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Where Cookie Money Goes

When you buy delicious Girl Scout Cookies, you’re helping to power new, unique, and amazing experiences for girls—experiences that broaden their worlds, help them learn essential life skills, and prepare them to practice a lifetime of leadership.

76 percent of the money stays local! That’s right, all the money that a council and its troops raise through the Girl Scout Cookie Program—every penny after paying the baker—stays with that council and its troops. Girl Scout councils do not provide any portion of their cookie revenue to Girl Scouts of the USA.

Your cookie purchase not only supports girls’ success, but helps them find the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ within to do amazing things for themselves and for their communities.

How the Cookie Program Helps Pay for Girl Scouting

The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps to subsidize Girl Programs, keeping Girl Scouting affordable for all girls. In fact, the Cookie Program is vital to River Valleys’ mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character—more than 60 percent of River Valleys’ budget comes from the Cookie Program.

Here’s what the Cookie Program makes possible:

  • Keeps camp affordable by subsidizing the registration cost
  • Supports the Girl Scout Leadership Experience which includes girl programming, curriculum, and events
  • Provides grants to girls and troops with financial barriers, so that Girl Scouting is available to all girls

Girls also earn proceeds for their individual troop, which are used for troop activities and service projects within their communities.

Concerns About Girl Scout Cookies?

Once in a while, we hear concerns about the Girl Scout Cookie Program. In short, this concern arises because individuals have been fed false information about the program. As such a large organization, Girl Scouts is occasionally a target for outside entities with clear agendas. A fundamental piece you should know is that Girl Scouts does not advocate one way or another with regard to what we perceive as private issues best handled by families.

And hey, let’s let the girls have fun! We ask that adults keep adult conversations to themselves. Approaching girls with negative materials at a cookie sale is not acceptable.

We’re Committed to Inclusivity

We are an inclusive organization, and we do not discriminate or recruit on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or national origin. We welcome members of all abilities. The organization does not permit advocacy or promotion of lifestyle or orientation.

We Do Not Take a Political Position

Girl Scouts is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. We do not support or oppose candidates for public office in any election, nor take a stand for or against a political party. Girl Scouts River Valleys does not take a position on abortion or birth control or have a relationship with Planned Parenthood. The national umbrella organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, does not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood on a national level and does not plan to have one.

Cookie Concern Resources

  • Social Issues FAQs - This page from Girl Scouts of the USA answers questions customers commonly have about Girl Scout stances on social issues.
  • Cookie FAQs - This page from Girl Scouts of the USA answers questions customers commonly have about Cookies and the Cookie Sale.
  • Catholic Church Relationship - This page from Girl Scouts of the USA outlines Girl Scouts' 100-year relationship with the Catholic Church.
  • Additionally, we have put together responses for cookie sellers for instances where girls or volunteers are faced with questions or negative comments.