2024 Cookie Cookbook

It’s Girl Scout 2024 Cookie Cookie Cookbook Time TM

All the recipes you need to have a successful cookie season!

®, TM & © Girl Scouts of the USA. ®, TM & © 2022 Ferrero Group.

2023–2024 Girl Scout Cookies® The World's Most Flavorful Lineup

All our cookies have...

• NO High-Fructose Corn Syrup • NO Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs) • Zero Grams Trans Fat per Serving • RSPO Certified (Mass Balance) Palm Oil • Halal Certification

Adventurefuls®

• Real Cocoa

NATURALLY FLAVORED WITH OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS

$ 5.00 Indulgent brownie-inspired cookies with caramel flavored crème and a hint of sea salt Approximately 15 cookies per 6.3 oz. pkg.

Do-si-dos®

• Made with Natural Flavors • Real Peanut Butter • Whole Grain Oats

Oatmeal sandwich cookies with peanut butter filling Approximately 20 cookies per 8 oz. pkg.

Thin Mints®

$ 5.00

• Made with Vegan Ingredients • Real Cocoa

Crisp, chocolaty cookies made with natural oil of peppermint Approximately 30 cookies per 9 oz. pkg.

Lemon-Ups®

$5.00

$ 5.00 Crispy lemon flavored cookies with inspiring messages to lift your spirits Approximately 12 cookies per 6.2 oz. pkg.

Samoas®

Girl Scout S’mores® Graham sandwich cookies with chocolaty and marshmallowy flavored filling Approximately 16 cookies per 8.5 oz. pkg.

Iconic shortbread cookies inspired by the original Girl Scout recipe Approximately 38 cookies per 9 oz. pkg.

Tagalongs®

• Real Cocoa • Real Coconut

Crisp cookies with caramel, coconut and dark chocolaty stripes Approximately 15 cookies per 7.5 oz. pkg.

Trefoils®

$5.00

• Made with Natural Flavors • Real Cocoa

$6.00

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• Real Cocoa • Real Peanut Butter

$ 5.00 Crispy cookies layered with peanut butter and covered with a chocolaty coating Approximately 15 cookies per 6.5 oz. pkg.

Toffee-tastic®

• No Artificial Flavors

GLUTEN-FREE

$6.00 Rich, buttery cookies with sweet, crunchy toffee bits Approximately 14 cookies per 6.7 oz. pkg.

The GIRL SCOUTS® name, mark, and all associated trademarks and logotypes, including the Trefoil Design, are owned by Girl Scouts of the USA. Little Brownie Bakers, a division of Ferrero U.S.A., is an official GSUSA licensed vendor. LITTLE BROWNIE BAKERS® name and mark, and all associated trademarks, are trademarks of Ferrero Group. © 2023 Girl Scouts of the USA.

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$ 5.00

ACCEPTED

Vital Online Updates This manual was crafted to give you all the tools you need to lead your troop through a magical cookie season.

You will find new items and changes on every page! However, part of the magic of cookie season is that it is ever changing, so for the most up to date information during the season, make sure to check out our online version of this manual. We will update it as things change!

Whether they’re a social butterfly, creative thinker, or strategic innovator, every Girl Scout entrepreneur has their own kind of magic. And Girl Scout Cookie Season is the perfect time to harness that magic and achieve their goals!

There’s no limit to what Girl Scouts can achieve with your help, and we know you’re excited to get started.

So go ahead, own your magic!

Your Support Team Our Community Product Manager (CPM) and Village Product Manager (VPM) volunteers support each of their communities during the Girl Scout Cookie Program by providing valuable resources to leaders and acting as a liaison between volunteers and Girl Scouts of Gateway Council Staff.

Community 2 | Sheri Darr, CPM Community 3 | Holly Lucas, CPM; Ginger Butler, Co-CPM Community 4 | Cecile Harrell, CPM; Heather McMahan, Co-CPM

Three cheers for Volunteers!

It’s a fact: Cookie Season couldn’t happen without the hard work of our volunteers.

Thank you for serving as a Troop Product Manager!

In this guide, you’ll find tips, tricks and resources you can use to make this season the best one yet.

Community 5 | Tina Lewis, CPM; Jessica Carbee, VPM; Theresa Guernon, VPM; Kim Parker, VPM; Missy Farina, VPM Community 6 | Melody Stallings-Mann, CPM Community 7 | Jeni Wieda Perry, CPM; Stephanie Hamner, VPM; Sandy Phipps, VPM Community 9 | Candice Tice, CPM; Hope Williams, Co-CPM; Tamara Wilhelm, VPM Community 10 | Amanda Kuchta, CPM Community 11 | Sharon Wonsey, CPM; Kendal Smithe, Co-CPM

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Gateway Council Product Staff:

Cookie Lingo As you know, Girl Scouts has its own language! Here are a few popular terms that you will hear during this season.

