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Thrifty Foods Smile Cards
      Guiding Application Form
      Link to Smile Card Fundraising Program Application
Application Details and Criteria

Guiding’s primary method of fundraising is through Girl Guide Cookie sales.  Cookie sales support all levels of Guiding.  In order to raise funds to attend a major event, or take on a larger project than cookie sales will generate, Guiders must obtain approval from the parent level.  This helps to protect cookie sales, as well as to ensure that groups are respecting Guiding’s ideals of value or service for monies received.

In the case of the Thrifty Foods SMILE cards, we are working co-operatively with the company management and a process has been put into place to ensure accurate tracking and an efficient approval method. The following criteria have been agreed upon by SVI Area Council and the Thrifty Foods Community Relations Office:

  • Groups must have a specific project and purpose for these funds. Approval may be requested when funds are needed for specific large expenditures ie: MOSAIC, SOAR, International or Independent trips etc.
  • 2 Application forms are required: The Thrifty Foods Smile Card Program Application and the SVI Area Application Form. The forms must be submitted to District/Division Commissioners for signature and forwarding to Area Council.
  • There will be an annual deadline for applications for the coming year.  The 2007-2008 deadline is  July 31, 2007 to Area Council.
  • Accepted applications will be forwarded directly to Thrifty Foods with an SVI Area recommendation – all applications for the coming year must be submitted together. 
  • The cards issued will have a maximum payout limit to be earned per group and an expiry date, set by Thrifty Foods according to the purpose and date of your activity or event. Once the payout limit has been reached, the cards will still be in effect as a convenience, but will no longer generate fundraising monies.
  • The cheques issued by the company will be payable to the group as a whole. Thrifty Foods philosophy is that this fundraising is a group effort for a common purpose.
  •  It is expected that the funds raised will be used for the stated purpose.
  • Cookie ordering and sales levels must be maintained.
  • Reporting of the funds earned with the program is to be made to Area twice a year, in January and June.

To address the issue of value given for value received as stated in BC Procedures, we have agreed with Thrifty Foods that anytime they are in need of volunteers for staffing their booths while out in the community, they may call on SVI Girl Guides.  The groups that are benefiting from the funds this program generates will be called upon to assist at events such as Symphony Splash, Run for the Cure, the Easter Seasl 24 Hour Relay for the Kids etc.  It will be an expectation that participating groups will volunteer if possible.

It is hoped that when completing Thrifty Foods applications, Guiders will bear in mind that this generous contribution is not a bottomless pit of money, and that requests should reflect a fair portion of your project costs.  Expectations of fundraising the whole cost of a project is not realistic.  There is a limit to the amount of funds allocated to any one organization and so the need to consider the bigger picture when requesting funds for projects is essential for the Smile Card program’s successful continuation.  Good luck with your projects!