GSEM Volunteer Essentials

In-Kind Donations Girls cannot ask for donations of money. However, girls and adults may seek in-kind donations of products to support a troop or subordinate unit activity, Award Project or service project. Examples of in-kind donations include, but are not limited to paint, flowers for corsages and craft supplies. If a donor requests a gift receipt, and the product donation is valued at $250 or more, please send the following information to fund.development@girlscoutsem.org or mail to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, Attn: Fund Development, 2300 Ball Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146:

1. A comprehensive itemized list of products or services secured 2. Full contact information of the donors 3. Full contact information of troop

Monetary Donations/Volunteer Hour Match Program Unsolicited donations may be directed to a specific troop up to $250 total per year. All monetary donations must be turned into council with the troop number and donor’s contact information for tax acknowledgement. Once the gift is processed, council will confirm the troop has not exceeded the $250 cap and forward the donation to the designated troop. Any funds exceeding the $250 cap will be retained to support council-wide programming for all troops. For example, a troop that has received a total of $300 in monetary donations during one Girl Scout year would receive $250 and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri would retain the difference equaling $50. All monetary donations exceeding the $250 cap must be accompanied by the donor form, located on girlscoutsem.org and sent to the council. Remember, girl members may not engage in any direct solicitation for money. Girl Scout volunteers may apply for their company’s volunteer hour match program to receive monetary donations for their troops. Many employers recognize the hours employees spend volunteering for Girl Scouts with cash contributions. Volunteers may check with their employer’s human resources office or visit girlscoutsem.org/match to see if their company offers a volunteer hour match program. Volunteers who apply for a match must list the designated troop on the employer’s form and email the council at fund.development@girlscoutsem.org to confirm the match. Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing once council has received the match gift. When collaborating with any other organization, keep these additional guidelines in mind: Avoid fundraising for other organizations. Girl Scouts are not allowed to solicit money on behalf of another organization when identifying themselves as Girl Scouts by wearing a uniform, a sash or vest, official pins, and so on. This includes participating in a walkathon or telethon while in uniform. However, you and your group can support another organization through Take Action projects. Girl Scouts as individuals are able to participate in whatever events they choose as long as they are not wearing anything that officially identifies them as Girl Scouts.

Page 41|60