Check your organization's rules first
Scouting America packs, troops, crews, and ships. The Unit Money-Earning Application (April 2023 revision) asks units to submit it to the council service center at least two weeks before committing to a project, and says council-coordinated projects such as popcorn sales and Scout show tickets need no application. Its guidelines also state that units are never permitted to solicit contributions for unit programs, so a unit earns money by selling a product, a ticket, or a service, not by asking for donations. Scouting America Unit Money-Earning Application
Girl Scout troops. Girl Scouts of the USA's Blue Book (revised August 2026) says girl members may not directly solicit money, with a narrow exception for donations to their council for Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award projects with the council's prior written permission. Councils run the cookie and fall product programs and set the approval steps, timing, and limits for any other troop money-earning. Girl Scouts of the USA Blue Book of Basic Documents
Other scouting and youth organizations set their own rules. Read your national policy and your local council's guidance rather than assuming another organization's rule applies to you, and ask your district or council contact when a project falls in between.
Fundraiser chooser
Match the idea to your scouts' ages, your unit's size, and the season: first-graders need a simpler job than teenagers saving for a trek. Shortlist two or three ideas, then fill in the approval contact and the net goal for each before the unit votes. Inventory risk is the money you lose if the product does not sell.
| Idea | Age fit | Adult roles | Inventory risk | Approval to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council popcorn sale | All ages, with a parent at every booth | Booth adult, product pickup, money handler | Set by the council program's order and return terms | A council-coordinated sale for Scouting America units, so no unit application |
| Girl Scout Cookie Program | All levels | Troop cookie manager, booth adults | Set by the council's ordering and return rules | Your Girl Scout council's program rules and dates |
| Pancake breakfast or spaghetti dinner tickets | Older scouts serve, younger scouts greet | Kitchen lead, food-safety lead, ticket and money handler | Low when most tickets are presold | Unit or troop money-earning approval, plus local food rules |
| Service day: car wash, yard work, or firewood delivery | Older scouts, younger scouts with a parent | One supervisor at every job site, one money handler | None | Money-earning approval and youth protection supervision |
| Wreath or mulch preorder | All ages take orders, adults deliver | Order taker, delivery driver, money handler | Low if you order only what was prepaid | Money-earning approval; Scouting America's form says a product must sell on its own merits |
| Recycling drive | All ages | Collection-site adult, hauler | None | Money-earning approval and the recycler's terms |
The downloadable chooser adds columns for upfront cost, the approval contact, the approval date, and the net goal.
Classic product sales
Supporters get something they want, and scouts learn to sell it. Keep an adult in charge of the money at every booth.
- Popcorn sales. Council popcorn programs sell through orders, booths outside busy stores, and online storefronts. Weekend booth days during peak shopping hours sell the most. Staff every booth with two scouts and an adult.
- Cookie sales. For Girl Scouts, the annual cookie program is the main fundraiser. Other units can sell baked goods made by scout families, labeled with ingredients and following local health rules.
- Wreath and holiday greenery sales. Take orders in October and November for December delivery, and show a sample at your booth. The timing lines up with holiday decorating budgets.
- Mulch and firewood delivery. Older scouts with a trailer sell mulch or firewood and deliver it on one weekend. The delivery work is real service, and product costs stay low.
- Camp cards and coupon books. Many councils sell discount cards for local businesses that fund camp fees. Check whether yours does before making your own.
Service-based fundraisers
Scouts earn money by doing useful work, which fits scouting better than a sales pitch. Give younger scouts simple, supervised jobs.
- Car wash. A Saturday car wash at a church lot or fire station, with adult spotters and a suggested donation or set price if your council allows it. Post it on neighborhood apps the week before.
- Yard cleanup. Older scouts rake leaves or do light landscaping for a per-yard price, in pairs with an adult on each job.
- Pet care weekend. Set rates for dog walks and cat check-ins. Parents go along with younger scouts.
- Snow shoveling. After a storm, a list of households and a simple price sheet keep a crew of scouts busy all weekend. Agree on prices before the storm, not in the driveway.
- Sponsored cleanup. Clean up a park or trail and ask local businesses to sponsor each bag collected or hour worked.
Food and event fundraisers
Meals and ticketed events take more planning than a sale, but people come back to them year after year.
- Spaghetti dinner. Sell tickets ahead and at the door. Families bring salad, bread, and dessert, adults run the kitchen, and scouts serve. A church hall, VFW post, or school gym usually has the tables you need.
- Pancake breakfast. Cheaper than a dinner and done in a morning. A fire station or Legion hall often has a kitchen you can use.
- Bake sale at a community event. Add a baked goods table to your popcorn or wreath booth at a farmers market or tournament.
- Chili cook-off. Charge an entry fee per pot and a tasting ticket. Scouts host and count the votes. A local business can donate the trophy.
- Movie night in the park. Sell snacks and a family admission or suggested donation on a late-summer evening.
Pledge events, only where your rules allow them
Hike-a-thons and other pledge events ask supporters for contributions. Under the rules above, a Scouting America unit cannot run one on its own, though some councils run a council hike-a-thon that units join. Girl Scout troops cannot directly solicit money. Councils and other youth organizations whose rules allow pledge events can run them with per-participant pages.
ScanRaise supports hike-a-thons with phone-browser GPS distance, a browser step counter, per-mile pledges with a cap, and a live leaderboard. Speed and path checks flag unusual entries for an adult to review before any pledge is charged.
