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Cookie Resources for Families

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world. Through it, girls learn lifelong skills while earning fun rewards and troop proceeds to fuel their adventures. 

The tools and resources we’ve prepared will allow you to select the level of participation and contact that’s comfortable for your family so that no matter how you participate, your Girl Scout will have a successful program.

Still, have questions? Contact the Customer Care Team at 888.350.5090 or by email.

How the Cookie Crumbles

Before diving into all of the cookie resources, it's good to know why your participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program is so important.

Did you know that 100% of the proceeds from the Girl Scout Cookie Program stay right here within Girl Scouts of Western Ohio?  That means after paying for the product, the remaining proceeds of every package purchased goes directly to troops and our local council. These funds help fuel adventures and program opportunities as well as keep our camps safe and fun! Plus, troops earn proceeds for their own goals and plans.

Remind your cookie customers of the financial benefits of the Girl Scout Cookie program with the How the Cookie Crumbles flier.  

Getting Started with the Cookie Program

The 2023 Girl Scout Cookie Program begins January 6 and runs through March 19. Below you'll find all of the resources you need to get started.

Whether this is your first time participating or your 10th, the resources below will help you participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program as a family.

First-Year Cookie Sellers

We have a video from Little Brownie Bakers for girls who are Cookie Rookies! If girls are new to the Cookie Program, this fun 10-minute video is just what they need to understand the basics. They'll learn the following:

  • How the program works
  • Cookie names
  • Easy ways to ask a customer to buy
  • Cookie booth essentials
  • Safety rules
  • How to set a goal

Watch the video now!

Caregiver Agreement Form

Be sure to complete the Caregiver Agreement Form so your Girl Scout can officially participate in the 2023 Cookie Program!

When completing this permission form, you'll need to know your troop number and your troop cookie manager's email address.

Prefer to submit a paper form? Download and print the 2023 Caregiver Agreement Form.

Calendar for Families
  • January 6, 2023 - Opening day of the Girl Scout Cookie Program! Girl Scouts can begin collecting orders and should connect with your troop cookie manager for access to Digital Cookie (online storefront) if you do not receive the access email.
  • January 28, 2023 - Goal Getter Phase begins. Initial Orders will be due sometime prior to this date; connect with your troop cookie manager for your troop's deadline.
  • February 9, 2023 - Last day for Goal Getter orders to be placed in Digital Cookie to count toward the Goal Getter rewards patch.
  • February 10 - 16, 2023 - Cookie Delivery (connect with your troop cookie manager for more details)
  • February 17, 2023 - Troop secured Cookie Booths begin (connect with your troop cookie manager for your troop's potential participation schedule). Cookie Stands and Drive-Thru booths may also begin. 
  • February 24, 2023 - Council secured Cookie Booths begin
  • February 27, 2023 - Orders for shipping open in Digital Cookie
  • March 3-5, 2023 - National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend!
  • March 9, 2023 - Girl Delivery option in Digital Cookie shuts off
  • March 17-19, 2023 - Last Chance Weekend! Remind your cookie customers that this is their last chance to stock up.
  • March 19, 2023 - Last day of the Cookie Program. Cookie Booths and Digital Cookie close.
  • May 2023 - Rewards will be dispersed by your troop cookie manager once they receive them.
Cookie Family Guide & Order Cards

The 2023 Cookie Family Guide is the perfect resource to help you navigate through the program. 

 

2023 Order Card - If you need more paper copies of the 2023 Cookie Order Card, connect with your troop cookie manager for extras. 

Need an order card now? Download and print the form below!

Cookie Rewards

Girls who participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program will learn awesome skills they will use for the rest of their lives and earn rewards! 

Check out the 2023 Cookie Rewards Lineup!

Digital Dough

Girls can opt for Digital Dough instead of a traditional reward at some levels. Digital Dough (sometimes called Cookie Dough) is a council digital gift card used to pay for service unit day camps, council-sponsored programs, in the shop, or next year's registration.

The electronic gift card numbers will be emailed to caregivers with redemption instructions by May 2023. Digital Dough expires on March 15, 2024.

Girls who sell 1,000-2,500+ packages may select a reward from a previous reward level and make up the difference with additional cookie dough!

Redeem your Digital Dough

Participation for Juliettes

The Juliette program is Girl Scouting custom-made for individually registered Girl Scouts, meaning a girl who is currently waiting for a troop to open in the area or is self-navigating their Girl Scout experience. 

