2020
Cookie Program
Family Guide
welcome to the 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Program!
Thank you for participating in the 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Program! This innovative program will inspire your Girl Scout to unleash her inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ and discover her talents and passions. She’ll gain important life and entrepreneurship skills that form the foundation of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). The Girl Scout Cookie Program will help her gain important skills in two of the four areas that form the foundation of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE): Life Skills and Entrepreneurship.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program Five Skills
1 Goal Setting 2 Decision Making 3 Money Management 4 People Skills 5 Business Ethics Every day, Girl Scouts unleash the power of G.I.R.L. to make amazing things happen.
2
NEW CO OKI BOXESE
Launching the Year With New Cookie Packaging This season, Girl Scouts are rolling out a sweet new way to celebrate our young female leaders: refreshed packaging reflecting the amazing experiences cookie proceeds make possible for girls. The new cookie packaging (with the same great taste!) emphasizes what the cookie program is all about, and the updated images feature current Girl Scouts taking part in a diverse range of experiences available to members – from adventure-packed camping and canoeing, to exploring space science and designing robots, to taking action to improve their communities.
Important Cookie Dates ▶ Program Begins
• Friday, February 7, 2020 • Door-to-Door, Online, and Direct Sales
▶ Cookie Booths Begin
• Friday, February 14, 2020 • Booths, Continued Door-to-Door, Online, and Direct Sales
▶ Program Concludes
• Sunday, March 15, 2020
3
Help Your Girl Scout Have a Successful Cookie Program
SAFETY FIRST 1 2 3
Show You’re a Girl Scout – Wear the Girl Scout membership pin and/or Girl Scout clothing to identify yourself.
4 5
Be Street Wise – Become familiar with the areas and neighborhoods where you will be selling Girl Scout Cookies.
6
Do Not Enter – Never enter the home or vehicle of a person when you are selling or making deliveries. Avoid selling to people in vehicles or going into alleys.
7 8
Sell in the Daytime – Sell only during daylight hours, unless accompanied by an adult.
9
Be Net Wise – Take the GSUSA Internet Safety Pledge before going online and follow the guidelines.
Buddy Up – Always use the buddy system. It’s not only safe, it’s fun! Partner with Adults – Adults must accompany Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors when they are taking orders, selling, or delivering product. Girls grades 6-12 must be supervised by an adult when selling door-to-door. Two adults should be present at a cookie booth in any public place at all times.
Plan Ahead – Always have a plan for safeguarding money. Give proceeds to the supervising adults who should provide it to the troop as directed by the Girl Scout council.
Protect Privacy – Girls’ names, addresses, or email addresses should never be given out to customers. Use a group contact number or address overseen by an adult for customers to request information. Protect customer privacy by not sharing their information.
Visit our website for all safety information and to take the Safety Pledge. www.GirlScoutsNebraska.org/safety 4
2020 Parent/Guardian Responsibilities As a parent/guardian, your role is very important! We ask you to agree to the following:
▶ I agree to adhere to the dates of the Cookie Program: February 7, 2020 to March 15, 2020.
▶ I agree to let my Girl Scout do the selling for this girl-led program. ▶ I agree, if supporting my Girl Scout by taking an order card to my place of business or other locations, there will be a note from my Girl Scout attached.
▶ I agree to be responsible for initial cookie orders, all cookie re-orders and all funds due.
▶ I agree to sign the 2020 Cookie Program Participation Permission and
Receipt Form. I agree to get signed receipts for all cookies taken and for all money turned in.
▶ I agree to provide valid identification (driver’s license or state ID) when picking up and signing for the initial cookie order.
▶ I understand that unsold cookies
cannot be returned to the troop or council and that the cookies are the responsibility of the person signing the cookie receipt.
▶ I will be responsible for turning
in all money to the Troop Cookie Manager (TCM) by the mutually agreed upon dates.
