Skip to main content
Volunteer Essentials
Home Home Home
Home Home Home
Search Search
  • SHOP
  • DONATE
  • myGS myGS myGS
  • Espanol Espanol Espanol
  • Event Calendar Event Calendar Event Calendar
  • Rallyhood Rallyhood Rallyhood
  • Search Search
  • Get Involved Get Involved

    Join Girl Scouts Join Girl Scouts

    • Join a Troop Join a Troop
    • Go Solo Go Solo
    • The Benefits of Girl Scouting The Benefits of Girl Scouting
    • Request More Information Request More Information

    Volunteer Volunteer

    • Become a Volunteer Become a Volunteer
    • Start a Troop Start a Troop

    Give & Support Give & Support

    • Donate Now Donate Now
    • Daisy’s Circle Monthly Giving Daisy’s Circle Monthly Giving
    • Juliette Gordon Low Society—Legacy Giving Juliette Gordon Low Society—Legacy Giving
    • Annual Appeal Annual Appeal
    • Camp Appeal Camp Appeal

    Community & Supporters Community & Supporters

    • Alums Alums
    • Lifetime Membership Lifetime Membership
    • Community Advocate Community Advocate

    Fundraising Events Fundraising Events

    • Women of Vision Awards Women of Vision Awards
    • I Run for Girls 5K I Run for Girls 5K

  • Programs & Events Programs & Events

    Events Events

    • Find an Event Find an Event
    • Event Calendar Event Calendar

    Girl Scout Program Girl Scout Program

    • Badges & Journeys Badges & Journeys
    • Highest Awards Highest Awards
    • Patch Programs Patch Programs

    More Ways to Participate More Ways to Participate

    • Groups, Clubs & Teams Groups, Clubs & Teams
    • Concierge Programs Concierge Programs
    • Trailblazer Troops Trailblazer Troops
    • Scholarships & Leadership Awards Scholarships & Leadership Awards
    • Travel Opportunities Travel Opportunities

    Camp & Outdoors Camp & Outdoors

    • Summer Camps Summer Camps
    • Camp & Outdoors Camp & Outdoors
    • Rent Our Camps Rent Our Camps

  • Member Resources Member Resources

    For Girl Scouts & Families For Girl Scouts & Families

    • Girl Scout & Family Resources Girl Scout & Family Resources
    • Renew Membership Renew Membership

    For Troop Leaders For Troop Leaders

    • New Leader Resources New Leader Resources
    • Troop Year Plan Troop Year Plan
    • Grow Your Troop Grow Your Troop
    • Girl Scout Experience Box! Girl Scout Experience Box!

    Volunteer Resources Volunteer Resources

    • Volunteer Essentials Volunteer Essentials
    • Forms & Documents Forms & Documents
    • Rallyhood Rallyhood
    • Volunteer Recognition Awards Volunteer Recognition Awards

  • Cookies & Fall Product Cookies & Fall Product

    Find Cookies Find Cookies

    • Find Cookies Find Cookies
    • Available Cookie Flavors Available Cookie Flavors

    Cookie Program Cookie Program

    • Resources for Girl Scouts/Cookie Sellers Resources for Girl Scouts/Cookie Sellers
    • Resources for Volunteers Resources for Volunteers

    Fall Product Program Fall Product Program

    • Fall Product Information Fall Product Information
    • Resources for Girl Scouts Resources for Girl Scouts
    • Resources for Troop Leaders Resources for Troop Leaders
    • Resources for Service Unit Volunteers Resources for Service Unit Volunteers

  • About Us About Us

    Who We Are Who We Are

    • What Girl Scouts Do What Girl Scouts Do
    • The New Jersey Girl Report The New Jersey Girl Report

    Our Council Our Council

    • Girl Scout Leadership Center Girl Scout Leadership Center
    • Governance Governance
    • Board of Directors Board of Directors

    News & Stories News & Stories

    • Newsroom Newsroom
    • The HeartBeat Newsletter The HeartBeat Newsletter

    Work With Us Work With Us

    • Careers & Camp Jobs Careers & Camp Jobs

    Contact Us Contact Us

  • SHOP
  • DONATE
  • myGS myGS myGS
  • Espanol Espanol Espanol
  • Event Calendar Event Calendar Event Calendar
  • Rallyhood Rallyhood Rallyhood
  • Search Search

Council Finder

Use this finder to connect with your local Girl Scout council.

By ZIP Code

By State

By Council

close
You are leaving girlscouts.org for a website opened by an external party. You will be subjected to the privacy and security policies of the website
  1. Members
  2. For Volunteers
  3. Volunteer Essentials

Volunteer Essentials

toggle arrow
  • All About Girl Scouts
  • Troop Management
  • Troop Finances
  • Engaging Girl Scouts and Families
  • Creating a Safe Space for Girl Scouts
  • Product Program
  • Additional Resources and Support
 adult volunteer in vest outside hugging girl scout while hiking
print_icon

Welcome! 

As a volunteer, you’re not just helping—you’re inspiring. You’re a builder of community, a mentor, and a joyful guide who leads with kindness. Thanks to you, Girl Scouts of all ages will dream big, explore boldly, and make a real difference in the world. We’re so glad you’re here! 

