Closing a Troop Bank Account

When it’s time for a troop to merge, disband, or graduate, it’s important to help interested Girl Scouts and their families continue to participate in another way. When possible, troop funds and supplies move with the girls, and then the troop bank account will need to be closed. We’ve got a form for that, and a step-by-step process to make it happen smoothly. Here’s what we’re talking about.

What’s a Merged Troop? A troop is considered merged when at least two troops combine to form one troop.

What’s a Disbanded Troop? A troop is considered disbanded when either new leadership cannot be recruited, or girls and volunteers no longer wish to participate in Girl Scouts.

What’s a Graduated Troop? A troop of 12th grade Ambassadors who have completed their years of Girl Scouts as youth and can now participate as adult members.

What do you do?

First – Contact your local Girl Scout staff member about the troop disbanding, merging, or graduating. Every situation is different, so you can expect personalized advice and instructions on how to proceed.

Second – Connect with the girls and their caregivers. Council staff will give you a template message you can use to communicate next steps and share options. If a troop leader is stepping down, the letter template helps you ask troop families which girls want to continue in Girl Scouts and ask if another volunteer can take a turn as the troop leader, in order to keep the girls together! If no one volunteers to be the next troop leader, council staff will help the girls join another troop nearby. If a new troop leader(s) is found, they can sign up for new leader orientation training right away to keep the troop going.

Third – Complete the Disbanded, Merged, or Graduated Troop Form below and return to info@gsnwgl.org. This form gives your troop (and council staff) a lot of help in reallocating troop resources, details about which members are moving on, and getting new volunteers into new leader orientation training. Council staff will be in touch to confirm everything is complete.

Distributing the Troop Funds

Remember, troop funds belong to all registered girl members in the troop. If a troop is disbanding, the troop leaders can guide girls in making decisions on how to use their troop funds; for example, plan a troop trip, an end of the year party, or make a donation to a local charity. Troops can support Girl Scouts with a donation to their own Girl Scout service area or the council’s Family Partnership Fund. Troops are encouraged to use funds to renew Girl Scout memberships (for girls continuing with a new troop or as a Juliette (an individually registered girl) or purchase a Lifetime Membership for graduating Ambassadors.

If funds are not used, the troop bank account will be closed by the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes.If the troop is reactivated within 18 months and Council is notified, the funds are reissued to the troop.

Note: Funds ARE NOT to be given to girls/adults individually (this includes cash and/or gift cards). If you have any questions about how to use troop funds during this transition, please contact info@gsnwgl.org. For girls continuing in another troop, a portion of the funds can be transferred to the new troop. Council staff will advise you on this transition.

Closing the Troop Account

The form will ask the troop leader to check all that apply.

• All troop funds were spent prior to disbanding and the troop bank account has been closed.  
• A troop bank statement with ending balance at $0 and Troop Finance Log have been submitted to info@gsnwgl.org.  
• Debit cards and/or checks are shredded.  
• Funds in the account were donated to (share the details), based on the decision of the girls in the troop. Amount donated was (share the details). 
• A Cashier’s check, a check written on the troop’s bank account, or a Money Order was made out to the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes (GSNWGL), in the amount of _____________________ and is attached for the remaining balance of the account. 
• The troop merged, and a Cashier’s check, a check written on the closing troop’s bank account, or a Money Order was given to (name) for deposit in Troop # __________ ‘s account. 

Thank you very much for all the time and energy you gave in Girl Scouts to give girls a memorable experience! Thank you for taking a turn as a troop leader!