Shayla Thomas – Director of Product Programs and Retail Danielle Hawkins Product Program and Retail Associate

ACH (Automated Clearing House) – when our council finance department pulls payments for cookies from troop bank accounts Allocation- the process of assigning cookies to your

To reach our council staff: email customercare@ gsgateway.org or call 877-764-5237 (Business hours: Tuesday – Friday from 8:30 am-6:30 pm EST/ 7:30 am-5:30 pm CT)

Girl Scouts in eBudde Box or Pkg – a single box of cookies Case – consists of 12 boxes of cookies CSA – Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts Cookie Communication – direct email that goes out every Tuesday evening with the most up-to-date cookie information CPM (Community Product Manager) – your first point of contact and go-to cookie expert

Get inspired by the bright stories of Girl Scouts and volunteers!

Cupboard – volunteer-run storage spaces in which troops can place additional orders for cookies during the season DOC (Digital Order Card) – found on the Digital

Visit: girlscouts.org/poweredbycookies

Cookie platform

Follow Girl Scouts: facebook.com/girlscoutsusa instagram: @girlscouts twitter: @girlscouts

for girls and caregivers

Follow Girl Scouts of Gateway Council: instagram: @girlscoutsgc tiktok: @girlscoutsgatewaycouncil

by the council office - these booths are available for

Follow Little Brownie Bakers: facebook.com/littlebrowniebakers

LBB (Little Brownie Baker) – our cookie supplier

DC24 (Digital Cookie) – updated online storefront eBudde – the online organizational platform for TPM’s Hot Spot Booth – a booth location that is managed selection in eBudde IO (Initial Order) – first order of cookies at the start of season (generally, this is your largest order) Mega Drop – scheduled pick up of troop’s initial order of cookies

Follow Samoas: facebook.com/samoascookies instagram: @samoas_cookies twitter: @samoascookies

Opt-Out – CSA troops can choose to receive additional proceeds instead of rewards PGA – Per Girl Average (of cookie boxes sold) TPM –Troop Product Manager

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New to Cookies?

Join us for our Cookie Rookie Trainings! Once a month we teach you in a virtual meeting, exactly what you should focus on that month.

Digital Cookie Training

TPM Training

Cookie Rookie Training Series

Cookie Calendar 11/16/2023 – TPM Training (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 11/30/2023 – Digital Cookie Deep Dive for TPMs (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 12/05/2023 – Volunteer access to eBudde and Digital Cookie 12/07/2023 – December Cookie Rookie Training Series 1/4 (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 12/14/2023 – Digital Cookie Deep Dive for Caregivers (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 12/15/2023 – Deadline to have ACH information entered into eBudde 12/21/2023 – Last day to fill out TPM form before Holiday Break 12/21/2023 – Last day for girls to transfer troops until after cookie season 01/02/2024 – Cookie Season starts! (Order taking begins) 01/09/2024 – Council office opens after holiday break/TPM processing resumes 01/10/2024 – CSA Troops Opt Out form due to CPM 01/11/2024 – January Cookie Rookie Training Series 2/4 (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/12/2024 – Troop Initial Order due in eBudde 01/20/2024 – Cookie Rallies in Pensacola and Palatka 11 am - 2 pm local time 01/23/2024 – Early Booth Selection begins 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/24/2024 – Booth Lottery starts at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/25/2024 – Booth Lottery continues at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/26/2024 – Final Day for Booth Lottery 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 02/01/2024 – February Cookie Rookie Training Series 3/4 (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST / 6:30 CT 02/01/2024 – Home Deliveries begin 02/08/2024 – Home Deliveries end 02/09/2024 – Mega Drop Day 1 02/10/2024 – Mega Drop Day 2 02/09/2024 – Booth Season starts 02/16/2024 – National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend begins 02/18/2024 – National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend ends 02/20/2024 – First ACH pull (25%) 03/05/2024 – Second ACH pull (50%) 03/07/2024 – March Cookie Rookie Training Series 4/4 (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST / 6:30 CT 03/12/2024 – Third ACH pull (75%) 03/17/2024 – Cookie season ends 03/19/2024 – Final ACH pull (100%) 03/19/2024 – Reward selection due in eBudde 03/19/2024 – Submit deliquent caregivers to customercare@gsgateway.org 04/15/2024 – Rewards begin shipping to CPMs 04/27/2024 – Go Getter Reward Event @ Dave and Buster’s in Panama City (for girls that earn the reward) 05/04/2024 – Go Getter Reward Event at Dave and Busters Jax (for girls that earn the reward) 06/08/2024 – Build-a-Bear Reward Event (for girls that earn the reward)

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December : Recipes for Success

Troop Product Manager (TPM) The first step for cookie season is to select a Troop Product Manager (TPM). This can be a leader or a troop volunteer.

What are the requirements for being a TPM? • must have a valid registration and background check • be in good financial standing with our council • should be organized and good at logistics • comfortable using technology • good communication skills • must complete cookie training A TPM is the volunteer that will drive the cookie program for the troop. They will order cookies, hold cookie meetings with girls/caregivers, select booths, keep track of cookies that are distributed, collect money from girl sales and booth sales, ensure that the ACH (cookie payments to our council) are paid on time, rewards are selected and given to the girls when they arrive.

This doesn’t have to be one person, it can be an entire team! It is a good idea to have anyone who has access to change information in eBudde, collecting money or responsible for making the cookie payments have an active TPM form on file with our council!

