Daisy Girl Scout dues

[DopeyDame]

If you don't mind, would you share your Daisy troops financial set up? Does your troop do one annual dues? Do parents pay-as-you go? Do you sell cookies? How much do you typically spend in the year for all the activities in total?

I'm the leader of a new Daisy troop and thought I had a plan, but now I'm getting some push-back and I want to see what's normal.

Thanks!

 

[NHdisneylover]

We are overseas which is a bit different---we have to account for shipping patches from abroad, and we are not allowed to sell cookies (due to food lableing and taxation laws overseas), which means pretty much all of our funds come from dues.

We charge 35€ in dues at the first meeting and again in February. We also charge for camporee----we apply whatever dues moeny is left and charge the difference which usually works out to about 20€ (camporee includes train fare there, two nights at the campground, food and activities).

We meet every other week September through June and our girls earn a fun patch (bought from Snappy Logos, not GS whose patches are far pricier) from each meeting as well as their petals. Other money goes towards eithe a t-shirt or custom plate or bucket supplies for sit upon buckets (we rotate every third year--it's a multi age troop), meeting supplies (markers, paints, stuff to make lemon batteries, etc), and rides on the carousel at the Christmas Market.

I am always up front with perspective parents about what the costs will be and about where that money goes so that there are no suprises after they register.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

Join Girl Scout Gab on FB. There are over 25,000+ members from every single level of Scouting, even International.

I am am Ambassador Leader, for the last 6 years, we collect $60 annually, $30 per semester if parents wish. The girls have to work within that budget, above and beyond product sales and Cookie Dough.

The prices for everything just keep going up and up and up. Over the past 10 years registration has gone from $8, to $12, to $15, now $25. What parents don't understand is that goes straight to GSUSA and pretty much only pays for the insurance underwriting for their child to participate in the program.

Earned badges have gone from $1, to $1.50, to $2 to $3 EACH, not to mention insignia, tabs, patches, etc.

With that being said, starting when my girls were Juniors, we started letting them be in control of the money. Over time we taught them how to work within a budget, the amount they had to use, how to allocate funds out to make them last longer, how to agree on making choices on what to spend the money on, how much, etc. Now that they are Ambassadors, they pretty much run the troop themselves, and we are just there to help guide them and make sure they are keeping everything within Safety Wise.

But, all my girls sell the heck out of Fall Products and Cookies. Being that we are Ambassadors, we have a smaller troop of only 6 girls. Fall Products range from 30-150 items per girl, cookies range from 600-1800 boxes per girl. The understand the value of time vs cost, are able to make longer term savings goals to be able to go on bigger trips, etc.

For cookie season our council uses a program called Cookie Dough, it's essentially additions funding in the form of monopoly money to be used within council. Our council publishes an opportunity catalog call Focal Point, the girls can use their cookie dough to register for any event published in Focal Point and that helps keep a balance from troop dues being eaten up to register for events.

Many many troops, do a split payment, where you collect dues to get started and then parents chip in some form of payment for the events they want their child to participate in. Some troops do half & half, some troops do $5 from the parents, and the troops covered the rest. Many troops in my area are now having the problem of parents bailing on the last minute and being no-shows to events, and wasting the troop funding on paying registrations on people who end up being no-shows. Parents are more inclined to keep the commitment if they have paid some, even if only $5.

 

[aprilgail]

If you don't mind, would you share your Daisy troops financial set up? Does your troop do one annual dues? Do parents pay-as-you go? Do you sell cookies? How much do you typically spend in the year for all the activities in total?

I'm the leader of a new Daisy troop and thought I had a plan, but now I'm getting some push-back and I want to see what's normal.

Thanks!

We did 56.00 a year dues as daisys and we sold nuts and cookies. We broke the dues down into 2 payments if you couldn't pay all at once. Then there were other fees like if we went to amusement park, or aquarium or camping those were all in addition.

 

[DopeyDame]

Thanks all. Right now, we're saying $75, which would include badges/uniform insignia (which really are shockingly expensive!), meetings supplies, and three field trip/council events. Maybe we should pull the money for the field trips out of the dues and collect it separately - I'm intrigued by the point Shanna made about people bailing on events when they didn't pay for it directly.

Our council recommends against new Daisy troops selling cookies, so what we collect from parents is all we're going to have.

I'd love to hear more experiences!

