Money Matters

Girl Shortage Form
Payment Adjustment Form
Bad Check Form

Cookie Share Donations  

Cookie Shares are donations made by GSGI using council inventory. If a payment is indicated online as a Cookie Share or Donation, it is earmarked to come from GSGI’s inventory. Once an online donation has been processed, GSGI cannot reverse the donation to the troop’s inventory. Cookie Share needs to be entered by TPM in Smart Cookies. Keep an eye out for additional training on this! 

What if my troop wants to distribute their own donations? At the end of the season, troops can request to pickup cookies to distribute to hometown heroes and non-profits they love. Watch the Shout Out for the post-season sign-up form. 

NEW: Cooke Share Reward! Get ready for the ultimate CEO Game Show for Girls! All Girl Scouts who collect 100 Cookie Share packages will receive an exclusive ticket to the most epic event of the season with our CEO Beth Shelton. Date: Stay tuned!


All about finances

Bank Accounts

 All troops need to have a bank account set up before the cookie seasons begin.  Information on how to set up an account (and more basic money management guidelines!) can be found on our website’s Volunteer Essentials.

 How payments work:   

  1. Girl Scouts collect cash/checks from customers. Credit card payments are handled in Digital Cookie. 

    • A note for Juliette parents/guardians: For Juliette Girl Scouts who have chosen to use their personal account to deposit funds during cookie season, checks must be written to the account holder name and GSGI using the following format:

      Pay to the order of: Account Holder Name OR GSGI 

      It must say "or" NOT "and"

      This allows Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa to manage checks that are returned for insufficient funds (NSF).

  2. Girl Scouts turn in money to the TPM. Don’t forget to give them a receipt! 

  3. TPM deposits all money into the troop bank account (this should happen regularly throughout the season).  

  4. The amount owed to GSGI for the cookies is withdrawn from the troop bank account, leaving Troop Proceeds earned in the troop bank account. 

Troop payments

for cookies received are automatically withdrawn from troop bank accounts twice throughout the program. Each troop will receive an email with the amount due at least five business days before the scheduled withdrawal. Troop Proceeds are calculated in the second withdrawal and left in the troop’s account. 

  • March 5: $2 per package received through February 16, minus the amount paid for by credit card, is withdrawn. Direct Ship sales are also excluded, as those cookies are never received into the troop inventory; the troop and the Girl Scout are credited automatically.  

  • April 9: 100% of remaining balance due is withdrawn. This includes credit for any online sales payments taken through Digital Cookie. 


It’s important to remember that all money collected is the property of the Girl Scouts and should never be deposited into personal accounts of parents/guardians or volunteers.   


Handling money as a Juliette

Finances look a little different for Juliettes, allowing Juliette parents/guardians to choose an option that works best for them. If neither of the options below fit a Juliette family’s needs, contact us at info@gsiowa.org! We’re committed to helping them find an option that works. 

  1. Direct bank withdrawal: Juliette parents/guardians enter their personal bank account information in Smart Cookies to allow GSGI to withdraw payments on scheduled dates. Juliette parents/guardians should deposit 100% of the cash and checks collected before each withdrawal date. 

    • If using direct bank withdrawal, payments for cookies received are automatically withdrawn from the entered bank account twice throughout the program. The Juliette parent/guardian will receive an email with the amount due at least five business days before the scheduled withdrawal. 

  2. GSGI shop deposit: Juliette parents/guardians make a payment at one of GSGI’s three retail locations. Appointments are required—no walk-ins. Email info@gsiowa.org to schedule an appointment. 

    • If using GSGI shop deposit, payments must be made in one of our GSGI retail shops by the dates noted below.  

  • March 5: $2 per package received through February 16, minus the amount paid by credit cards, is withdrawn. Direct Ship sales are also excluded, as those cookies are never received into the Juliette inventory; the Juliette account is credited automatically.  

  • April 9: 100% of remaining balance due is withdrawn. This includes credit for any online sales/payments taken through Digital Cookie. 

Proceeds for Juliettes come in the form of Juliette Program Credits (JPC). They are loaded alongside Cookie Dough after the season. See page 28 of the 2026 Cookie Program Volunteer Guide for more details. 


What to do if…

Sometimes problems can arise, but we’re here to help! See below for some financial FAQs and reach out to us at info@gsiowa.org if needed. All the resources mentioned below are available on The Bridge.  

  • Please contact GSGI with the following information:

    • Signed Product Program and Troop Activities Year-Round Permission Form  

    • Documentation (emails, text, phone records) of at least two collection attempts  

    • Girl Shortage Form (linked at the top of this page!)

    GSGI will contact the family directly to make arrangements for payment, and the troop’s auto withdrawal amount will be adjusted.  

    Troops will be credited for the amount of the shortage only if all requested materials are provided by the deadline. 

