Fundraisers

[KramBerries]

I really, really, really wish that all those fundraiser sales gave you the option to just don't directly without buying the stupid cookies, coupon books, wrapping paper, popcorn, candy, or whatever. I rarely want these kids are selling. I'd like to donate to their scout troop, band club, revolutionary movement, or whatever, but buying @#$% is a really inefficient way to do it. What is so hard about having an option for direct donations? Oh, and don't bribe my kids to sell someone else's junk with special privileges at school.

You want me to spend $14 on four boxes of cookies. In return, I get four boxes of cookies that are worth about $8 to me. You get about $2.50 in "profit" from selling the cookies. Because I got something tangible in return for my purchase, I get no tax deduction. If you gave me the option to donate directly, I could give you $10, which would be a net $6 cost because it is tax deductible. I could then buy $8 of snacks that are worth the same to me as the four boxes of cookies. I'm out the same amount of money, but you raised $10 instead of $2.50.

 

[golfgal]

Just tell the kid that you don't want to buy anything but here is $10 as a donation. I don't know anyone that would turn that down . I have chaired several fundraisers and we always have people do this.

 

[LisaNJ25]

You certainly can give a cash donation.. you just cant get a receipt for your tax deduction from a specific troop.

I know my council lets you make a donation straight to them, and than you may be able to deduct but its not the same as going to the troop.

Here 4 boxes of cookies arr $16 and we make $3.00.

As a mom to 2 girls scouts and a cookie mom to 3 troops.. cash donations are always loved. You also have an option of donated a box of cookies.

Unlike than $4 box or Oreos in my grocery store which just makes the manufactures rich, I know a portion of my $4.00 (although be is small) is going towards a girl to have an experience she may not otherwise had.

 

[quentina]

Go for it....as a former PTO chairperson, I would welcome that. The struggle is most schools average a 20% participation rate and that means,.....lots of fun stuff to sell.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I really, really, really wish that all those fundraiser sales gave you the option to just don't directly without buying the stupid cookies, coupon books, wrapping paper, popcorn, candy, or whatever. I rarely want these kids are selling. I'd like to donate to their scout troop, band club, revolutionary movement, or whatever, but buying @#$% is a really inefficient way to do it. What is so hard about having an option for direct donations? Oh, and don't bribe my kids to sell someone else's junk with special privileges at school.

You want me to spend $14 on four boxes of cookies. In return, I get four boxes of cookies that are worth about $8 to me. You get about $2.50 in "profit" from selling the cookies. Because I got something tangible in return for my purchase, I get no tax deduction. If you gave me the option to donate directly, I could give you $10, which would be a net $6 cost because it is tax deductible. I could then buy $8 of snacks that are worth the same to me as the four boxes of cookies. I'm out the same amount of money, but you raised $10 instead of $2.50.

Unfortunately there are RULES about donations which is why we have to play games.

Now schools do try and get around it, esp. the affluent schools. The rules they have can be crazy.

Here are the Girl Scout rules....... fun, huh?

All troop/group fundraising activities must have approval by your Service Unit Manager and the Council Fundraising Task Group. Click here to download a Fundraising Application. The Fundraising Application has some guidelines to follow for appropriate fundraising efforts by troops/groups. Groups include: Service Units, Activity Center groups, more than one troop working together on a fundraising project.


Fundraising guidelines are provided in several resource materials. They are listed below:

Safety Wise - GSUSA guidelines for fundraising. Always refer to Safety-Wise before planning any fundraising activities with your Service Unit, troop or group.


Policies and Standards are located in the Council Manual. Section II (in both – Policies and Standards) addresses the fundraising criteria set by our council. Click here to review the Council Policies and Standards.


Council Position Statements are located in the Council Manual. Please review the position statements before planning any fundraising events. Council position statements clarify information regarding fundraising for troops/groups. The current position statements address the issues of: Games of Chance; Fundraising for Others; Endorsements and Troop/Group and Service Unit Fundraising.


United Way guidelines and dates must also be followed regarding any fundraising activities. See Section 7, page 14 of the Council Manual for this information.

http://www.girlscoutstrailways.org/TroopGroupFundraising.aspx

 

[KramBerries]

The problem that I run into with straight cash donations is that it usually ticks the kids off. They're being paid to sell the cookies, calendars, cookie dough, or whatever. If they sell a certain number of units, they get a reward. If I make a cash donation, however large, they get nothing.

We had this situation with my own kids last year. The school had a cookie dough fundraiser. The elite sellers were rewarded with a limo ride to a pizza place for lunch one day. My kids were most displeased when I refused to foist their cookie dough off on my co-workers and instead offered to make a straight cash donation to the PTO. They weren't the least bit interested in raising funds. They just wanted the rewards for selling dough. It seems to me that a fund raiser should reward kids on how much money they earn for the charity, not how much they earn for the cookie dough maker.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The problem that I run into with straight cash donations is that it usually ticks the kids off. They're being paid to sell the cookies, calendars, cookie dough, or whatever. If they sell a certain number of units, they get a reward. If I make a cash donation, however large, they get nothing.

We had this situation with my own kids last year. The school had a cookie dough fundraiser. The elite sellers were rewarded with a limo ride to a pizza place for lunch one day. My kids were most displeased when I refused to foist their cookie dough off on my co-workers and instead offered to make a straight cash donation to the PTO. They weren't the least bit interested in raising funds. They just wanted the rewards for selling dough. It seems to me that a fund raiser should reward kids on how much money they earn for the charity, not how much they earn for the cookie dough maker.