 

[foohpah]

My daughter is now a Cadette but I remember those Daisy years. I was the leader of a 15 girl Daisy troop. That first year I believe we asked for $20 up front and we asked for parents to pick up the cost of the initial uniform and base insignia (troop numbers, council patch, etc.) for their girl. We did participate in fall product and cookies that first year but it was optional and we never set any kind of a troop goal. We did not do booth sales of cookies that first year - just let interested girls sell to friends and family. After that point we were a completely self funded troop. The troop purchases all awards, new uniforms as the girls moved into new levels, craft supplies, etc.. It was a goal of our troop to be completely "self-funded" and it worked really well. We never took any big trips and if girls wanted to go to summer camp that money was paid for by parents.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Thanks all. Right now, we're saying $75, which would include badges/uniform insignia (which really are shockingly expensive!), meetings supplies, and three field trip/council events. Maybe we should pull the money for the field trips out of the dues and collect it separately - I'm intrigued by the point Shanna made about people bailing on events when they didn't pay for it directly.

Our council recommends against new Daisy troops selling cookies, so what we collect from parents is all we're going to have.

I'd love to hear more experiences!

We do not have dues pay for uniforms---we have parent buy the smock, insignia tab and pins seperately. We do tell them that is coast they need to anticipate, but I find when they have to look at the catalog and see the prices they realize the money is truly going to the things the girls use and complain less. I even usually offer to pick up orders for everyone when I am going to the US if they want---but tehy have to choose the products and pay ahead---that reuslts in every girl getting her stuff on time but less griping from parents.

 

[DopeyDame]

This is really all useful - thanks! Pulling out field trips and insignia makes it much clearer how other troops are getting away with 20 and $30 in dues.

 

[aprilgail]

We do not have dues pay for uniforms---we have parent buy the smock, insignia tab and pins seperately. We do tell them that is coast they need to anticipate, but I find when they have to look at the catalog and see the prices they realize the money is truly going to the things the girls use and complain less. I even usually offer to pick up orders for everyone when I am going to the US if they want---but tehy have to choose the products and pay ahead---that reuslts in every girl getting her stuff on time but less griping from parents.

That is what we did too- the smock and tabs and pins were all on top of the dues money and the leader ordered and picked up all at once.

 

[RangerPooh]

We've been in GS since our oldest was a Kindergarten Daisy, so I understand this question very well. We're now second year Juniors and second year Cadettes and this is what we have done.

Originally when I was the troop leader (back in WA prior to moving to TN) I requested that the parents purchase the vest, insignia, and troop numbers, everything else was optional. I did NOT require them to purchase the printed materials. They paid their own registration which was $12 then ($25 now), and $3 a meeting in dues. I would gladly accept money paid in advance but realized that we lived in a college town where many of the parents were on tight student budgets. I also let the parents known that we probably would not be purchasing patches until the spring due to needing to accumulate money first. They understood this but the girls had a hard time with wearing blank vests. We did not sell fall product as it was at the same exact time as school fundraisers, and cookie sales were in March/April with funds not given to us until May. Therefore the bulk of the troop expenses and patches that first year came form my own pocket. I shopped around for fun patches and purchased through SnappyLogo, much cheaper than council for many of the same patches. No field trips that first year.

The following year I had money to work with from the previous years cookie sales so thing went much smoother. Patches were distributed every other month. Again no fall product only cookie sales. We did more activities but I tried to keep them free. Those that cost I had parents pay for or paid for half of it so that there was buy in as I did not like being out all of the money for no shows. I continued to purchase patches through Snappy Logos, occasionally through council if shipping was going to be too much for only a few items. Still did not require girls to purchase the books. There are so many resources available on line that I never needed to.

Fast forward a few years and we relocated to TN and I just help with the troop not lead it (except I'm the cookie mom).The troop collects $60 in dues by October. Fall product and cookie sales help pay for the bulk of everything they do. Parents pay for certain activities. We still purchase the vests and insignia, but that's ok.



Oh, if you have a family that cannot afford her uniform check with your service unit (SU) or council to see what kind of scholarship might be available. Same with membership fees. My old service unit (SU) would pay half the membership fee and usually purchase the sash. Also, check to see if your service unit has funds set aside for the creation of a new troop. My SU paid the new leader $5/girl to get them started. So that first year I received around $60 in start up money. You can also ask leaders who have aged up if they have any old Daisy material or patches that they wound't mind sending your way. As a pp mentioned, join groups on facebook. There are a ton out there!!!!! I believe that I'm on the one that she listed, but there's level specific groups as well as fun patch and buy/sell groups too.

