scout should be present at all times. With two or more volunteers, you’ll have adequate booth coverage if Girl Scouts need to be accompanied to the restroom.

For Cadette, Senior, and Ambassadors a minimum of one adult (who is a registered Girl Scout volunteer with the required background check) and one Girl Scout should be present at all times.

Daisies are still learning how to make correct change. Help them handle money as needed, but remember that Girl Scouts make all sales at the booth!

Keep your customers in the loop and update your baker’s software system if you need to cancel or are unable to attend a cookie booth. If not, customers could be routed to cancelled booths as all scheduled booths are available on GSUSA’s Find Cookie Now!

Additionally, with respect to marijuana dispensaries, we have been steadfastly combating the unauthorized uses of the Girl Scout trademark by the cannabis community, which has been marketing—without our authorization—certain cannabis products under our youth-appealing brand. We are continuing to aggressively fight these unauthorized uses of the Girl Scout brand and hope that our councils and volunteers will join Girl Scouts of the USA’s efforts by discouraging cookie booth locations at such locations.

For more tips to make your cookie season a success, check out our Volunteer Cookie Resources. For additional information about setting up a booth and safety and security suggestions, consult your troop or service unit cookie manager.

Cookie Donation Programs toggle arrow

Cookies also help Girl Scouts make a big impact in their community! For over a decade, Girl Scouts of Central Texas (GSCTX) has collaborated with Soldiers’ Angels to distribute boxes of customer-purchased Girl Scout Cookies to Service Members worldwide, known as Operation Cookie.

Encourage your troop members to share about the Operation Cookie donation program with customers. It’s a great way for customers to give back to their community, too!

With council approval, troops may select their own program to support through cookie donations, such as first responders, health care professionals, or school administrators.

With cookie donations, remember that:

All cookie donation programs must be approved by your council.
Donated cookies must stay within the GSCTX council jurisdiction unless you've been granted approval from the council.
Donated products cannot be resold and must be used in a responsible and ethical way.
Donated products are used in a way that does not undermine the work of councils or jeopardize the integrity of the Girl Scout brand.

Handling Product Complaints toggle arrow

Girl Scout Cookies are well loved and for good reason—it has always been the practice of Girl Scout councils and the bakers to guarantee customer satisfaction with their delicious cookies. If a customer is not satisfied with the quality of their cookies for some reason, they can contact the baker via the phone number printed on the side of the cookie package. Troops should contact Customer Care if they are aware of any customer dissatisfaction.

Recognizing Cookie Sellers in the Media toggle arrow

Focusing on entrepreneurial outcomes has always been the emphasis of the Girl Scout Cookie Program. The cookie program has never been about and does not focus on individual sales results.

There are many impressive cookie entrepreneurs throughout the U.S., and the Girl Scout Movement will continue to recognize dynamic cookie entrepreneurs for various achievements tied to the Girl Scout Cookie Program and through their participation in Girl Scouts.
Girl Scouts of the USA does not currently track the top seller(s) of Girl Scout Cookies on a national level and does not identify a specific Girl Scout as the number one or “record-breaking” national cookie seller.
Girl Scout councils should not reference such individuals as “top sellers” in the media. Doing so detracts from the essence of the Girl Scout Cookie Program, which is based on offering members important experiences in entrepreneurship, business, and finance from an early age as well as providing Girl Scouts and local Girl Scout councils with the funds necessary to power amazing experiences and opportunities for Girl Scouts year-round.
A Girl Scout’s or troop’s sales link should not be highlighted when speaking to the media. All calls to action should be directed to the Girl Scout Cookie Finder or a council’s own cookie finder/map and not a specific individual or troop.
Volunteers, parents/caregivers, and Girl Scouts may not secure paid media to enhance a troop’s or individual’s positioning in the media.

Volunteer Cookie Resources toggle arrow

Fall Product Resources toggle arrow

Like the Girl Scout Cookie Program, the Fall Product Program is instrumental in helping Girl Scouts develop skills like goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. The program also gives troops a chance to earn start-up funds for exciting program, travel, and community service opportunities for the Girl Scout year ahead.

Girl Scouts earn rewards during the Fall Product Program, and troops keep 35% of the proceeds from selling nuts and candy, plus $2 for each magazine subscription ordered.

Get started today!

Step 1: Complete the Troop Fall Product Coordinator Agreement.

Step 2: Submit your troop ACH Authorization.

Important Dates

Sept. 1: Fall Product Coordinator Agreements due

Oct. 1-12: In-person order-taking period

Oct. 1 - Nov. 2: Online order-taking period

Nov. 30: Credit Card Reimbursement request due

Dec. 4: Fall ACH draft

Volunteer Resources

Troop Banking Manual (PDF)
Troop Fall Product Manager Guide (PDF)
Square Credit Card Reader Instructions (PDF)

Girl Scout and Caregiver Resources

Caregiver Guide (PDF)
Caregiver Permission Form
Program Order Form and Reward Card (PDF)
Fall Product Allergen List (PDF)
M2 Website Quick Tips Caregiver (PDF) | Troop Leader (PDF)
Fall Product BINGO worksheet (PDF)

For Cookie Sellers

Selling tools, marketing resources, and expert guidance on how to run their cookie business.

Cookie Flavors

Know your product. Get details and nutritional information for every delicious cookie.

Cookie Badges and Pins

Help Girl Scouts gain important skills as they prepare to run their cookie business.

© Copyright 2009–2026 Girl Scouts of the United States of America.  All rights reserved. All information and material contained in Girl Scouts’ Volunteer Essentials guide (“Material”) is provided by Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and is intended to be educational material solely to be used by Girl Scout volunteers and council staff. Reproduction, distribution, compiling, or creating derivative works of any portion of the Material or any use other than noncommercial uses as permitted by copyright law is prohibited, unless explicit, prior authorization by GSUSA in writing was granted. GSUSA reserves its exclusive right in its sole discretion to alter, limit, or discontinue the Material at any time without notice.

Council Finder

Product Program

Girl Scout Cookie and Fall Product Programs

From marketing tools and selling tips to info on pins, badges, and more—check out these handy resources for your Girl Scouts' businesses.

Cookie Program Booklets and Handouts

Pins and Badges

Safety

Volunteer Cookie Forms