Once the TPM form is submitted to Customer Care and training is complete, it could take up to a week to get access to eBudde. There are several steps in the vetting process before access will be granted.

Council staff or CPMs will not add anyone to eBudde without an active TPM form on file!

Don’t delay! Get your training completed and form filled out today!

Haven’t filled out your TPM form yet?

Scan or click the QR code to get started.

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Out of Office Council offices will be closed from 12/22/2023 until 01/09/2024 for the holiday. Processing TPM forms will be halted during this time.

Get your form in today!

Best Practice!

TPM’s should have access to the troop bank account! Please remember that by signing the TPM agreement with our council, you are agreeing to be financially responsible for the cookies that the troop picks up at mega drop and cupboards.

If you filled out a TPM form for Sweets and Treats, it will be carried over to cookies, but you will have to take the TPM Cookie Training before receiving access to eBudde.

eBudde

Quick Tips to Get Started • Explore your dashboard. You will find messages from our council, stats that compare your troop sales from year to year, and email links for your local CPM teams.

eBudde helps you manage your entire season! Refresher and deep dive trainings found here!

• Go to the settings tab and enter your troop sales goal and verify your troop level.

Cookie Bytes is GSGC’s playlist of eBudde instructional videos, that lead you through each step of the season.

• Enter your troop’s bank account information on the settings tab. You cannot place an initial order without your bank account loaded in the system.

Check out LBB’s playlist on YouTube for step-by-step eBudde training videos.

• Review your troop roster on the Girls Tab. • Verify all girls are listed and marked as registered.

• Add their shirt size for rewards.

• If you have a Girl Scout in your troop missing from this tab, email customercare@gsgateway.org

Get all your eBudde questions answered in the Troop User Manual found in the help section of eBudde.

*Girls must have an active registration to be listed in eBudde.

A Troop Leader and Troop Cookie Chair can perform all functions in eBudde and do not need to be added as a Pickup Only User. eBudde will only recognize the lowest setting, so if a Troop Leader is also added as a Cookie Pick Up User, even in other troops, they will no longer be able to perform other eBudde functions.

You will receive an email with a link and login information from do_not_reply@ littlebrowniebakers.com, once you have been added to the system.

On the Go? Make sure to download the eBudde app so you can update it in real time. Just search for eBudde wherever you typically search for apps!

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Digitial Cookie DC24 Cloud– Digital Cookie has a new name and look!

Digital Cookie is our online selling platform that allows Girl Scouts to sell cookies through a personalized online storefront. eBudde and Digital cookie talk to each other! Once set up in eBudde, watch for your login email for Digital Cookie.

The email will come from email@email.girlscouts.org

Digital Cookie Virtual Deep Dive for Leaders Join us for a deep dive into Digital Cookie to learn how to use all of the features that Digital Cookie has to offer.

11/30/2023 7:30 pm EST / 6:30 pm CT

If you are a volunteer and a caregiver, you will be taken to a role selector page when you log in. This allows you to toggle between your girl scout and your troop.

Digital Cookie Virtual Deep Dive for Caregivers

Digital Cookie Troop Links When you log into your troop site as a troop leader, you are able to create a troop link. This link is not tied to any individual girl and is great for using at virtual booths, public websites, and traditional booths! The troop link is the only link that will be published on the national cookie finder website.

When cookies are sold from the troop link, the leader will have to allocate the cookies to the girls that worked the booth, or evenly to the girls in the troop.

Check out our tip sheets for both Volunteers and Caregivers!

You will find helpful information on navigating the site. Make sure to let your caregivers know where to find them too!

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Encourage your caregivers to attend the caregivers’ Digital Cookie deep dive to learn all of the features available on the girl/ caregiver side.

12/14/2023 7:30 pm EST / 6:30 pm CT Same QR code for both trainings!

Marketing Cookies Girl Scouts expand their customer base by promoting their cookie business online.

Here are a few ways they can take their digital marketing to the next level: Digital Cookie: Personalize their site by uploading weekly videos. Offer cookies through direct shipping or girl delivery.

Social Media: Create a digital marketing campaign to stand out and spread the word to far-away family and friends. For tips and best practices visit Digital Marketing Basics on LittleBrownie.com.

Text or Call: Reach out to customers who may not be online and follow up for reorders.

Girl Scouts and Caregivers get access to Digital Cookie early this year!

New Social Media Policy

On Dec 5th, anyone that is loaded into eBudde will receive their login email. Their site will not be active until the start of the sale, but they can log in and personalize their account.

Girls May:

Encourage your Girl Scouts to log in early.

Our Council will not be able to assist with any log in issues during holiday break from 12/22/2023 – 01/09/2024.

• post troop booth location

• post their digital cookie link on public social media sites, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

• post a video and include their digital cookie link • ask customers to share their digital cookie link with friends and family Girls May Not: • post their digital cookie link on resale sites, i.e. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, or on buy, sell, trade sites such as Swip/Swap, and Nextdoor

Safety Resources Girl Scouts and their caregivers must read, agree to, and abide by the guidelines in the Online Safety Pledges before engaging in online marketing and sales efforts through the cookie program. The guideline and pledge are located on our website; scan the QR code below to be directed to our website, scroll to Safely Resources

• post content including last name or direct contact details. i.e. phone number, address, school or email • direct message anyone that they do not personally know on social media platforms

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Your Online Platforms are Ready – Now What?

