It’s easy to think of the Girl Scout Cookie Program as girls simply hawking treats, but there’s something more behind the annual ritual. Girl Scouts at each level, from 5- and 6-year-old Daisies to the high school Ambassadors, learn about customer relations, business plans, research and development, marketing and sales analysis, all in the name of cookies.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led business in the country and generates immeasurable benefits for girls, the council and our communities. Girls set cookie goals to support their chosen activities for the year, to fund community service and leadership projects, to attend summer camp, to travel to destinations near and far, and to provide events for girls in their community. The activity of selling cookies is directly related to our purpose of helping all girls realize their full potential and become strong, confident, and resourceful citizens.

All of the proceeds—every penny—from a local council’s cookie activities remains in the area where the cookies are sold. This revenue is used to benefit girls, some of it directly by remaining in the Girl Scout troop/group treasury and some of it indirectly by subsidizing the cost of providing the Girl Scout program in the local area.

Money from Girl Scout cookies helps local councils:

• Recruit and train volunteer adults to work with girls
• Provide the financial assistance needed to make Girl Scouting available for all girls
• Improve and maintain camp and other activity sites
• Keep event/camp fees for all members to a minimum
• Sponsor special events and projects