Silver Award Project Proposal

GSNYPENN Girl Scout Silver Award Project Proposal
Please read carefully!

REQUIRED SILVER AWARD TRAINING REMINDER:

Before submitting this proposal, all adult volunteers and the Cadettes named on this Silver Award proposal must have completed the GSNYPENN council-required Silver Award Training on gsLearn within the last nine months. There are two training sessions, one for adults and one for Cadettes, both in a slideshow format.

The GSUSA Silver Award training is an interactive video and is optional.

Adult volunteers and parents/caregivers can access adult and Cadette Silver Award training on gsLearn, or a Cadette (age 13 and older) can request youth gsLearn access to complete the Silver Award training by completing this form.

If you have not taken the training but have already decided on your project, it is highly recommended that you reevaluate it after the training to ensure it meets the requirements of a Take-Action project and is not just community service. Remember: your project is not your issue; it addresses what is causing the issue.

If you have questions about the Silver Award training requirement or need help accessing training on gsLearn, please email info@gsnypenn.org or call (800) 943-4414, option 2, to speak with customer service.
Troop/Group Leader: by clicking "yes" you are confirming everyone who will be named on this proposal understands and has completed the Council Silver Award training requirements and has submitted a training acknowledgement form to council.*

Yes, I have confirmed everyone understands and has completed the council training requirements.

Girl Scout Silver Award Project Proposal
Instructions:

This proposal is to be completed with all Cadette and adult volunteer Silver Award team members present. Please read all sections carefully, and do not skim or skip. It will take about 30-45 minutes to complete this form.

This information will help prevent your proposal from being returned for revisions, which could delay the start of your project or require significant changes to meet the Silver Award requirements.

(If you have an optional project advisor, they do not need to be present to complete this form.)

The Girl Scout Silver Award™, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn, gives you the chance to do big things and make your community better in the process.

This Project Proposal is to be used by you (and/or your team)—a registered Girl Scout Cadette in grades 6 to 8—with assistance from your adult Girl Scout volunteer supervisor, troop/group leader, and project advisor (optional) to gain approval for your Silver Award project idea BEFORE continuing your project.

VERY IMPORTANT:
- You cannot submit a proposal for a project that has already been started or is complete. The work of a Silver Award project may only start after it has been approved.
- Your project should be a unique Take Action project. You cannot propose a project similar to your Bronze Award project or any other highest award project your troop has completed.
- You cannot combine or overlap the work of your proposed project with any other proposed or in-progress highest award project.
- If the same or a similar project has been done in your community in the last three years, you may be asked to submit a new proposal. Remember, your project must be unique and address a valid community need. (Don't skip your research!)
This form will help you think through the details of your project, ensuring you have a plan in place that will set you up for success early on. Let’s get started!

How to complete this form:
1. Familiarize yourself with Silver Award guidelines: review the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award which is found on the council’s webpage.
2. Read the Silver Award Project Proposal questions beforehand and think about your answers. If you are working in a group, fill it out together! You can work with a team of up to three other Cadettes or independently. One form should be completed per project.
3. Complete and submit the Silver Award Project Proposal. Approval is necessary BEFORE the project may continue. A project that was not approved beforehand will not be accepted. A completed or nearly completed project will not be approved.
4. You can save your progress and come back later. Just go to the bottom of the page and click save.
A few friendly reminders:
- Silver Award project proposals must be submitted no later than May 30 of the year any Cadette in the project group will complete 8th grade. Deadline extensions are rare and are made on a case-by-case basis. (Silver Award projects average at least 8 months to complete. If you wait for this deadline, you will have less than four months to complete the project.)
- Finish your Silver Award Take Action project and submit your Final Report by September 30 of the year you or a team member completes 8th grade. If you feel you will not meet this deadline, you MUST contact the council by September 1. Deadline extensions are rare and made on a case-by-case basis.
- Your troop/group leaders will receive the Silver Award final report link in the proposal approval email.
- Take photos and/or video to document your project along the way—you’ll be asked to share them in your Final Report!
- The Final Report will require updating and reflecting on your approved Project Proposal. Keep a copy of this Project Proposal (you can download or print it) so you can answer the questions more easily.
- When the Silver Award project winds down, the outcome may not be exactly as planned. That’s OK! Girl Scouts earn the Silver Award if award requirements have been met. What Girl Scouts learn about themselves and their world is what’s most valuable. Look at any unexpected twist as a learning opportunity.
- If your project appears to be significantly different from your approved Project Proposal, please contact the person who approved your proposal to let them know. They will advise you on the next steps.
- If you cannot continue your approved project, you cannot join another in-progress approved project without council approval.
- An adult should proofread your proposal before you submit it. If you have excessive grammatical errors or typos, you will be asked to fix them and resubmit.
If you have any questions, please contact the council at 1 (800) 943-4414 or info@gsnypenn.org.
* indicates required element
Today's Date (The date you are submitting this proposal, do not back date.)*

MonthDayYear
Troop Number(s)*
If Juliette/Independent Scout enter "Juliette"
Service Unit Number(s)
Adult Resources:
Troop/Group Leader Name**

First NameLast Name
Troop/Group Leader Email*
example@example.com
Troop/Group Leader: please type the names of all Cadettes and adult volunteers (including yourself) you have confirmed have completed the appropriate Council Silver Award training on gsLearn. *
Training must be completed within 9 months of this proposal submission.
Troop/Group Leader Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Troop/Group Leader Phone
Please enter a valid phone number.
Adult Volunteer Supervisor Name**

First NameLast Name
Adult Volunteer Supervisor Email*
example@example.com
Project Advisor Name (optional)

First NameLast Name
Project Advisor Email
example@example.com
*Volunteers in these roles must register and undergo background checks. To register or for additional information, contact customer service at 1 (800) 943-4414, option 2, or info@gsnypenn.org.