Time for Cookie Training Meetings for Troops and Caregivers!

When getting ready for your family meeting, think about what the troop cookies policies will be for the season. Make sure you communicate those policies with families, both girls and caregivers, so that everyone is aware of how cookie season works.

A few things to discuss:

Reminder: Girls can not transfer troops during cookie season (12/21 – 03/17) Transferring troops during the season can lead to financial discrepancies.

Have the Girl Participation Form signed – Any caregiver that is handling cookies must have a signed Girl Participation Form.

This is your agreement with the family for both etiquette and finances. Troop Leaders or Troop Product Managers keep this form for the entire season! (A signed form from Sweets and Treats will carry over to cookies, as they are good for an entire year.) Caregivers are responsible for cookies they sign receipts for, but only if a Participation Form is on file!

Decide with your Girl Scouts what the troop goal will be and what they want to do with the proceeds – Making these decisions early gives the girls a goal to work toward and builds excitement!

Make sure your girls know how to treat the cookies to keep the best flavor and quality throughout the season. do not store cookies directly on floor, always have a barrier between the floor and cookies do not store cookies where pets can access them never leave cookies in front of a window where the sun shines or in a hot car (chocolate melts at 72 degrees) Troop policy on the return of unsold cookies – Will your troop accept unsold cookies back from girls? If so, by what date? Make sure that girl scouts and caregivers know the deadlines and policies for accepting cookies back. When setting your troop deadline for returning unsold cookies, factor in enough time for the troop to sell them at upcoming booths.

Choosing troop booths – Most troops use Sign-Up Genius to have Girl Scouts pick the booths in which they are able to participate.

Discuss how many booths each girl wants to participate in, where they are willing to travel and times they are available at the cookie meeting. That way, when you are ready to pick booths at the booth lottery in eBudde, you can choose the dates/ locations that work best for your Girl Scouts.

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Check out these amazing family meeting guides to help you plan a proactive and efficient meeting.

You can find a Family Meeting Guide for every level on our website.

Have Girl Scouts that are new to cookies?

This educational video introduces first-time entrepreneurs to the magic of running their very own cookie business – including how they can make their mark online!

Cookie Business Badges Entrepreneurs can earn these official Girl Scouts® recognitions by completing requirements that help them develop new

Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin Families can support their Girl Scouts as they learn the five skills and think like entrepreneurs. With the encouragement of their family, there’s no stopping a Girl Scout!

business skills.

https://www.girlscouts.org/ en/members/for-parents-andfamilies/cookie-entrepreneurfamily-pin.html

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All money earned is property of the troop, not individual girls. Funds do not follow a girl if she leaves the troop after the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

Money Matters ACH Payments An ACH Payment is a type of electronic bank-to-bank payment. A troop will deposit all their cookie money directly into their troop bank account, and council offices will take out the cost of the troop cookies in four easy payments.

We do not recommend that troops accept checks as a cookie payment.

It’s easy to pull up Digital Cookie and collect by credit card. However, if your troop does accept a check, it should be made out to the troop so that it can easily be deposited into the troop bank account.

The dates for these payments are as follows:

2024 PGA Tiers

02/20/2024 – First ACH pull (25%) 03/05/2024 – Second ACH pull (50%) 03/12/2024 – Third ACH pull (75%) 03/19/2024 – Final ACH pull (100%)

A Few Things to Remember about ACH We pull the ACH list in the morning on the scheduled date.

It will take 3-5 business days to see the payment reflected in your troop bank account.

The sales report changes with every cookie transaction. If your troop picks up additional cookies, transfers cookies to another troop, or receives any Digital Cookie Payments, your “Amount You Owe Council” box will change.

Best Practice We recommend that TPMs distribute up to 1 case of each variety of cookies to a caregiver at a time and collect funds before allocating out additional cases. However, it is the TPMs decision on best practices for specific troops and families with history of selling a high volume of cookies.

In the 2023 Cookie Program our girls, once again, showed their go-getter style with an average of 393 boxes sold per girl! This was an 8 box, or 2%, increase per girl over the PGA of 385 boxes sold per girl in 2022. We are amazed and proud at the girls’ goals and achievement mind-set that led them to this accomplishment!

Every year brings a new goal and new level to strive towards.

In 2024 we’ve set our sights on collective goal of a PGA of 400 boxes (1.7% increase). Offering the promise of more girl engagement provided through the resources of our iconic Girl Scout Cookie Program as well as continued growth for girls and the council. Go- get those goals and keep striving for the next level!

Troop PGA

2024 Earnings

651+ 501-650 400-500

$1.05 per box $0.95 per box $0.85 per box

*PGA is calculated by taking total boxes sold divided by total girls selling.

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We need your help securing booths!

Hot Spot Booth Locations Hot spot booth locations are retail stores that our council has identified as a high traffic location to be entered into the eBudde Booth Lottery and shared by all troops. Often, we have additional agreements with these businesses. These locations are secured by volunteers participating in the Booth Incentive Program. To participate in this incentive, reach out to your local CPM.

