Event Director
The event director develops an annual plan for service unit events
in collaboration with troop leaders and the service unit team. The
event director is a leadership position that requires the ability to
recruit and guide others to support the development and delivery of
programs, events, community service and activities. The service unit
event director maintains accurate financial records for each event,
and supports the promotion, organization, registration, and payment
for events. The person in this role will have strong leadership and
organizational skills.
Job Description: Service Unit Event Director
Training Required
gslearn Event Director module, or in-person Event Planning workshop
Typical Service Unit Events
Service Unit Event: A service unit event is an event that is
put on by a troop or by the service unit team as a service to Girl
Scouts in the community and is not a money earning opportunity.
Running a service unit event is a valuable opportunity for Girl Scout
youth to learn leadership, planning and organizational skills in
accordance with the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) and is a
natural progression for a Take Action project or Highest Awards project.
Troop Money Earning Event: A troop money earning event is an
event that is hosted and planned by Girl Scout youth with the purpose
of earning money toward a Girl Scout-determined goal. A troop money
earning event should follow the money earning guidelines and have a
pre-approved money earning application. Funds should be run through
the troop account and be reported on the Annual Troop Finance Report
(ATFR). It should be clearly stated on the event flyer or social media
posting that this is a money earning event. Troop money events are not
able to accept financial assistance as payment.
Service Unit Money Earning Event: A service unit money earning
event is an event that intentionally earns money to fund service unit
scholarships or activities that may benefit Girl Scout youth or
volunteers. Service units should follow the same money earning
guidelines that a troop is required to follow. In addition, Service
units should not use traditional SU events such as World Thinking Day,
Founders Day, Cookie Rallies, or bridging as money earning
opportunities. These events should be kept at a reasonable cost so
there is no financial barrier to attending.
Service Unit Event Best Practices
Having a set of service unit event guidelines creates expectations
that will ensure continued successfully planned and executed service
unit events. The event director training also provides valuable
resources and best practices towards running your events.
- Service unit teams can and should determine which events are
deemed “service unit events” and which events will be open to troops
for money-earning opportunities. Per the money-earning guidelines,
encamporees cannot be money-earning events.
- Additional
money-earning opportunities can be added to a service unit event to
provide additional incentive for a troop to host an event.
Money-earning opportunities should be youth-led. Examples include
bake sales, face-painting booths, photo booths, and badge-earning
workshops. A money-earning application is required by the troop (see
Money Earning Guide).
- Ideally, an event should be
advertised at least two months in advance in order to allow for
maximum participation. Registration should indicate a cutoff for
registration submission.
- Service unit events should have a
pre-determined budget so that the event breaks even with expenses
and income. Budgets can be determined by prior event history and by
doing research and price checking in advance of the event. The Event
Planning Worksheet and Budget can be used to create an outline for
your event and allow for a service unit oversite of troop-run
events.
- Service unit events can and should advertise
financial assistance or Cookie Dough as one option for payment. If
financial assistance is chosen as method of payment, the service
unit event registrar should contact the customer care team for the
current Service Unit Event Distribution Request form.
- Service unit events must be run through the service unit
account. Payment should be made to the service unit and this should
be indicated on the event flyer. Troops that are running these
events can have the service unit pay for deposits and patches, or
the troops can pay in advance and save the receipts to be refunded
by the service unit. There should be a service unit event ledger for
each service unit event that gets turned in with the annual SU
finance report that includes all original receipts.
Resources and Links