Please remember the Girl Scout Promise and Law and to act with kindness and respect. At all times, you represent your child, her troop, and Girl Scouts.
5
ABCSmartCookies.com – Your Web Address For Cookie Success! We have an awesome website to help girls be even more successful in the 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Program – ABCSmartCookies.com! Once a girl has registered and logged onto ABCSmartCookies.com, she has her own personal dashboard where she can set her goal, monitor her progress, view the council recognitions, and manage her sales. There are menu options on the top of the dashboard that she can click on to access online marketing resources, monitor her troop’s goals, find fun and helpful information, download clip art and pictures, and set and update her sales goals. Having a Smart Cookie profile lets her send Smart Cookie e-cards to customers, offer Direct Ship or Girl Delivered options, and manage her sale on-the-go with the Smart Cookies mobile app. 6
Digital Marketing Guidelines Girls are always growing, as is the world around them. As change occurs, Girl Scouts of the USA constantly revisits policies to keep up with the speed of girls, ensure safety, and offer programming that prepares girls for their future. Girl Scouts is rolling out revised online selling guidelines for the 2020 Cookie Program. The revisions will be evaluated at the end of the season to ensure the changes make sense for girls while keeping them safe and helping them reach their goals. For 2020, girls may use the Internet to share their Cookie Program sales links, stories, and learnings with the following guidelines:
▶ The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a girl-led program. Online marketing and sales efforts should always be led by a girl while also being supervised by her parents or guardians.
▶ Girls engaging in online sales and marketing must review and apply the Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Their Families.*
▶ Girls, volunteers, and parents must adhere to all Safety Activity
Checkpoints for Cookie and Product Sales* (with the exception that they may share beyond friends and family); Safety Activity Checkpoints for Computer and Internet Use;* the Internet Safety Pledge* found in the Safety Activity Checkpoints; and the Supplemental Safety Tips for Online Marketing.*
▶ Girl sales links should never be posted to online resale sites (Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc.).
▶ Girls must adhere to all terms and conditions on Digital Cookie and Smart Cookie platforms.
▶ Girl Scouts reserves the right to remove or disable links 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.
▶ Parents, girls, and volunteers should contact and collaborate with Girl
Scouts Spirit of Nebraska and GSUSA in advance on any national news media opportunities tied to girls' online marketing and sales efforts.
*Bolded resources can be found at GirlScouts.how/DigitalGuide. 7
Girl Recognitions Check out the recognitions that girls can earn in 2020 on the order card! Recognitions are cumulative and based on number of packages sold by each girl! Girls earn choices of items, including Cookie Dough, at most levels up to the TOTAL packages sold between February 7 and March 15, 2020. Girls can convert their Cookie Dough to Travel Bucks and save them for up to five years for redemption towards a council-sponsored trip or a Girl Scouts of the USA's Destinations trip. See your 2019-2020 Annual Program Book or 2020 Girl's Guide to Summer Fun for more details!
2020 Cookie Program Family Patch Girls from the same household can earn the “Family Patch” by selling a total of 300 packages. Parents will complete and submit an order form for each girl’s Troop Cookie Manager (TCM). Each TCM will order the patch for the girl in her troop. The order form can be found at GirlScoutsNebraska.org. 8
Be Clever for a Chance to Win Frances the Giant Fox! This year, cookie sellers will have the chance to win Frances the Giant Fox in two separate ways:
▶ EVERY girl who sells a total of 300+ packages between February 7 and March 15, 2020, will receive one (1) entry* in the statewide drawing for Frances the Giant Fox.
▶ EVERY girl who sells 12+ packages online will receive one entry* into the drawing.
*Girls can earn one entry for each of the above achievements.
Opt Out Recognition Plan ▶ Troops may choose to receive an additional 10¢ per package in troop profit (70¢ total) by “Opting Out” of receiving cumulative recognition items or 2020 Cookie Dough.
▶ Girls still earn the “Theme” patch for selling 25 packages or more, and all specialty patches as applicable.