Community volunteers secure booths for the cookie season and we need as many volunteers as possible!

Help secure a booth location and earn an early booth pick for your troop! You will get access to select a booth location a day before the booth lottery opens.

Reach out to your local CPM to learn how to get started.

Troops cannot secure booths at these locations on their own:

You must have the approved booth agreement submitted to your CPM before 01/18/2024 for your troop to qualify for the early booth selection.

Publix • Ace Hardware • Winn Dixie • Alyssa’s Sam’s Club • Hitchcock’s • Lowes • Dollar Tree TA Travel • Dicks Sporting Goods • Shoe Station All Military Bases • Tractor Supply • Pounders Shoe Carnival • Gators Dockside • Walmart Azteca Mexican Restaurant • Michaels Craft Store • Wild Birds Unlimited • Five Below

How the Cookie Crumbles Cookie Communications Emails

Girl Scout Cookie fans are especially eager to support Girl Scouts when they have a clear picture of where the money goes. Help them see how proceeds stay local, powering amazing year-round experiences for local girls and preparing them for a lifetime of success.

Cookie season is an ever-changing program. Get the most up-to-date information, tips and reminders in the Cookie Communication Emails. Check your email every Tuesday evening starting in January!

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January: Preheating the Oven

Juliettes

Important Dates in January 01/02/2024 – Cookie Season starts! (Order taking begins) 01/09/2024 – Council office opens after holiday break/TPM processing resumes 01/10/2024 – CSA Troops Opt Out form due to CPM 01/11/2024 – January Cookie Rookie Series 2/4 (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/12/2024 – Troop Initial Order due in eBudde 01/20/2024 – Cookie Rallies in Pensacola and Palatka 01/23/2024 – Early Booth selection begins 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/24/2024 – Booth Lottery starts at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/25/2024 – Booth Lottery continues at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 01/26/2024 – Final Day for Booth Lottery 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT

In person and digital order taking begins on 01/2/2024. Your troop and your Girl Scouts set up their Digital Cookie pages in December and today they go live! Make sure your Girl Scouts know that they can start taking orders both ways.

Cookies arrive on 02/09/2024.

When Juliettes participate in the Cookie Program, they must order their cookies in full cases. These cookies are non-returnable to the council office. Juliettes banking process is also slightly different from that of a traditional troop. Each Juliette will receive deposit slips that are unique to them. They will make their cookie payments by depositing the money into our council’s Wells Fargo account, following the ACH payment schedule. Additional deposits slips can be obtained from the local CPM.

Initial Order Incentive If your troop orders an average of 250 boxes per registered active girl at initial order you will get a troop reward!

Each registered girl in the troop will earn this shirt and the troop will also receive two additional volunteer shirts!

These shirts will arrive around the time of Mega Drop Cookie Delivery, so you can wear them during the cookie season!

Reward Opt Out Cadette, Senior and Ambassador troops have the option to opt out of rewards for extra proceeds.

These troops will receive an additional .05 cents per box sold in leu of initial order and final rewards. They will still receive any earned patches.

The decision to opt out of rewards for cookie season must be unanimous among the troop. Each girl must sign the opt out form. The completed form must be submitted to your CPM before 01/10/2024.

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scan this code for the Opt Out Form

Initial Order

Deciding how many packages to order for booths isn’t an exact science, but here are average sales per cookie variety to give you an idea of how many to order:

The Initial Order Deadline is 01/12/2024, 11:55 pm EST / 10:55 pm CT. This is your troop’s first order for cookies. It is recommended to place an order for your troop’s needs for the full season, as reorders and cupboard availability are not guaranteed throughout the season.

Thin Mints® 26% Samoas® 19% Tagalongs® 14% Trefoils® 8% Do-si-dos® 8% Lemon-Ups® 7% Adventureful 9% Girl Scout S’mores® 6% Toffee-tastic® 3%

While deciding your troop’s cookie needs consider these things: the goals of each of your Girl Scouts

*Data from 2022-2023 Girl Scout Cookie Season

the number of presales on digital cookie (to date) for your Girl Scouts

How to Apply

how many booths your troop plans to host (this would be determined with caregivers/ girls at the family meeting)

Using this information, if your troop wanted to host 20 booths, order roughly 2000 boxes for your booths. Using the percentages above the order is at least 520 boxes of Thin Mints.

while individual booth sales will vary based on location and time over the season, an average sale per booth is about 90-100 boxes Remember, you can still continue to sell cookies after initial order is placed. Order enough cookies during initial order to cover additional sales.

Remember, cookies are ordered in cases, so in this example, order 44 cases of Thin Mints for your booths, but only 5 cases are needed of Toffee.

Home Delivery for Initial Order Troops are eligible to qualify for Home Delivery when they order 600 cases or more at initial order. These deliveries will take place the week before mega drop, so it not only eliminates pick up, but it allows you to receive cookies early!

Want to learn how to place your initial order in eBudde?

Deliveries will take place between 02/01 and 02/07.

Join our January Cookie Rookie Training Series or find instructional videos and step-by-step instructions for initial order, delivery, & rewards on our website under For Volunteers page.