  • If enough funds are not available to withdraw from the troop bank account to make the cookie payment, fill out a Payment Adjustment Form. This form must be submitted by March 3 for the first withdrawal and April 7 for the final withdrawal to be adjusted in time. Auto withdrawals CANNOT be skipped. 

    • If no Payment Adjustment Form is submitted, and there are insufficient funds in the troop account, access to Smart Cookies will be frozen. The troop will not have access to more cookies until the balance is paid.  

    • If there is still troop debt at the end of the program, collection efforts will be made until the debt is paid.  

  • If a customer writes a bad check or has insufficient funds, submit the Bad Check Form (linked at the top of this page) within 90 days of the date on the check. GSGI will reimburse the troop for the amount of the check and fees.  

  • In the event of theft, file a police report within 24 hours and notify GSGI as soon as possible at info@gsiowa.org, so that we can help determine a resolution.  

Digital Cookie

Digital Cookie – Girl Sales 

All Girl Scouts can accept digital payments directly through the Digital Cookie mobile app using a mobile device for door-to-door sales.  

Customers can also use a Girl Scout-provided link to pay directly for their cookies on the Digital Cookie website with credit cards, Venmo, and PayPal. Payments are processed once the order is marked as delivered. See the Digital Cookie Help Dashboard for step-by-step directions. 

NEW THIS YEAR: Upgrades to Digital Cookie include the ability for Girl Scouts and their families to track cash payments. 

Digital Cookie – Booth Sales 

The Digital Cookie mobile app is the only approved way to take credit card, Venmo, and PayPal payments at booth sales. For troops, booths must be approved in Smart Cookies to use this payment option. See the Digital Cookie Help Dashboard for step-by-step directions.

Digital Cookie – the fine print  

  1. GSGI covers all fees associated with Digital Cookie payment transactions.  

  1. Payments through Digital Cookie are not deposited directly into the troop bank account.  The troop/Juliette will be credited in Smart Cookies for the payment amount.  

Clover Go 

As announced in 2024, Clover Go is no longer supported by GSGI as a payment option for the Girl Scout Cookie Program. All digital payments should be made through Digital Cookie.  

A Note on forms of payment 

Cash, check, or digital transactions through Digital Cookie are the only GSGI-approved and secure ways for customers to pay for cookies. Other forms of payment are not recommended or reimbursable in the event of an error. Troop bank accounts are governed by strict standards in accordance with our non-profit status—we appreciate our cookie volunteers for helping maintain those standards. 

Helping families manage cookies

It’s extremely important to train and communicate clearly with your families so that neither the troop nor the individual family gets ‘stuck’ with cookies. Your first step is to make sure you have a signed Product Program and Troop Activities Year-Round Permission Form from every participating Girl Scout. If an individual family is having trouble with cookies or money:   

  • Stay empathetic – Be direct and kind. Explain to the parent/guardian that they are financially responsible for the cookies they have signed for. Offer solutions, such as accepting a partial payment, helping them transfer cookies to someone else, or suggesting more ways to sell the cookies on hand. You can also exchange cookies that are in good condition for other varieties—you can exchange them from the troop inventory, and the troop can exchange with a cupboard or another troop. Click here for more on exchanges. [on Booth Resources page]  

  • Stay calm – It’s natural to feel a bit panicked, but this is why there are policies and procedures in place to ensure the leader and troop are safeguarded when financial issues happen. As a TPM, you should document your collection attempts, and ensure you have signed receipts for all cookies transferred to families, as well as signed Product Program and Troop Activities Year-Round Permission Forms. If the family is not able to pay the full amount due to the troop, fill out the Girl Shortage Form. At that point, GSGI will follow up with the family to arrange payment, and the amount due by the troop will be adjusted.  

Financial responsibility  

Tracking cookies and money is an important part of managing the cookie program. TPMs and Juliette parent/guardians should track and document all the cookies they pick up, hand out, and receive money for. Ultimately, the troop/Juliette parent/guardian is responsible to pay for all cookies in their possession, with financial responsibility on each family for any cookies they have signed for and received. Families should turn in money throughout the program for cookies sold, not all at the very end.   

Ideally, money is turned in for all the cookies a family has picked up before they are given more.   

It is up to the TPM to decide if they will allow families to return the cookies they take. GSGI recommends that troops do not take returns from families, as that limits your ability to manage your troop inventory down to zero.   

Understanding financial restrictions 

Sometimes families have a shortage in paying for product from a previous program, or other debt owed to GSGI. In these cases, Girl Scouts can ONLY sell cookies at booths or online. The family is not allowed to take responsibility for money or cookies directly.   

TPMs will be notified of Girl Scouts with restrictions in December. If a Girl Scout has a financial restriction, you will also see a “FR” after their last name in Smart Cookies. The family should be aware of the restriction from prior communication with the GSGI Finance Department. As the TPM, you may need to clarify to them how they can participate.