Juliettes can participate in all Girl Scout activities open to her grade level, including the Girl Scout Cookie Program! Juliette Girl Scouts participate through their regional office; contact Customer Care at 888.350.5090 or by email to get the specifics for your Girl Scout.

Addressing Cookie FAQs

Talking With Your Girl about Palm Oil
Questions have been raised about the sustainability and labor practices used in palm oil production, which is used to make Girl Scout cookies– and almost all baked goods, cosmetics and other consumer goods. Little Brownie Bakers, our cookie company, has taken a strong stand to ensure that their sources are using responsible practices and their parent company, Ferrara, has received the top rating from the World Wildlife Fund. Many of our troops responded to this discussion with an interest in using this as an educational opportunity about the global impact we all have with the food and other products we use every day.

This “Discover, Connect, Take Action” approach is exactly what Girl Scouts is about. The following discussion guide contains Girl Scout activities that broadly address “creating a sustainable world,” along with a link to a resource that provides more in-depth information and activities on palm oil issues. The GSWO team created this to support you and your girls as they take the first steps in exploring complex issues.

Girl Scout Guide to Global Issues: Sustainability

Why is palm oil used in Girl Scout Cookies?
Palm oil is an ingredient found in the majority of baked snacks sold in the United States. Per GSUSA's licensed bakers, it continues to be necessary to use palm oil in our cookies to ensure their shelf life, to bring you the highest quality products, and to serve as an alternative to trans fats. While we continue to explore other alternatives, at this time, there are no viable or readily available alternatives on the market.

Cookie Participation Options

Participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program is an important part of the skill-building process for girls. And, there are many options and ways for girls to participate this year! Check out this handy overview.

Virtual & Digital Cookie Participation

Virtual is a great way to kickstart your Cookie Business and reach more cookie customers even if you're planning to participate in person this year.

Digital Cookie Storefronts for Girls

Go digital to grow your business! The Digital Cookie platform makes reaching out and connecting with your cookie customers easy. Customers can purchase Girl Scout Cookies to be shipped to their homes or delivered directly by your Girl Scout, and they can conveniently pay for their cookies online. Orders for girl delivery and donations will open in Digital Cookie on January 6, while orders for shipping will become available on February 27. 

On January 6, 2023, look for an email with your access link to set up your Girl Scout’s very own online storefront through Digital Cookie. Follow the prompts to participate in this online opportunity. If you cannot find the email, you can resend the email from the login page by clicking on the "Need Help" button at digitalcookie.girlscouts.org.

For further assistance with helping your Girl Scout set up her Digital Cookie storefront, connect with your troop cookie manager and follow the easy steps to get started with Digital Cookie on page 4 of your Cookie Family Guide!

 

Digital Cookie Tip Sheets

Looking for more detailed assistance with your Digital Cookie account? Check out these tip sheets. 

Setting Up Your Site (under 13 years old)
Setting Up Your Site (over 13 years old)
Digital Cookie Mobile App
My Cookies: Delivery Settings
My Cookies: Inventory by Variety
My Cookies: Financials
Approving Girl Delivery Orders
Closing Your Site

Check out the Marketing to Customers tip sheet for step-by-step instructions on marketing to your clients via email and by sharing your online storefront link. 

In-Person Cookie Participation

We want to be sure your girl or troop is prepared for this season, should they choose to participate safely in any in-person cookie activities. Check out the resources available to help you do just that!

Troop Cookie Booths

Cookie Booths are a valued aspect of the Cookie Program. Girls learn important communication skills and how to network and manage their businesses while being able to provide sweet cookie treats to the public.

Our Cookie Booth phase of the 2023 Cookie Program officially begins on February 17, 2023. Troops can connect with business partners in their area to set up troop-secured cookie booths. If you know of a business or location willing to host a cookie booth for your troop, let your troop cookie manager know! 

Drive-Thru Cookie Booths

Customers love being able to purchase Girl Scout cookies while on the go. A Drive-Thru Cookie Booth is a great way for troops to offer convenience, distance, and a quick cookie transaction experience for those cookie fans. Connect with your troop cookie manager to see if your troop is participating in an area drive-thru cookie booth. 

To aid with tracking your inventory and sales at cookie booths or cookie stands, download the 2023 Booth Inventory Chart. 