An adult must be present to receive the cookies.

Deliveries will be scheduled in a block of time.

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Booth Lottery

Booth Pick Guidelines 1/24 Pick 2 booths - limit one booth per location

Booth Lottery 1/23 – 1/26 Booth Lottery begins 1/23/2024 at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 pm CT for those troops that earned an early booth pick for our Booth Incentive Program. This will be an additional booth for your troop outside of the remaining booth lottery selections.

Reminder: Any troop that secures a booth location before 1/18/2024 earns this reward for an early pick before regular booth selections begin.

Traditional booth lottery for eligible troops begins on 1/24/2024 at 7:30 pm EST/6:30 pm CT in eBudde.

Booth selections start at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 pm CT and end at 12:00 pm EST/ 11:00 am CT the following day. We pause booth selections from 12:01 pm EST/ 11:01 am CT until 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 pm CT for system maintenance and updating additional booth contracts in the system. **Our goal is to have all booths loaded into eBudde before early booth selections however we can only load secured booths with signed agreement. As a result some booths may not load until after the booth lottery is over. Check back daily at 12:00 pm ET/ 11:00 am CT for additional locations and times.

eBudde Booth Lottery Chain For the purpose of the eBudde Booth Lottery, a chain is considered an individual location. For example, on the first day – you can not pick two booths at Walmart on Phillips. However, you can pick one at Walmart on Phillips and one at Walmart in Durbin.

For the troops that qualify for Early Booth Selection, your early pick does not affect the booth lottery rules. You could pick a booth at Walmart on Phillips for your early selection and again on day one of booth lottery.

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01/25 Pick 4 additional booths- limit two booths at a location. After this pick your troop should have a total of six booths.

01/26 Pick 6 additional booths- limit 4 booths at a location. After this pick your troop should have a total of twelve booths.

01/27 Unlimited booths and locations. *Troops who did not submit MY23 Finance Reports to GSGC by September 30th, 2023 are not eligible to participate in early booth selections. Booth selections for these troops will open on 1/28/23 at 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 pm CT.

Reserving a Hot Spot Booth in eBudde during booth lottery: • click on the Booth Sales tab • click sign up for a Council Booth • click on the town that you would like to have the cookie booth • click on the location you want • click on the preferred date • click on the available time slot (this time slot is the beginning time for your booth) • click Submit

Need to know more details on how to select booths for the booth lottery?

Check out the Cookie Byte – Booth Sales under instructional videos on our web page.

Getting Your Booth Ready Cookie booths gives girls an opportunity to reach their goal! Cookie booths are set up in high traffic locations in the community. A Girl Scout cookie booth is not just a “booth” it is the troop’s storefront business.

Booth Requirements A Girl Scout wearing Girl Scout attire must be present at the booth.

A registered, background-checked adult must be at each booth.

Troop number must be visible.

Price of cookies must be displayed.

No siblings or other non-girl scouts should be at your booth.

Soldiers’ Angels Gift of Caring should be promoted for donations.

Girls/table must not block ATMs or entrances/exit.

Booth setup and breakdown should occur no more than 5 minutes before the start or end of a booth. Be ready to do a quick turnover.

Take all empty cases with you! Do not leave them in the trash at the booth location.

Always follow the Girl Scout Law!

Think out of the box with new ways to sell cookies.

A great way to get your girls ready for cookie booths is to hold mock cookie booths during a troop meeting! Using fake money and boxes decorated like Girl Scout Cookies, have the girls take turns working the booth and being the customer.

There are several different types of booths you can have to fit every need: Hot Spots

On-the-go: Girl Scouts will love these handy Girl Scout Cookie menus.

Personalize them by including marketing messages, cookie prices and digital cookie QR codes. Find the template here: https://bit.ly/3LZeKwN

Troop Booths Drive Thru Booths Pop up Booths Virtual Booths Want to know more about these booths?

Grab a 4X6 plastic card holder and a lanyard or string and you have a great cookie menu to use all season long!

Check out our tip sheet: https://bit.ly/3Qf3KxR

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February : Let’s Get Baking!

Mega Drop-it’s time for cookies!

Reminder

Mega Drop is when the cookie initial orders arrive and are available for pick up. You will pick your location and time when submitting your initial order in eBudde Follow these guidelines for a smooth cookie pick up!

COOKIES CAN NOT BE RETURNED ONCE THEY ARE PICKED UP!

Please make sure to bring your smart phone for check in and check out at Mega Drop Know exactly how many cookie cases you ordered for each variety (You can print your confirmation sheet from the delivery tab in eBudde Arrive within 10 minutes of your scheduled pick-up time. Please do not arrive earlier or later

Troops are responsible for counting and verifying the total number of cases.

Troops accept financial responsibility by confirming the pickup by text. Once you leave Mega Drop, the case counts are final, and cookies are the property of the troop.

Make sure to have enough vehicles to load your order (see the graphic below for help!)