These pages are designed to support you as a Girl Scout volunteer. From Girl Scout basics to managing your troop, we’ve got you covered! We recommend that you begin by browsing the sections below and return throughout the year to find answers to your questions as they arise. 

Grow Your Troop This Fall

More girls. More friendship. More adventure.

This fall, troop leaders can help more girls discover what Girl Scouts is all about: trying new things, making friends, building confidence, and having a place where they belong.

When you grow your troop, you’re not just adding names to a roster. You’re opening the door for more girls to explore, lead, laugh, learn, and make memories together.

Why Grow Your Troop?

A growing troop means:

  • More girls get to experience the Girl Scout Leadership Experience

  • More friendships, teamwork, and troop spirit

  • More support for activities, adventures, and service projects

  • More families connected to the Girl Scout community

  • More girls building courage, confidence, and character

Fall 2026 Grow Your Troop Incentive

Troops that welcome new, first-time Girl Scouts between September 1 and October 31, 2026 can earn funds to support their next troop adventure.

Troops can earn:

  • $25 for welcoming 3–5 new, first-time Girl Scouts

  • $50 for welcoming 6–8 new, first-time Girl Scouts

  • $75 for welcoming 9–11 new, first-time Girl Scouts

New troop bonus:
Troops formed after April 1, 2026 that register 12 or more new, first-time Girl Scouts between September 1 and October 31 will receive an additional $25.

Eligibility Requirements toggle arrow

To qualify for the Fall 2026 Grow Your Troop incentive:

  • New members must be first-time Girl Scouts registered with Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey.
  • Troops must have at least two registered, background-checked, and trained troop leaders.
  • Troops formed before April 1, 2026 must have submitted their 2025–2026 Annual Finance Report.
  • New troops formed after April 1, 2026 that register 12 or more new, first-time Girl Scouts between September 1 and October 31, 2026 will receive an additional $25 bonus incentive.

Ready to Grow?

Invite a friend. Welcome a new family. Help another girl find her place in Girl Scouts.

two girl scout juniors outside wearing junior vest uniform smiling two girl scout juniors outside wearing junior vest uniform smilingtwo girl scout juniors outside wearing junior vest uniform smiling
About Girl Scouts

Everything you need to know about Girl Scouts.

group of girl scouts looking at laptop computer with adult volunteer group of girl scouts looking at laptop computer with adult volunteergroup of girl scouts looking at laptop computer with adult volunteer
Troop Management

How to get started with your troop.

photo of calculator and girl scout cookie boxes photo of calculator and girl scout cookie boxesphoto of calculator and girl scout cookie boxes
Troop Finances

Learn money-earning basics.

mom with girl scout daughter and daisy bear mom with girl scout daughter and daisy bearmom with girl scout daughter and daisy bear
Troop Engagement

Connect with Girl Scouts and get their families involved with your troop.

young girl on skateboard at top of ramp with pink helmet elbow and knee pads young girl on skateboard at top of ramp with pink helmet elbow and knee padsyoung girl on skateboard at top of ramp with pink helmet elbow and knee pads
Creating a Safe Space

Keep Girl Scouts safe in every activity with these guidelines.

group of ambassador high school girl scouts at outdoor booth selling cookies group of ambassador high school girl scouts at outdoor booth selling cookiesgroup of ambassador high school girl scouts at outdoor booth selling cookies
Product Program

Guide Girl Scouts as they learn to think like entrepreneurs and develop business smarts.

A Girl Scout hugging her volunteer A Girl Scout hugging her volunteerA Girl Scout hugging her volunteer
Volunteer Appreciation

You make a powerful difference. We wouldn’t exist without volunteers like you.

group of ambassador high school girl scouts at outdoor booth selling cookies group of ambassador high school girl scouts at outdoor booth selling cookiesgroup of ambassador high school girl scouts at outdoor booth selling cookies
Resources & Support

Additional tools to help you along the way.


New troop leader?

Are you a new troop leader? Please join us on Rallyhood where you’ll find important council updates (like fun activities for your troop) and opportunities to collaborate with other troop leaders. Need more support from council staff? Reach out to info@gshnj.org with your questions and concerns. We’re here to support you!


 

© Copyright 2009–2026 Girl Scouts of the United States of America.  All rights reserved. All information and material contained in Girl Scouts’ Volunteer Essentials guide (“Material”) is provided by Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) and is intended to be educational material solely to be used by Girl Scout volunteers and council staff. Reproduction, distribution, compiling, or creating derivative works of any portion of the Material or any use other than noncommercial uses as permitted by copyright law is prohibited, unless explicit, prior authorization by GSUSA in writing was granted. GSUSA reserves its exclusive right in its sole discretion to alter, limit, or discontinue the Material at any time without notice.

 
JOIN
VOLUNTEER
DONATE
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Shops & Service Centers
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Girl Scouts Privacy Portal

© 2016-2024 Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey. 

A 501(c)(3) Organization. All Rights Reserved.

Charity Navigator: 100% - 4 stars      |     GuideStar: Gold Transparency 

Join

Volunteer

Donate

close