Recycling, collection, and community partnership fundraisers
Collection drives need less selling, which suits scouts who dislike asking strangers.
- Bottle and can drive. In bottle-deposit states, collect returnables from neighbors and businesses and redeem them weekly.
- Aluminum can recycling. Scrap aluminum pays by the pound even without a deposit law. Sort and crush cans at a meeting and haul them in bulk.
- Ink cartridge and electronics recycling. Some retailers pay small amounts to nonprofits for returns. Check the current programs first.
- Grocery bagging. Some stores allow it with written permission. Bagging for tips or next to a donation box can count as soliciting under some organizations' rules, so check before you book a date.
- Local business recognition. Selling program space or a booth banner gives the business something in return. Ask your council whether your organization treats it as money-earning or as solicitation.
Direct asks and crowdfunding: usually not for scout units
A campaign page that asks family and friends for donations is a solicitation. Scouting America's form says units may never solicit contributions for unit programs, and the Girl Scouts' Blue Book bars girl members from directly soliciting money outside the award-project exception. Choose a money-earning project instead, where the buyer receives a ticket, a product, or a service.
If your group is not bound by those rules, a direct ask can work: name the need, such as 12 new sleeping pads, set a deadline, and report back when the purchase is made.
Sample camp-cost worksheet
This sample is one week of summer camp for 12 scouts and 3 adult leaders. Every number is illustrative, not a council's published fee. Replace each line with your camp's current fees, and ask the council about camp scholarships before setting the goal.
| Line item | Quantity | Unit cost | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scout camp fee | 12 scouts | $395 | $4,740.00 |
| Adult leader fee | 3 adults | $150 | $450.00 |
| Program and badge materials | 12 scouts | $15 | $180.00 |
| Transportation | Fuel reimbursement for drivers | $300.00 | |
| Unit gear | 2 tents | $220 | $440.00 |
| Contingency | 5% of $6,110.00 | $305.50 | |
| Total | $6,415.50 | ||
| Families pay | 12 scouts at $300 | $3,600.00 | |
| Unit treasury pays | $500.00 | ||
| Net goal to earn | $6,415.50 minus $3,600.00 minus $500.00 | $2,315.50 |
Now test each shortlisted idea against the net goal. A breakfast that sells 150 tickets at $10 with $3 of food per plate nets $1,050 before any other costs, which covers less than half of $2,315.50. The unit would need a second project or a higher family share, and it is better to know that before the vote.
Reconcile cash and online payments
Most scout fundraisers mix cash at a table with card payments online. Keep them in two records that meet in the treasurer's ledger.
- Cash: two adults count it together at the end of each shift, both sign a count sheet with the date and the event, and the money is deposited promptly under your unit's financial rules.
- Online: if you sell tickets or preorders through ScanRaise, each payment appears in the organizer's export with the date and amount. ScanRaise records only payments made through ScanRaise, so cash stays on the count sheet.
- Ledger: enter cash and online totals separately for each event, subtract product and food costs, and report the net to the committee before announcing a total.
Take card payments for tickets and orders
A buyer with a phone but no cash walks away from a cash-only table. ScanRaise event tickets support paid tickets, attendee lists, and door check-in for a breakfast or dinner. The store supports preorders with inventory limits and Stripe checkout, and owners and admins can manage products and inventory from Products on the organization page. Payments go to your unit's own Stripe account.
Keep an adult in charge of every payment device and table, and do not put a donation QR code or a tip jar at a booth unless your rules allow solicitation.
Downloads
- Download the scout fundraiser chooser (CSV)
The chooser rows with blank columns for upfront cost, approval contact, approval date, net goal, and the unit's decision.
- Download the camp-cost worksheet (CSV)
Spreadsheet version of the sample camp week. Change quantities, fees, the family share, and the treasury amount, and the net goal recalculates.
Frequently asked questions
How do we keep scouts safe during fundraising activities?
Follow your organization's youth protection rules. Scouts work in pairs, never alone, and an adult supervises every booth shift, delivery, and service job. Adults handle all cash and payment devices. Never post a scout's full name, address, or personal details in fundraising materials.
Can a Scouting America unit run an online donation campaign?
Not for unit programs. The Unit Money-Earning Application says units are never permitted to solicit contributions for unit programs. Plan a money-earning project instead, such as a ticketed meal or a service day, and submit the application to your council at least two weeks before committing to it.
Do we need council approval before running a fundraiser?
Usually. Scouting America units submit a Unit Money-Earning Application for projects the council does not coordinate, and Girl Scout councils set their own troop money-earning approval steps. Ask your district or council contact if you are unsure.
Can our troop take cards and phone payments at a booth?
For tickets and products, often yes, if your council allows card payments. A QR code can open a ticket or preorder page so the buyer pays from their own phone with no app or account. A donation QR code or tip jar can count as soliciting, so check your rules first.
Sources and review notes
Sources checked . External rules and product policies can change, so confirm them before launch.
- Scouting America: Unit Money-Earning Application, No. 34427, April 2023 revision. Two-week submission timing, the council-coordinated exemption, and the guideline that units may not solicit contributions for unit programs.
- Girl Scouts of the USA: Blue Book of Basic Documents, revised August 2026. Solicitation of contributions policy for adult and girl members, including the award-project exception.