If you need more than one vehicle, pull all your vehicles into the line at the same time Check in by texting the pickup code to the phone number on your Delivery Confirmation Sheet A bubble sheet will be attached to your car window with your cookie case counts At each variety station, count every case before loading into vehicle There is a recount station before check-out if you need to double check your cookie counts Once you are satisfied with your count proceed to the check-out station After you have loaded all your cookies you will be sent a text message verifying your pickup. We ask that you confirm by responding back to text You’re all done! Hurry home to deliver your cookies

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Important Dates 02/01/2024 – February Cookie Rookie Series Training 3/4 (Virtual) 7:30 pm EST/ 6:30 CT 02/01/2024 – 02/08/2024 Home Deliveries 02/09/2024 – 02/10/2024 Mega Drop 02/09/2024 – Booth Season starts 02/16/2024– 02/18/2024 National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend 02/20/2024 – First ACH pull (25%)

You Have Cookies- Now What?

Giving Cookies to Parents and Girls The excitement of fulfilling orders is here! Follow these easy steps to ensure a successful delivery to your caregivers and girls!

Make sure to receive payments for cookies before giving out more Notify caregivers of the date, time, and location they can pick up cookies. Give yourself enough time to get home, unload cookies and prepare the receipt books.

Sort all cookies before anyone picks up their orders. This will help you identify any potential problems with your order before anyone picks up.

Provide each girl with a receipt that shows their balance and the due date for the money owed.

If you have a girl in a multi-household family, be sure each parent picks up their separate orders and ensure each have a signed participation agreement.

Cookie Receipts Prepare receipts for each girl. Caregivers are responsible for all cookies they sign out. Write a receipt each and every time cookies or money changes hands.

Ensure that caregivers know the troop’s return policy before taking any cookies.

Keep receipts in a safe place with the product participation forms.

If there’s a girl in a multi-household family, please make sure that each parent collects their individual orders and ensures they both have a signed participation agreement.

Record Keeping Allocating cookies in eBudde is one of the most important functions during cookie season. By allocating the cookies to individual girls in your troops, you are telling the system which reward level the girls earned. If cookies are not allocated, the girls will not get the rewards they worked so hard for.

It is best to allocate the cookies and payments immediately as they happen. This not only helps keep records straight, but it also helps the girls and caregivers keep up with how many cookies they have sold. Allocations and payments in eBudde transfer over to digital cookie for caregivers and girls to see.

Best Practice: Allocate your cookies and payments as soon as it happens to keep all of the troop records straight. It’s easy to do on the go with the eBudde mobile app. Need help with allocation? Check out the Cookie Bytes video “Girl Order Tab” under instructional videos.

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It’s Booth Season!

What to Take to a Booth: Creating booth kits are great ways for troops to prep.

If you have multiple booths at a time, create more than one. A booth kit is a bag with all of the needed items in it. Having one handy will ensure easy handoff when parents come to pick up booth items.

Tip: Have Girl Scouts write all credit card transactions on the back of the booth sheet for easy calculation after Cookie Booth.

Here are a few items that are great to keep in the booth kits: Tablecloth

Best Practice

Cash box with $50 in fives and ones Pens Clipboard with booth tracking sheet Troop Signage to include councils name, troop number, cookie pricing and more Soldiers Angels Donation jar

Keep track of how many boxes are sold at each booth, with the location and the time of day included. Over the years, you will be able to use that historical data to help you determine where your booths are most successful and how many booth cookies you sell yearly. eBudde has a great tracking system!

Calculator

Need to Cancel a Booth?

In the event that your troop is unable to use a booth slot that you reserved, you must cancel the booth in eBudde.

Booth slots that are claimed go to our National Cookie Finder. We do not want customers to go to empty booth locations!

Cancel any booths as soon as you know that your troop will be unable to attend.

This gives other troops a chance to use it.

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Need More Cookies?

Cupboards If our council has additional cookies they are kept in cupboards. Cookie are kept in local temperature controlled storage units across our council. Gateway Council Cupboards are digital pick up/processing.

Make sure you have the eBudde mobile app loaded on your phone before picking up cookies. Look for the Cookie Byte Video “Transactions” under instructional video tab.

If someone aside from the TPM is going to pick up cookies, they must have the eBudde Mobile App and a log in. They can be added as a Cookie Pickup User on the contacts page.

Remember, if they already have a log in for your troop in eBudde, you do not have to add them again. eBudde will only allow the lowest permissions assigned.

Cookie Bytes: Find both of these great Cookie Byte instructional videos by scanning this QR code and clicking the instructional video tab.

Cookie Exchange A great way to get additional cookies that you need throughout the season is to check the eBudde exchange tab.

Leaders from all over our council post cookies that their troop no longer needs. This is a great way to exchange out flavors that are not selling as well with another local troop. Check out tab often to see what is available.

For additional information on how to use this great feature, check out our Cookie Bytes video “eBudde Exchange Tab” under the instructional videos tab!

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March : Tasting Success Understanding PGA and Proceed Tiers Troop’s per girl average (PGA) is based off the number of girls that are participating in the cookie season. When a girl sells a box of cookies, she is counted towards the troop PGA. eBudde does this math for you on the sales page.

In this example, the troop has 34 total girls, but only 24 girls sold cookies.

They sold a total of 12,348 boxes of cookies. The PGA is total boxes of cookies divided by number of girls selling. This troop has a PGA of 514, therefore, will earn .95 cents per box of cookies in proceeds.