It is about you making a donation if you wish to.

My kids knew that I did not go for those dumb prizes. If they wanted said prizes they had to go out and sell & do the work.

As they got older they could care less. Now I just have a 7th grader and a college freshman.

The kid in middle school has fundraisers that I do not participate in because they refuse to lay out what they are specifically fundraising for. They state "vital needs" on their webpage.

They send out a survey at the end of the year and I always ask for them to change the info from "vital needs" to what are they raising the money for and a more detailed list of what the fundraising is going for.

 

[taitai]

Our PTO has an "Opt Out" option where instead of buying the stuff you can just give a cash donation. It is 100% tax deductible and you do get a receipt. I am sure other organizations have this option as well. Just ask.

 

[golfgal]

The problem that I run into with straight cash donations is that it usually ticks the kids off. They're being paid to sell the cookies, calendars, cookie dough, or whatever. If they sell a certain number of units, they get a reward. If I make a cash donation, however large, they get nothing.

We had this situation with my own kids last year. The school had a cookie dough fundraiser. The elite sellers were rewarded with a limo ride to a pizza place for lunch one day. My kids were most displeased when I refused to foist their cookie dough off on my co-workers and instead offered to make a straight cash donation to the PTO. They weren't the least bit interested in raising funds. They just wanted the rewards for selling dough. It seems to me that a fund raiser should reward kids on how much money they earn for the charity, not how much they earn for the cookie dough maker.

We just would credit the kid for the cash donation to qualify for prizes. If our net was $5 and a kid got a $10 donation, they got credit for selling 2 of whatever, for example.

 

[dislaney]

Our PTO has an "Opt Out" option where instead of buying the stuff you can just give a cash donation. It is 100% tax deductible and you do get a receipt. I am sure other organizations have this option as well. Just ask.

I wish ours did. I did find out that most of the organizations that my kids were involved in would actually accept a cash donation in lieu of buying the stuff, (that we didn't need) but it was never officially announced. I never got a tax receipt either. Oh well it still worked for us.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I'm not sure if it's a National thing, but around here you can donate a box of Girl Scout Cookies to the Troops overseas if you don't want to have any for yourself. The GS still gets credit for the boxes sold and the Girl Scout organization send all of the donated cookies by the case at the end of the sale.

 

[powellrj]

We just would credit the kid for the cash donation to qualify for prizes. If our net was $5 and a kid got a $10 donation, they got credit for selling 2 of whatever, for example.

This is the first year our schools have ever let us make a cash donation. I begged and begged to just let me make a donation and was always refused. This year they let me donate $50 and be done. I hope her drama fundraiser will let me just make a donation this year.

 

[KramBerries]

We just would credit the kid for the cash donation to qualify for prizes. If our net was $5 and a kid got a $10 donation, they got credit for selling 2 of whatever, for example.

That's exactly what I want.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I am on the PTO at my dd's school and I even cringe at the thought of fundraisers. I hate buying things that i do not need just to raise money for my DD's school. We do alot of the family friendly fundraisers such as movie night, Barnes and noble bookstore, pancake breakfasts, roller skating, Coldstone Creamery etc.
At the PTO meetings they announce how much profit the school receives from each fundraiser. I NEVER buy anything in the fundraisers sent home like candle, cookie dough, etc. Instead i send in the profit money they would have got from me from buying something. It may sound cheap, but i dont mind giving the donation to the school, but I don't want to spend more for things I don't need or want.

 

[marlynnp]

Unfortunately there are RULES about donations which is why we have to play games.

Now schools do try and get around it, esp. the affluent schools. The rules they have can be crazy.

Here are the Girl Scout rules....... fun, huh?

All troop/group fundraising activities must have approval by your Service Unit Manager and the Council Fundraising Task Group. Click here to download a Fundraising Application. The Fundraising Application has some guidelines to follow for appropriate fundraising efforts by troops/groups. Groups include: Service Units, Activity Center groups, more than one troop working together on a fundraising project.


Fundraising guidelines are provided in several resource materials. They are listed below:

Safety Wise - GSUSA guidelines for fundraising. Always refer to Safety-Wise before planning any fundraising activities with your Service Unit, troop or group.


Policies and Standards are located in the Council Manual. Section II (in both – Policies and Standards) addresses the fundraising criteria set by our council. Click here to review the Council Policies and Standards.


Council Position Statements are located in the Council Manual. Please review the position statements before planning any fundraising events. Council position statements clarify information regarding fundraising for troops/groups. The current position statements address the issues of: Games of Chance; Fundraising for Others; Endorsements and Troop/Group and Service Unit Fundraising.


United Way guidelines and dates must also be followed regarding any fundraising activities. See Section 7, page 14 of the Council Manual for this information.

http://www.girlscoutstrailways.org/TroopGroupFundraising.aspx

yada, yada, yada

You can make a cash donation and the troop can accept a cash donation while they are selling cookies. They just can't SOLICIT the cash donation - you need to offer.

And my girls know what they make on a box of cookies ($.52) and they'd be fine, and graciously thank you, if you said, "I can't/don't want to buy any cookies, but here is a dollar for your troop!"