Troop Banking | Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming

Troop Banking is an integral part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, it provides troops with the means to earn and manage funds and gives girls the opportunity to learn money management best practices!

Girls can plan trips for their troops, including amazing destinations and fun camping adventures! Our volunteers help guide the girls through making these decisions and keep the troops’ accounts healthy and in line with their goals.

Which is why it’s super important to understand our troop banking polices and guidelines – and then, get your girls in on the fun by involving them in your troop’s financial decision making process.

Getting Started

Here's what you need to know about managing your troops finances.

Annual Report

Learn about your troop's annual financial report that is due June 30th each year.

Managing Money

Teaching girls strong money management skills to set them up for success.

Getting Started with Troop Banking toggle arrow

As a volunteer, here’s what you need to know about troop banking.

STEP 1: Read Volunteer Essentials

Read Volunteer Essentials: Troop Finances. This will set you up for success when managing troop funds and proceeds.

STEP 2: Set Up Bank Account

Submit the following forms to GSMW which are required to get your bank account established.

See important details listed below prior to opening the account.

STEP 2: Update Banking Information

If there has been any changes to your troop leadership or if your troop has disbanded, split, or merged with another troop it is essential that this information is updated with us and your financial institution.

Submit a Bank Account Form that includes the changes and reason for the change right away.

STEP 4: Organize Finances

Use our handy Annual Financial Report Monthly Template to organize your finances throughout the year. This will better prepare you for submitting the end-of-year financial report.

Review the details below prior to opening your account:

1. All Troops and Service Units will establish an account at a federally insured institution.

2. All accounts are required to be opened in the name of Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming Troop #______ . All accounts will be opened under GSMW’s Council Federal Tax ID #. An authorization letter, with this information will be sent to the primary signer from the Girl Scout Council Accounting Department. It must be presented, by the primary signer, at the bank to open or update the account.

3. Each account will have two non-related registered eligible GSMW members as signers on the troop account. No current board member, board committee member, or staff are permitted to be signers on the troop accounts.

4. One debit card may be issued per troop or service unit bank account. Online banking is not permitted.

5. Troops MUST opt out of overdraft protection for the debit card if it is offered by the bank.

6. An annual year-end Financial Report, along with a copy of the May bank statement and receipts, must be submitted to council by June 30th of each year. Failure to provide the year-end Financial Report may result in closure of the account.

7. Non-sufficient funds activity is not allowed on any Girl Scout account and may result in account closure. A signer’s name may be removed from the account at the discretion of the council.

8. All money raised, earned and other assets received in the name of and for the benefit of Girl Scouting must be authorized by a Girl Scout Council or GSUSA and used for the purpose of Girl Scouting. Such monies and assets become the property of and are administered by the Girl Scout Council or GSUSA. Such assets are not the property of individuals, geographic units or communities within a Girl Scout Council. Adapted from Girl Scout Leader’s Digest Blue Book

End-of-Year Annual Financial Report (June 1 - May 31) toggle arrow

Make sure you've watched the Annual Financial Report Tutorial video below.
Then complete the End-of-Year Annual Financial Report, due June 30th each year.

Organize your finances throughout the year!
Use this template to track your income/expenses.

Before submitting your report in June,
review the written instructions provided.

Money Management: Ways to Get Girls Involved toggle arrow

Get girls learning by earning!

Strong money management skills help set up girls for success throughout their lives. From saving to go to college, starting an investment portfolio, or buying their first car – being a savvy spender and saver helps girls feel more confidence regarding financial decisions. But girls need YOUR help!

If you’re planning to earn money as part of a Girl Scout activity or project, you need to submit your Money Earning Request Form for approval two weeks before executing the activity.

So, how do we come together to build a brighter financial future for our girls? By giving them the opportunity to learn and practice money management skills that help them achieve their dreams -- while having a ton of fun!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Financial Literacy Programs

Girls can participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and the Fall Product Sale to learn the 5 Skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics.

They’ll also have the opportunity to learn about product marketing and entrepreneurship.

Create a Troop Budget

At the beginning of the year create a troop budget.

Using goal-setting skills, set a financial goal for your troop and then plan out financial costs for events, trips, pizza parties, and service projects.

Learn How to Spend and Save

Review troop banking statements together and decide as a group how to spend and save troop funds.

Have Fun!

Find new and creative ways to get girls interested and show the real life impacts of their new and impressive financial skills.

Check out the study below by the Girl Scout Research Institute, which reported
that only 12% of girls feel “very confident” making financial decisions.

Having It All: Girls and Financial Literacy >

Disbanding Troop Process toggle arrow

If your troop has decided to disband this year, please provide all of the information requested in the Disbanding Troop Form so girls and adults in the troop can be properly managed, the troop can officially be removed and the troop bank account can be closed.

Please read the details below BEFORE submitting your form:

If a troop disbands

The girls are encouraged to use existing money (while memberships are still current) prior to disbanding (ie. year end celebration, donation to a local community project). Money is not to be given to individual girls or adults per IRS regulations. If funds remain, the money is to be turned over to the council.

If a troop splits or merges

If ALL girls from one troop merge into another troop, ALL of the funds from the old troop are to be transferred to the new troop leader. If a troop splits, the funds are to be divided proportionately to the number of girls in each new troop.

EXAMPLE: A troop of 10 girls splits into two distinct troops. The original troop has $300 in it's treasury. Divide $300 by 10 girls = $30 per girl. The funds are distributed accordingly to the new troops: $150 to each troop.

If a girl transfers to a new troop

The funds in the troop account are to be divided proportionately to the number of girls in the troop (see scenario above for a troop splitting) at the time the girl leaves the troop. The check is payable to the new troop, not the girl or parent.

If a girl leaves and becomes a Juliette Girl Scout

The funds are to be divided proportionately to the number of girls in the troop (see scenario above for a troop splitting). Juliettes are not allowed to have checking accounts so the troop is to send a check to GSMW with a completed Juliette Program Credit Deposit Form.

Submit Disbanding Troop Form >

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be prepared to provide information about your troop girls plans going forward as well as uploading troop financial information (i.e. most recent bank statement, receipts, financial tracking spreadsheet, etc.).