How do you get your cookie proceeds?

When a troop buys a case of cookies from our council, they are charged the cost of the case minus the troop proceeds.

Case of Thin Mints $60.00 Troop Proceeds $11.40 _________________________________ Total owed to Council

$48.60

When the troop sells the case of cookies for $60, they will pay $48.60 to the council and keep the $11.40. Therefore, the troop collects their proceeds throughout the season as they sell cookies.

It is recommended to save proceeds until after the ACH withdraw.

Proceeds change based on troop PGA, which fluctuates throughout the season. eBudde automatically calculates troop proceeds on the sales page. In this graph, you can see that only the council proceeds are collected in payments, the troop proceeds are kept by the troop.

Troops selling entirely on Digital Cookie will have troop proceeds deposited into their troop account on the final ACH of Cookie Season.

Best Practice: Print out your sales report or save it to your computer, so you can refer to it when doing your finance report in the summer.

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Wrapping Up the Season

each girl in the Girl Order Tab in eBudde. Check for signed receipts from cookie 1. Review pickup, her online sales and her booth participation to ensure she recevies credit for all cookies sold and all payments received. all individual girls are reviewed, look at the troop site line and allocate any cookies 2. Once remaining in that line evenly between the girls.

The cookies remaining in the difference line are unsold cookies the troop should still have in it’s possession. troop deposit slips from the bank during cookie season to ensure all payments from 3. Check caregivers and booths have been deposited.

Remember: if the troop used Digital Cookie for credit card payments those funds went directly to the council and were subtracted from the troop balance owed. This will not be reflected in the troop bank account. value of any unsold troop cookies are subtracted from troop proceeds. Once those 4. The cookies are sold, the troop will recover those proceeds.

Troops can continue selling cookies after the season ends. Check with your local CPM for additional booth opportunities.

Balancing Cookies and Money Add up all transaction receipts. (a transaction is any time the troop received cookies such as: initial order, cupboard pick ups or cookies purchased from other troops). It is important to separate out core cookies ($5) and specialty cookies ($6).

Once the total number of cookies is determined multiply by the retail value of the cookie ($5 or $6).

Take the total retail value of the cookies and subtract it by troop proceeds. The remainder is the amount owed to council.

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Cookie Balances & Debt

Deliquent Caregiver Process GSGC will work with all troops to collect outstanding debt to the troop and/or council.

In the unlikely event a troop has a delinquent caregiver, TPMs can submit for Troop Debt Forgiveness.

TPMs must submit the following documentation to customercare@gsgateway.org by 3/19/2024 to be considered for troop debt forgiveness and for the council to take over the debt collection process for the delinquent caregiver.

Signed Girl Participation Form Signed Caregiver Training Form Signed receipts for all cookies Signed receipts for all payments made by the caregiver Delinquent Caregiver Form (currently known as cookie debt form) Signed communications log with 5+ attempts to collect cookies and payments. *These items must be submitted by 3/19/24 to be considered for troop debt forgiveness.

If all documentation is submitted and approved: • unsold cookies will be removed from Girl Scouts total cookies sold balance in eBudde • the cookie debt amount will be removed from the troop * Remember: unpaid cookies will be removed from the total troop sales and therefore PGA balances will adjust accordingly as well as the individual rewards.

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Troop Debt The due date for settling all outstanding balances with GSGC is March 21st. If the troop debt is not paid in full at that time, we will reach out to all TPM’s on file for that troop. If we are unable to collect the debt, it will be turned over to our Collection Company. Any debts submitted to our collection company will incur a 30% increase to cover collection fees.

If an individual is not in good financial standing with GSGC, they will be unable to be an approved volunteer with the council. They will be removed from any positions that are currently held as a volunteer.

It’s Time to Celebrate!

Rewards The final step of the season is to submit the rewards for our Girl Scouts! Reward submissions are due on March 21st in eBudde.

When submitting rewards: Make sure all cookies are allocated to a girl on the girl order tab.

Know all of your girl’s reward choices. In effort to appeal to all ages, we have options for rewards at almost every level. Make sure you know what your Girl Scouts want before you submit rewards in eBudde.

Girl Scouts select their rewards in Digital Cookie before March 18th.

Send Thanks

Leaders can pull up the Girl Scout’s choices in Digital Cookie to submit in eBudde. Reward choices do not automatically transfer from Digital Cookie into eBudde.

Thank everyone involved with your troop success, including family, friends, businesses and fellow volunteers. Find card templates and ready to post social graphics on Littlebrownie.com. Loads of clip art is also available to help your troop create their own messages of appreciation.

For tips on how to find the Reward Report in Digital Cookie, please click here.

Celebrate!

Our Volunteers, Caregivers and Girl Scouts put in a lot of work during the cookie season! Now it is time to do something magical with your proceeds. Plan a celebration that allows you to hand out rewards to girls, while highlighting individual and troop achievements.

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Cookie Action Plan The first step to a successful Girl Scout Cookie Season is to plan for it. Use the space below to map out the information you need to support entrepreneurs as they own their magic!

Primary Contacts

eBudde™ Sign-Up Info

Key Actions

Key Dates