 

[kirstenb1]

My daughter no longer does GS, but she joined in 4th grade as a junior. We live in a small town, and all our troops, Daisy through Seniors meet at the same place and time. We merge together for large activities like Thinking Day, Juliette's Birthday, etc. Also, during cookie sales, one of the leaders creates a spreadsheet with all the booths, and sign up genius, so girls can sign up for various dates and times. Then, they use a formula to allocate proceeds to each troop, based on how many hours of booths, Daisies, for instance, participated in. I'm hoping you can do something similar with the older troops in your area. You can save expenses, because our older troops pass down the girls and leaders books.

Also, if you're running a meeting, and need pipe cleaners, or construction paper, or whatever, and you forgot it, it's easy to ask one of the other troops for a loan. I always had a large bin of arts and craft supplies, and the other leaders did as well, so we could share.

Back to your original question, each family pays dues. The dues aren't even to the troop, it goes to national. It used to be $18, but sure it's gone up. Also, each girl purchases vest, troop numbers, and American flag. If you're getting push back from parents, basically they have 2 choices. They can pay for all the badges, activities, etc themselves. Or they can really step up, and help the kids sell the heck out of Fall Fundraiser and cookies. Fall Fundraiser always got a higher percent of the $$ going right back to the troop, as opposed to cookies.

Finally, you will absolutely need lots of help with cookies. The girls can create really cute posters at meetings. Then you order as many cookies as you think you can sell. But someone has to set up the table, you need at least 2 adults to be in charge of money, and they need to reconcile the inventory to the $$. Someone needs to haul the cookies to/from the booth. We did 2 hr shifts outside grocery stores, Walgreens, etc.

This first year, maybe the girls just sell the cookies to neighbors/friends/family. I'll tell you, even with all the help from other leaders, the cookies were a lot for me to handle. If one of my parents flaked out, I felt responsible to come cover their shift at the booth.

 

[mjkacmom]

Just a thought, my 3 girls did Daisy's, and used the same smock. I know I passed it along, same with Cub Scout shirts. Many prefer to buy used.

 

[maxaroni]

OMG. I read this as Daisy Girl Scout DIES. I was afraid of opening the thread, then when I did, I couldn't understand what this was about.

My new glasses must not be helping the way they should.

 

[Skippy918]

My daughter is a 2nd year daisy. Last year, in addition to the Girl Scout dues (mine plus dd's), we had the troop contribution, plus money for vests, and the starter kit essentials. This year the troop leader is having us bring $25 to fund the troop. I think it was the same last year to get us started. I am unsure how much we made from cookie sales last year.
Our service unit puts on a lot of activities plus they run the camping events. There are some fees with these and you have to sign up early. But all these activities are optional. Last year we did the daisy tea party, thinking Day and the camping trip. There are options for camping too. You don't have to stay overnight.
In my area Girl Scouts is really popular that practically each elementary school has a troop per grade.

 

[bushdianee]

My niece has been in GS since Daisies, now a Cadette. Her first troop was a multi-age troop that did not require anything outside of the registration. Most of the girls were related to the leader so she paid for everything. I usually helped out with snacks. We did fall sales and cookies. Now she's in a Junior- Cadette troop and dues are $15 a year. Families are responsible for vests or sashes and flag, council, insignia, etc. The troop provides membership pins and earned badges. They do cookies. This troop is only in its 2nd year. It is much more organized and badge orientated than the first troop.

 

[aprilgail]

Oh and I forgot each meeting one parent brings in snacks and drinks- it is rotated among them all.

 

[RangerPooh]

I think some people are confused about the terminology between dues and membership fees. Dues are paid directly tot he troop and help to cover meeting costs, field trips, activities, and patches. The membership fee is the annual amount that you pay to the national council to join. Currently it's $25 and cover her insurance to participate in the organization and its sponsored events. Some councils will add on an additional fee that goes directly to their council (region) to help with scholarships and such.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Wow. When I was in boy scouts, we had a pancake breakfast fundraiser, no dues, and that was it.
We paid for our own uniform and handbook but merit badges and the like we were given. There were no fees for camps except Summer Camp, but that included the food and tents and the like. Each patrol had to buy its own food for camporees and the like. But all the supplies like tents, cooking utensils and the like were issued from the quartermaster.