Family Cookie Stands

Families may work together to host their very own Cookie Stand! A cookie stand is similar to a lemonade stand in that girls run it from one household with their caregiver there to supervise. The caregiver is responsible for the cookies they sign out; since you supervise your Girl Scout, membership and background checks are not required. This will allow your girl to have the booth experience even if the troop may not be participating in troop booths.  

The guidelines are as follows:

  • Family/Household Unit – minimum one adult/caregiver and maximum two girls from the same household. 
  • Troop-secured locations only – households can set up at local businesses not already secured by the council. Ask your troop cookie manager for more details if you're unsure of a location or business. You may also set up on your private property.
  • Caregivers must seek approval from the troop cookie manager, who will then submit the Cookie Stand on your behalf for council approval. Once approved, the location, date, and time will link to the national Cookie Finder link. If on private home property, the stand does not need to be submitted for approval. 
  • Locations will be approved on a first-come-first-served basis; if a troop has already submitted a location for a Cookie Stand/Booth approval, the second request will be denied, and encouraged to seek a different date/time from the location to re-submit. 
  • Caregiver must connect with the troop cookie manager to obtain cookie inventory (and sign receipts). As with any time cookies are signed out, the cookies and funds for those cookies are your responsibility.
  • Households with girls from more than one troop must work with each troop’s cookie manager for inventory calculations and funds due if girls are working a Cookie Stand together. 
  • All general Cookie Booth guidelines as pertaining to etiquette, setup, teardown, and COVID restriction policies must be followed at Cookie Stands. Connect with your troop cookie manager for that information.
Credit Card Processing
Clover Go

Clover Go is a credit card processing app available for all of our troops and families!  This means troops and girls will be able to accept credit cards at booths and when they deliver cookies to customers.. 

When you are ready to deliver cookie orders to your customers, you can easily connect with them to accept the credit card payment over the phone to process manually through the Clover Go app! You can then schedule a porch drop for that customer as a convenient, contact-free way to safely get cookies into the hands of your supporters! 

Your troop cookie manager will let you know if your troop is participating and how to set up the Clover Go app to connect to your troop.

Digital Cookie

If your troop is not utilizing credit card payment through Clover Go, Digital Cookie has a solution! You can easily accept credit card payments while making a delivery (if those orders weren't already ordered through Digital Cookie) through the Digital Cookie dashboard. 

Program Opportunities

During the Girl Scout Cookie Program, there are many other ways girls and families can get involved, learn new skills, and have fun together! 

Cookie Business Badges

With more and more consumers shopping online, girls learn to think beyond the storefront and meet their cookie customers where they are through the Digital Cookie® platform. The 13 new Cookie Business badges are packed with activities to support every Girl Scout as they work collaboratively, set goals for themselves, and finesse their digital marketing campaigns. Girl Scouts of all ages will be ready to take their cookie business to the next level!

Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pins

Earning the year-by-year Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin is the best way to make the Girl Scout Cookie Program a family affair! The simple, age-specific guidelines have been tailored for her developing skill set, making success a snap.

Learn more about the Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin opportunity. 

Program Events

Girl Scouts of Western Ohio offers several program event opportunities for Girl Scouts of all age levels to help further the skills learned during the Cookie Program. Click the title of each event to learn more and register.

5 Skills for 5 Days

Looking for a fun way to virtually prepare for the Girl Scout Cookie Program? Then look no further. Our 5 Skills for 5 Days virtual programs are perfect for you!

Join us on our Girl Scouts of Western Ohio Facebook Page each evening at 7 p.m. during the week leading up to the Cookie Program, January 2 - 6, 2023. Each day, we'll offer a fun learning opportunity and an activity for girls to follow along and hear more about the new skills they'll learn through their participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program!

Can't attend live? Don't worry; replays will be available on Facebook!


Promotional Tools

To help boost your cookie business, we have created a supply of social media graphics, downloadable posters and images, and more. Promote your cookie season in many different ways by visiting our Marketing Resouces page. 

Cookie Donations

By donating cookies, cookie customers can double their giving efforts by supporting Girl Scouts and donating to others in need simultaneously. Girls learn about philanthropy and the power of giving back to their local communities. So, that's a win-win-win. Even better!

Talk with your troop cookie manager about how your troop handles cookie donations, and then check out the Marketing Resources available to help you promote your support!