Volunteer Resources

Girl Scouts make a difference every day – but there is one day a year when we get together with other difference makers around the nation and do something fun and unique for our community. On October 28, volunteers from across the country will participate in Make A Difference Day, one of the largest annual single-days of service nationwide. Since 1992, volunteers and communities have […]

Are you looking for a boost to get into the holiday spirit? Whether your troop is focused on classic wintertime traditions, getting cozy as a team, giving back to your community, or just don’t snow what to do for the holidays, Girl Scouts is here to help. With the winter season just around the corner, here are […]

Spring has officially sprung, and Girl Scouts everywhere are looking forward to more sunshine as summer approaches. But there’s more to do than soak up the sun—a Girl Scout’s work is never done! Bring a little light into someone’s life with these 7 springy service projects! Donate your old clothes Bring a whole new aspect […]

Girl Scouts strives to empower girls—all girls—to accept and appreciate both themselves and others. Girl Scouts does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, national origin, or ability. When I first offered Girl Scout programming in support of the LGBTQ+ community, I encountered some resistance from other troop leaders, which […]

Girl Scouts of Northern California welcomes youth and volunteer members in any financial situation. We make funds available to cover membership, events and workshops, background checks, and camp. Membership Dues: Membership dues are $50/year for youth and $25/year for adults.  Uniforms: Youth can request uniform aid, which includes a voucher to our retail shops to receive a sash, vest or […]

Girl Scouts of Northern California provides Financial Aid for membership, uniforms, events, and camp.  Membership Dues: Membership dues are $50/year for youth and $25/year for adults. Girl Scouts of Northern California welcomes youth and volunteer members in any financial situation.  Both new and returning members can apply for membership dues financial aid. Uniforms: Youth can request uniform aid, which includes […]

Pass-Through. When a donor designates a charitable gift to a specific service unit or troop, this gift is considered a pass-through, as it “passes through” the council’s administrative offices and then is directly awarded to the Service Unit or troop. Monetary donations of $250 or more must be received by the council to comply with IRS […]

Troop Finance Reports Service Unit Finance Reports

In Girl Scouts we do a lot of projects that help our local communities, our cities, our counties, our state, even our nation, and our world. Some of these projects are considered community service while others are considered Take Action projects, and yet even more seem to fall into both categories at the same time. As […]

How can we, as troop leaders, best support our LGBTQIA+ Girl Scout youth? As a troop leader for Girl Scouts, I LOVE what we do. I love building up our youth, helping shape their lives and experiences, and seeing them grow into who they are meant to be. We started our troop back when they […]

Trying to train on the go? No problem! Make sure to follow these best practices for a smoother mobile learning experience.  If you have any issues with training completion, training requirements, or questions about gsLearn, please contact onlinelearning@gsnorcal.org. Accessing gsLearn on a Mobile Device Best Practices for Viewing Modules on a Mobile Device There are several […]

How can I contact my troop leader? Where can I find my troop’s meeting details? Once you have completed registration into a troop, you can locate contact information for your troop leadership team, as well as the meeting details for your troop within MyGS. Your troop leader will receive an email letting them know you […]

I’ve hosted seven years of back-to-troop parent meetings as a troop leader, each a little different as I learn from my growing experience. Having strong communication with parents and girls about meeting expectations, yearly planning, and volunteer commitments is crucial to a well-functioning troop, so here are the 4 things I cover with parents to […]

Starting a cooperative or co-op troop is a great way to share responsibility and empower the troop to expand without overburdening a single leader. In a co-op troop, all troop parents work together to share leader responsibilities whereas in a traditional troop model, two unrelated adults act as leader and co-leader with the rest of […]

I didn’t know what my Girl Scout experience would be when I signed up to become a troop leader nearly a decade ago. I don’t think any truly know what to expect. You are obviously hoping to shape young girls into amazing leaders and have some fun along the way. You do this through a lot of discovery, spending […]

What is a Co-Op Troop?  The traditional troop model has two unrelated adults acting as the Troop Leader and Co-Leader. In a Co-Op Troop, all families work together to share the responsibilities of leading the troop. What is a Troop Admin?  The Troop Admin is the key to the troop’s success! This role is primarily […]

Extended Year membership offers new youth and adult members the chance to purchase an 18-month Girl Scout Membership at a discounted price to begin their Girl Scout experience! What is extended-year membership? This membership deal is available for NEW youth and adults. The price includes membership for the remainder of the current membership year as well as the […]

Registration/Renewal Steps for Household Primary Caregivers  (PDF) This PDF provides adult members, who are listed as the head of the household in their MyGS Member Account, the following information:  *Please note this process is most effective on a desktop, not a mobile device. How to log in to MyGS

Registration  Renewal MyGS

Who can purchase a Lifetime Membership? What does it cost? How do I purchase a Lifetime Membership? Why are lifetime members asked to renew each year?  While lifetime members do not have to pay their annual $25 membership dues, they have to renew their volunteer role to indicate how they will be participating. Find out […]

This form must be included with your Trip or High Adventure Request Form. It is not the same as the troop roster you will find in your Volunteer Toolkit, because it contains details specific to troop trips and events. Please carefully fill out all details and upload as a .xlsx or .pdf (.xlsx is preferred). […]

So, your troop has decided it wants to go on an exciting adventure next year! Congratulations! Let the planning fun begin! Whether it’s a trip to a foreign land, a hiking trek to a nearby state park, or something in between, check out Outings Trips and Travel Planning for a comprehensive planning checklist that you won’t want […]

A Destination is an independent travel opportunity and the ultimate adventure for Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Push past your comfort zone by applying for a trip on your own, and make friends from all over the country as you travel with new Girl Scout friends. There’s a unique, life-changing experience for everyone. These […]

Council-Organized Trips From local sights and landmarks to those around the world, Girl Scouts has an adventure opportunity for every type of traveler. Girl Scouts of Northern California offers annual trips for youth in the Cadette, Senior and Ambassador levels from around the council to travel together and experience new adventures. Special money earning, scholarship, […]

Community service is a core part of the Essential Girl Scout Experience. And there’s no better way to serve your community than by having the girls take the lead when it comes to planning and running an event. Having a girl-led troop not only helps girls learn to make choices, but it also shows them that many […]

Brownie Girl Scouts love to explore outside! Whether you’re on a troop camping trip in the woods or in the backyard with your girl, the outdoors is a great place for girls to develop their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) skills. Here are 6 Brownie badges and awards found on the Volunteer Toolkit and in badge booklets that girls can earn as they explore nature:  1. Bugs Badge   Challenge […]

Binary code, malware, viruses, cyberattacks, and networks… your girls can learn about all these things and more with the new Girl Scout Cybersecurity badges! In August of 2018, GSUSA released K–5 Cybersecurity badges developed in partnership with Palo Alto Networks. These badges have been thoroughly tested to make sure that they are both engaging and educational […]

What is a Co-Op Troop?  The traditional troop model has two unrelated adults acting as the Troop Leader and Co-Leader. In a Co-Op Troop, all families work together to share the responsibilities of leading the troop. What is a Troop Admin?  The Troop Admin is the key to the troop’s success! This role is primarily […]