The Girl Scout Fall Product and Cookie Programs are exciting times for girls to flex their G.I.R.L power, focusing on goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics. They’ll start with decision making and goal setting as they decide why they want to participate in the product programs. These entrepreneurial programs are a great way for troops to fund their adventures, from indoor skydiving and ziplining to excursions in the Caribbean. Girls get more than just troop funds out of the product programs—they can also earn rewards and experiences based on their individual goals!
Product Program reward cards can be earned by girls of every age as an individual incentive during both the Fall Product and Cookie program. These are only available when the girls choose to opt-in for incentives. Here are the different ways your girls can choose to use reward cards:
Girl Scout Council Store
Available to: Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors
Reward cards can be used at all council stores and at our mobile pop-up shops. Our stores carry uniforms, badges, apparel, and a wide variety of fun items catered to girls. We unfortunately are unable to offer reward card usage through our online store at this time, but we do everything we can and are happy to help you get the product you need. If you are unable to visit one of our stores, here’s how to still use your reward cards to purchase awesome Girl Scout swag:
- Fill out our online order form, we’ll call you for payment details and ship your order ASAP. Don’t stress about getting the item catalog numbers, we are pretty good at understanding your descriptions.
- Email us a list of what you want or a screenshot of your online shopping cart. We’ll contact you for payment details and ship your order ASAP.
- Call us with a list of what you’d like, and we’ll ship out your order ASAP.
Check out our awesome retail catalogs to explore uniform components and many of the fun items we offer!
Council-Run Programs and Camps
Available to: Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors
When girls sign up for a council-run program or camp session at Bothin, Skylark Ranch, or Sugar Pine, they can apply their reward cards to pay for the experience. From sleepovers at the zoo to horseback riding sessions at Skylark Ranch, reward cards can be applied directly to registration fees at checkout in the DoubleKnot registration system. Use the Activity Finder to discover a program today!
Service Unit Events and Volunteer-Run Camps
Available to: Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors
Reward cards can be used by girls of all ages to pay for activities and camp programs hosted by Girl Scout service units and volunteers. From camporees to archery days, day camp or sleep away camp, girls can apply reward cards towards paying for their experience. Service units and volunteer-run camps (VRCs) can convert reward cards they receive using the Reward Card Conversion for Service Unit Event/Camp Fees form.
Pro Tip: Our volunteer-run day camps and resident camps provide girls with tons of options in a variety of locations throughout Northern California—here are 5 reasons to sign your girl up for one of our volunteer-run camps!
Council Trips and GSUSA Destinations
Available to: Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors
Older girls are invited to participate in travel and experience programs hosted by GSNorCal and GSUSA through the council trips and Destinations programs. Council trips take GSNorCal Girl Scouts to places like China, Australia, England, Costa Rica, the Galapagos and more! Girls can apply reward cards through their Council Trip Leader to pay down the balance on their travel accounts. Visit our Travel & Adventure page to explore and sign up for upcoming council trips!
The Destinations program, hosted by Girl Scouts USA, is designed for individual girls interested in exploring a new country, culture, or experience. Destinations programs are broken down by age and interest, and girls must apply and be accepted into the program by the host councils. GSNorCal has a committee of volunteers dedicated to supporting girls through the application process. Girls can apply reward cards toward their destination through their committee mentor. For more information on Destinations, visit GSUSA’s Travel page or email destinations@gsnorcal.org.
Older Girl Troop High-Adventure and Travel
Available to: Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors
Older girl troops are invited to spend their reward cards on troop adventures. Open only to girls in the Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador levels, girls can convert their reward cards into funds to use towards paying airline tickets, theme park tickets, hotels, restaurants, cruises, and even souvenirs. Reward cards can be submitted by troop leaders on behalf of individual girls to pay for high-adventure activities or trips that are three nights or longer. Reward cards are converted into funds that are deposited into troop accounts and designated to the individual girl. To apply reward cards towards troop experiences, troop leaders must fill out the Trip or High-Adventure Approval Form and be approved before submitting the Reward Card Usage to Support Troop Trip and High-Adventure form.
Pro Tip: Whether you lead a troop of Daisies or Ambassadors, check out this blog post to learn more about How to Plan an Age-Appropriate High Adventure Experience.
Gold Award
Available to: Seniors and Ambassadors
From buying components for her prototype water filter to funding transportation to and from the community garden she’s building, girls working towards their Gold Awards can use reward cards earned through the Product Programs to fund their Gold Award projects! Once her Gold Award Project proposal has been approved, girls can use the Gold Award Reward Card Reimbursement Form to have their reward cards converted to funds deposited into their troop accounts.
The Product Programs not only hone girls’ entrepreneurial spirit and ability, but they also give her the funds to create her own Girl Scout experience. Reward cards not only reward girls for their individual efforts, but also empower girls to choose their own programs and adventures. The Fall Product and Cookie Programs are just around the corner, so don’t miss out on the opportunity!
What to do next:
- Prepare for Fall Product and Cookie Programs! We have some great new resources for both programs, and Trailhead posts covering everything from the 5 Skills to designing your cookie booth.
- Read The Guide and visit the Activity Finder for more information on this year’s awesome council-run programs, trips, and more.
- A group of GSNorCal Girl Scouts used their Product Program money to travel to Peru. Read their story!
Tiffany Phamvu—Tiffany is the Risk Management, Dispute Resolution & Travel Coordinator for Girl Scouts of Northern California, where she supports girls and volunteers in their planning endeavors from troop meetings to travel adventures around the world. She is a Northern California native but has spent time living all over the world. Tiffany is an avid traveler (having visited 19 countries so far!) and an outdoor enthusiast who’s scared of heights, but loves to zip line. Her favorite thing about Girl Scouts is all the opportunities to go on adventures that are available through the Girl Scout program.
Every time my daughter attempts to use her fall reward cards to purchase an item they do no seem to work. After she puts in the code it tells her “invalid”. We attempted under promo and under gift certificate. Both places do not accept her reward card. How do we use them?