Q: Are Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts the same organization?
A: Boys Scouts of America is a totally separate organization from Girl Scouts of the USA. While some Girl Scout councils share programming activities with local Boy Scouts, the two organizations are governed separately. Girl Scouts of the USA does not comment on the policies and procedures of other organizations.

Q: What is Girl Scout Week?
A: Girl Scouts across the country celebrate the week that includes March 12 as Girl Scout Week because March 12 is the anniversary of the founding of Girl Scouting in the United States. The week begins the Sunday prior to March 12, and concludes the following Saturday. During Girl Scout Week it is customary for Girl Scout troops or groups to do a service project and to learn more about the history of Girl Scouting, about the life of founder Juliette Gordon Low, or about government in their own communities.

Q: Can staff and volunteers only be women?
A: Girl Scouts value diversity and inclusiveness and, therefore do not discriminate on any basis. Every volunteer and staff position in Girl Scouting is open to qualified women, as well as men. Because we believe that female role models are especially important to young girls during their developing years, men working directly with girls must serve as co-leaders with women leaders of troops or groups.

Q: Does Girl Scouts of the USA or Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council  

     support Planned Parenthood?
A: As an organization whose mission is to inspire girls to the highest ideals of character, leadership, patriotism and service, the Girl Scout Program must be responsive to the varying beliefs of individual girls and their families. We all know that girls in our country are faced with complex issues, including those regarding health, body image and sexuality. We try to address them as responsibly as possible by ensuring that all information-based sexuality programs are offered with the fully informed consent of the parents and/or guardians of the girls who choose to participate.

No monies collected by Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council or Girl Scouts of the USA for any purpose, including our cookie sale will be used to support Planned Parenthood or any other advocacy organization.

Q: Why aren't our service unit/troop/council events getting publicized in local newspapers?
A: Though each local newspaper sets it's own priorities for publication of news articles based on their market, all newspapers are interested in human interest stories involving the people in their communities. The best way to get items printed is to follow the guidelines set by the individual paper, which can be obtained from the council director of intercultural initiatives. In general, news items should be timely and appealing to a broad audience and photos should be clear and all persons clearly identified.

Q: Why can't I use the Girl Scout service mark as a border, watermark or design element in a flyer?
A: The Girl Scout service mark is one way to identify Girl Scout documents, publications and events no matter where you are in the country. It tells the world who we are. GSUSA has developed guidelines to ensure that the service mark is used in ways that will have the greatest impact. The guidelines are followed by Girl Scout councils around the United States and is one way to ensure consistent delivery of the Girl Scout message. A full set of guidelines related to the use of the service mark is available from the council service center or through your service unit P.R. Liaison.

Q: Can my friend make a donation to my Girl Scout troop?

A: Technically, yes. But keep in mind, that Girl Scout troops are not classified as a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. Only the council, known as Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council, holds the not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) designation. If your friend makes a donation directly to your troop and you deposit it, then your friend may not claim the donation on their taxes. If your friend wishes to claim their donation on their taxes, the donation must go through the council service center and then a check will be written to your Girl Scout troop.

Q: Can I write a grant for one of the girls in my troop who is working on her Silver/Gold Award?

A: You may write a grant, but it must be approved by the Executive Director before it can be submitted. Girl Scouts of Tulip Trace Council holds the not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) designation and is the only entity permitted to submit grants. The Director of Development will work with troop leaders or individual Girl Scouts as they write a grant to ensure all guidelines are followed. The director of development should be contacted at the beginning of the grant writing process.

Q: Can my Girl Scout Troop host a Home Interiors or Mary Kay party to earn money for the troop?

A: No. Troops may not take orders for, or purchase products outright from any company or business. Examples would be Tupperware, Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Home Interiors, Party Life, Kathryn eich, Nestle, etc. If girls earn money for another organization, Tulip Trace Council could be in jeopardy of loosing its non-profit status. Product demonstration parties are inappropriate money-earning activities for children and girls and will not be approved. They are specifically prohibited by our council as well as GSUSA.

Q: Can my Girl Scout Troop or individually registered Girl Scout  participate in the "Walk for Life", "MS Walk", or "Run for the Cure"?

A: They may not as a Girl Scout troop or individually representing Girl Scouts. In other words, they may not walk wearing Girl Scout uniforms or any insignia verifying they are Girl Scouts. As a Girl Scout troop, they may participate as a volunteer for the event by handing out water, or registering walkers, or other volunteer duties.

Q: What kind of money-earning activities can my Girl Scout troop

participate in?

A: After participating in the fall product sale and the annual cookie sale, troops may conduct one non-product money earning project. For any additional money earning projects, Form #57 must be completed and submitted at least 4 weeks in advance. Popular approved money-earning projects are: garage sales, babysitting, car washes, craft sales, aluminum can recycling, bird feeder sales, ice cream floats, flower sales, sale of food at local community or school events. To be sure that an activity is appropriate, please contact your service unit manager, membership manager the director of development at the council service center.