Welcome to the troop treasurer training! Thank you for taking the time to learn about the role of the troop treasurer and financial guidelines for Girl Scout troops.
The treasurer is an important role for each troop. **The treasurer has the responsibility of keeping accurate financial records, **and along with the leader ensuring that the troop is following the financial guidelines set forth by Girl Scouts San Diego Imperial Council. **It is important that troops keep accurate records, because each year the troops submit a copy of their financial reports to the council for review. **These records also should be available to any leader, parent of a troop member, service unit team member, or council representative upon request.
Any **adult volunteer, including the troop treasurer, that is handling money, writing or signing checks, or handling bank accounts and records must be a **currently registered member of Girl Scouts as well have a **current background check and **signed volunteer agreement with the council. The troop leader or service unit team can assist in getting the background check and registration complete.
One of the main roles of the troop treasurer is to **ensure that accurate and up to date records are kept for the troop. **This includes receipts and copies of the troop checkbook register and bank statements. **These records will be turned in annually, and creates much less work when they are due if they are kept up to date throughout the year. **You can use the Detailed Cash Record form to easily keep track of income and expenses and balance of the troop account. More information on the Detailed cash record to follow. **Troop financial records, including receipts and financial reports, are to be kept by the treasurer or leader for 4 years.
The financial report that is turned in annually to the service unit treasurer contains three parts.
The detailed cash record,
the annual troop financial report & equipment inventory
And the most current bank statement from the troop account.
The detailed cash record and annual financial report & equipment inventory as well as an instructional video on how to complete them can be found on the council website at www.sdgirlscouts.org/forms . **If you utilize these excel forms, all of the math will be completed for you and information that is on both forms is automatically transferred from one to the other.
The detailed cash record is a detailed accounting of all troop income and expense transactions. **In this, you fill out the dates of transactions, details of the transaction, and categorize each transaction into the appropriate income or expense column. **It is very similar to the check register. **Again, instructions and an instructional video can be found at sdgirlscouts.org/forms.
The annual financial report & equipment inventory gives additional troop information, **such as bank account information, **account signers, and a **listing of equipment that they troop has. **These forms, along with a current bank statement are turned into the service unit treasurer annually. The service unit treasurer reviews them, and then submits them to the council. Service unit treasurer will give you the due date.
Girl Scouts has a partnership with Wells Fargo bank, and all troops can receive **a no fee account with Wells Fargo, **including a debit card **and free checks. All new troop accounts need to be opened with Wells Fargo. **You will contact your local service unit treasurer to get the steps to opening the account. It is important that you contact them to get information on your local Wells Fargo representative. **You cannot walk into any branch and get an account opened under the Wells Fargo Girl Scout partnership. You do have to go through the appropriate representative, and once you contact them the process is simple and easy to get going.
On each troop account there must be **two unrelated adult signers, usually the troop leader and the troop treasurer. You will be putting an address in for the bank statements to be sent to. **The person receiving the bank statements should not also be holding the checkbook. These should be in separate hands, and **when the bank statement arrives each month the person receiving it, usually the troop leader, should review, and then give it to the person holding the checkbook, usually the treasurer. They will then look over together, and the treasurer will reconcile to be sure that statement and the checkbook match. **Wells Fargo does not require a minimum balance to open the account, so the account can be opened at any time. **Accounts must be opened before participating in council sponsored sales such as cookie or nuts.
Once the account is open the troop will complete a bank account information form, provided by the service unit treasurer, and submit to the service unit treasurer. This form lets the service unit and council know who the signers are on the account as well as all of the troop account information. **If there are any changes in the troop account in the future this form needs to be completed again and resubmitted.
Troop money earning refers to **activities following a planned budget and carried out by the girls and adults, in partnership, to earn money for the troop treasury. **Council sponsored product sale activities are **council wide sales of authorized products, such as Girl Scout cookies or nuts.
All troops must participate in the annual cookie program in order to be eligible to do additional money earning projects. **Troop money earning projects may not be held while council sponsored sales are occurring. **Troops are given approval to complete money earning projects from the service unit team or the volunteer support coordinator. **Recycling is encouraged and can be done anytime by any troop without prior approval.
Each program level is allowed to do a certain number of money earning projects each Girl Scout year. **Kindergarten Daisy troops are **not permitted to do money earning outside of the council sponsored sales. **All money transactions for girls at this level should occur between the troop leader and the parents. The troop can request that parents give a sum to cover troop expenses, although program expenses at this level should be minimal. **First grade Daisy troops can do **one money earning project in addition to council sponsored sales and recycling. **Brownie troops can do **one money earning project in addition to council sponsored sales and recycling.
Junior troops can do **two money earning projects in addition to council sponsored sales and recycling. **Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador troops can do **three money earning projects in addition to council sponsored sales and recycling. **For older girl troops looking to save money for a high cost event, additional money earning projects can be approved by the volunteer support coordinator. **In order for more than three money earning projects to be approved, the troop must participate in the fall nut sale in addition to the cookie program.
The money earning project application and guidelines can be found on the council website at www.sdgirlscouts.org/forms . **The application needs to be completed and submitted to the service unit at least 4 weeks in advance of the activity. **If the projected profit exceeds $250 the application must be submitted to the volunteer support coordinator for approval. **Once the money earning project is complete, the troop fills out the bottom evaluation portion of the application and **attaches a copy to their annual financials.