▶ The Recognition Opt Out option is available to all Girl Scout levels.
▶ EVERY girl in the troop, and
her parent/guardian, must sign a 2020 Recognition Opt Out Contract.
Check with your co-leader or Troop Cookie Manager (TCM) for details.
9
The 500 & 1000 Clubs Reward the Top Cookie Sellers in Nebraska! Girls selling 500 packages or more earn points, with which they choose from a variety of prizes or additional Cookie Dough. They also receive a special patch, a certificate of achievement, and acknowledgement in the JG Magazine. Those who sell 1000 or more packages of cookies, become members of the exclusive 1000 Club. These super-sellers receive additional rewards and recognition at their area Girl Awards Ceremony. Check our website for updated dates and times.
2020 Girl Award Ceremonies ▶ Omaha – May 18 at 7 p.m., Ralston High School Theater ▶ Scottsbluff/Alliance/Sidney – June 6 at 2 p.m., Location TBA ▶ Norfolk – June 7 at 2 p.m., First Congregational United Church of Christ ▶ Lincoln – June 13 at 2 p.m., Lincoln Southeast High School ▶ Grand Island – June 14 at 2 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church ▶ North Platte/Ogallala – June 20 at 3 p.m., Location TBA 10
500 & 1000 Club Prizes 500/1000 Club members are sent their 500/1000 Club prize materials directly from the council, with ordering instructions. The troop does NOT collect or enter any recognitions from the 500/1000 Club prize choices. Additional items may be added to the final list and items are subject to change due to availability at time of redemption. See flier and online list of 500+ recognitions for more information! PKGS. SOLD
PTS. EARNED
PKGS. SOLD
PTS. EARNED
500-549
1
1700-1799
14
550-599
2
1800-1899
15
600-699
3
1900-1999
16
700-799
4
2000-2099
17
800-899
5
2100-2199
18
900-999
6
2200-2299
19
1000-1099
7
2300-2399
20
1100-1199
8
2400-2499
21
1200-1299
9
2500-2599
22
1300-1399
10
2600-2699
23
1400-1499
11
2700-2799
24
1500-1599
12
2800-2899
25
1600-1699
13
2900-2999
26
3000+ = 1 point for every 100 packages sold
11
Gift of Sharing Add community service to your 2020 Girl Scout Cookie Program with Gift of Sharing.
Here’s How it Works ▶ Girls ask customers to purchase packages to be donated. ▶ Customers write the number of packages in the Donate Cookie
Packages column on the order card; they DO NOT specify a variety.
▶ Girls collect money for Gift of Sharing sales when they take the orders. Girls then deliver money to the troop according to the troop schedule.
▶ Troops may sell Gift of Sharing cookies at cookie booths. These
purchases are divided among the girls as part of normal cookie booth sales totals.
Gift of Sharing packages also can be purchased online. The council will facilitate the donation of all online Gift of Sharing packages sold. (Troops may suggest notfor-profit organizations to the council.) Each girl who sells at least three packages of Gift of Sharing cookies will receive the “Cookie Share” patch. 12
Important Cookie Details and Dates Program Begins ▶ Friday, February 7, 2020 ▶ Door-to-Door, Online, and Direct Sales
Cookie Booths Begin ▶ Friday, February 14, 2020 ▶ Booths, Continued Door-to-Door, Online, and Direct Sales
Program Concludes ▶ Sunday, March 15, 2020 Your Troop Cookie Manager (TCM): Phone: Email: Initial Order Due to Troop By: Money Due to TCM*: Money Due to TCM*: Money Due to TCM*: Recognition Choices Due to TCM:
MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020
*Information will be provided by your Troop Cookie Manager.
GIRLS MAY NOT SELL OR TAKE ORDERS FOR COOKIES BEFORE FEBRUARY 7, 2020
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.
GirlScoutsNebraska.org 800.695.6690