There are money earning projects that appropriate for Girl Scouts to do, and there are some that are not. Some examples of appropriate activities are **workshops such as a Try-It or Badge workshop or a bridging, **events such as songfest, dance, or tea, putting on a play, show or concert, **homemade bake or craft sale, **car wash, **yard work, **babysitting, **walking tour, **nature hike, **troops ‘own’ cookbook.
Some examples on inappropriate activities that troops are not permitted to participate in, and will not be approved are: **sales generating profits for a specific business or company other than Girl Scouts like **candy, **pizza, **shopping mall promotions, **restaurant fundraisers, **door to door sales (except council sponsored sales), **gambling or games of chance such as raffles or auctions, **product demonstrations or commercial parties involving direct sales **like kitchenware, scrapbooking, jewelry, or cosmetics, **direct solicitation of money, **money earning activities on the internet.
There will be times that troops will be approached by an individual, business, or community organization that would like to sponsor or donate to the troop. **The troop or individuals cannot go out and solicit these donations of funds, but if an opportunity for donations comes up, the troop can accept donations.
Troops are able to accept monetary donations of $249.99 per donor per membership year. The troop would then thank the donor. **Monetary donations of $250 or more must be sent to council, **who will acknowledge the tax deductible donation and **then send a check for $249.99 to the troop that the donor identifies when they make the donation. **All monies over the $249.99 will remain at the council to be utilized for the benefit of all girls within Girl Scouts San Diego Imperial Council.
Some donors may prefer to donate items to the troop rather than money. **Troops are able to accept donations of goods, for example meeting supplies, equipment, and food, **in any amount, **and thank the donor. Always be sure to properly thank your donor for any donations – monetary or items!
Girl Scouts may choose to contribute a portion of their troop treasury to organizations or projects they consider worthwhile, for example Girl Scout campership fund, local or international community service organizations, or environmental projects. **The girls in the troop should be deciding on how much they would like to donate and where to. **Troops are welcome to make these donations of funds or goods. **Girl Scouts, however, cannot directly raise funds for other organizations. So, when in the role of Girl Scouts, girls cannot solicit money or be involved in fundraising for other organizations. **They can support other organizations through service projects. **For questions on giving or receiving donations, contact your service unit team or volunteer support coordinator.
Activities and events that the troop participates in must relate to the Girl Scout program goals of discover, connect, and take action. **Girls discover when they understand themselves and their values, and use their knowledge and skills to explore the world. **Girls connect when they care about, inspire and team with others locally and globally to make the world a better place. **Girls take action when they do something to make the world a better place
All money earned by or donated to the troop belongs to the troop as whole, **and is never the property of individual girls; **separate accounts or ledgers are not permitted.
When deciding how to use troop funds be sure they are being used appropriately. Some examples of appropriate use of troop funds are: **council and service unit sponsored events, **supplies for activities during troop meetings, **programs with council community partners, **educational programs, **camping activities, **cultural experiences such as museums & theatre, **and community service.
Examples of inappropriate use of troop funds and things that may not fit into the program goals include: **limo rental, **shopping trips, or **anything that the girls in the troop as whole do not decide on or agree about using the funds for. **If you have a question about an activity contact your service unit activity consultant or volunteer support coordinator.
Girl Scouts San Diego Imperial Council is committed to ensuring that all girls can participate in Girl Scouting. **The Opportunity Fund was created to help individuals who need financial assistance to **participate in troop activities, **or for uniform pieces, **or for new members who need financial assistance to cover the cost of Girl Scout registration.
Girl Scouting strives to teach girls the valuable lesson of planning and budgeting. **Therefore, troops should plan ahead with money earning projects and council sponsored sales to cover the cost of activities and events, and Girl Scout registration fees. **Troop leader and parent or parent only may request opportunity fund for an individual. **The individual requesting financial assistance must be a currently registered member of Girl Scouts. **A troop financial report for the previous year must be on file with the council.
The application and full guidelines for opportunity fund can be found on the council website at www.sdgirlscouts.org/forms . **The completed request must be signed by the parent or guardian of a girl or by the adult requesting the funds. **Completed requests must be submitted to the volunteer support coordinator at least 4 weeks before the funds are needed.
Sometimes there will be times when there are changes within your troop, and sometimes there will need to be finances distributed due to these changes. Here are some potential changes and how they relate to troop finances. **If a girl transfers to another troop or registers as an Independent **all money remains with the original troop and no money is given to the girl nor transferred to the new troop. **When the troop moves from one program level to the next, or bridges, **all money moves with the troop.
If the troop divides **a financial report is completed at the time of division and turned into the service unit treasurer. **All assets are divided among the two treasuries on a prorated bases according to girl membership at the time of division. **For example, if a troop has 10 girls in it and the troop divides, then each girl would get 1/10 th of the total funds put into the account of the troop she is going to.
If a troop disbands and is no longer continuing, **the leader must submit a disbandment report along with the troop financials. **The troop bank account will be closed, and all funds sent to the service unit along with the disbandment paperwork. **If any of the girls from the disbanding troop continue on into other troops within a year, then their prorated portion of the funds are distributed to her new troop. **The service unit holds the disbanding troops funds for one year, and **if there are girls that have still not continued on in other troops after that year, then the service unit is able to use their portion of the troop funds for the benefit of all girls in the service unit.
If there is a change of leadership in a troop, **the outgoing leader must submit a financial report to the service unit treasurer at the time of the leadership change. **Copies of this report along with all troop supplies are given to the new leader. **The bank account signers for the troop account are updated to reflect the new leadership in the troop.
If you have any further questions on troop finances, please contact you service unit treasurer or volunteer support coordinator.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about troop finances!