Troop leaders and adult volunteers may serve multiple roles for a Silver Award project; however, project advisors (subject matter experts on your issue) cannot be your troop leader or family members.
GSUSA requires 1-4 Cadettes to complete a single Silver Award project. If more than four Cadettes are interested in working on a Silver Award, additional unique projects must be proposed. Multiple projects from the same group or troop cannot overlap.
Silver Award Cadette Team (1-4 Cadettes)

Prerequisites:
- Registered Girl Scout Cadette
- Grades 6-8
- Completed one Cadette Journey including Journey Take Action project
- Completed Council required Silver Award Training and read the Cadette Guide for Earning Your Silver Award Workbook
Cadette 1*

First NameLast Name
Grade*
If submitting after 8/1, choose grade entering in fall.
Cadette 2

First NameLast Name
Grade
If submitting after 8/1, choose grade entering in fall.
Cadette 3

First NameLast Name
Grade
If submitting after 8/1, choose grade entering in fall.
Cadette 4

First NameLast Name
Grade
If submitting after 8/1, choose grade entering in fall.

Prerequisite: Provide the Cadette Journey title, completion date, and reflection for each team member.*

	Full Name	Full Name of Journey	Date Completed	What did you learn?	What would you do better or differently?
Cadette 1
Cadette 2
Cadette 3
Cadette 4

Troop/Group Leader: Check the appropriate boxes to indicate you have confirmed all Cadettes and Troop/Group Leaders and adult volunteers name on this proposal have completed the Council required Silver Award training. (See the Silver Award page on our website for training requirements.) Your project will not be allowed to proceed unless all prerequisites are met.*

Yes - all Cadettes submitting this proposal have completed the Cadette Silver Award training on gsLearn within the last 9 months, and the acknowledgment form at the end of the training was submitted. (We will verify this.)Yes - all Adult Volunteers (except the project advisor) named on this proposal have completed the Adult Volunteer Silver Award training on gsLearn with in the last 9 months and the acknowledgement form at the end of the training was submitted. (We will verify this.)

Cadettes: Tell us about your project plan

This is a girl-led project, so responses should reflect the Girl Scouts’ ideas and voice. Adults are welcome to provide guidance and help with proofreading, but they should not complete the form on their behalf.
Silver Award Project Title*
Proposed Start Date*

MonthDayYear
Proposed Completion Date*

MonthDayYear
Cadettes: Please provide as much detail as you can.

Note: If you chose your project first before doing community research, it is most likely that your project will not meet the Take Action requirements. As you recall from the training, the first step is to choose and research your issue, determine if it's a valid community need, and discover why this issue is happening—find the root causes. Then, your project can be created to directly affect the root cause.

Remember, a Silver Award project is a leadership project that provides a unique solution to a root cause. You are leading a community member team to meet project goals; you are not the "workforce."

Challenge yourself to do something new, something no one has tried before. Do a lot of research, talk to experts, and be inspired by what you discover.

If you propose a project that has already been done in your community or already exists, it will not be approved. During the research phase, you should discover what efforts are already being made in your community and not duplicate efforts unless you share a very compelling reason with us.
1. The issue the project will address is... (Please include a 3-4 sentence description. See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 1, page 8.)*
Remember, your issue is not your project. Issues are "themes" like life skills, health, the environment, etc.
2. This issue matters because... (Please include a 3-4 sentence description. See the Cadette for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 1, page 9)*
3. My target audience (who is going to benefit) is... (Please include a 1-2 sentence description. See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 4, page 14.)*
4. Community members whom I contacted or partnered with to research my issue and find the root cause (See Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 3, page 12): *

Community Members*

	Name	Organization?	How they might help?
Community Member
Community Member
Community Member
Community Member

5. Based on community research, a root cause of my issue is... (Please include a 3-4 sentence description. See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Steps 3 and 4, pages 13-15.)*
Root cause is why your issue is happening. Your project will try to reduce or eliminate this root cause.
6. What specific research did you do? Provide a summary from community expert interviews, or other sources (online, media, books) that helped you determine the root cause. Don't forget to name your sources or provide web links. (See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 3, pages 12-13)*
Try to have a least two research sources.
IMPORTANT: Before answering question 7, please review the “Take Action vs. Community Service” section of the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award to ensure your project is truly Take Action. Community service-only projects are not appropriate for a Silver Award project.

Community service addresses an immediate need in the community, is done FOR the community, and is a one-time project that helps something or someone now. Girl Scouts are often the project workforce.

The following projects are not Take Action projects and cannot be accepted:
- Volunteering for another organization or an existing program.
- Collection drives.* Collecting food, clothing, toys, supplies, etc., fulfills an immediate need and doesn't address the issue's root cause or is sustainable.
- Make-and-donate projects*, such as making blankets, pillows, fidget kits, pet toys, etc., and donating them to hospitals, schools, or other community organizations, do not meet Take Action requirements. While helpful, donations don’t identify and address a root cause, and they provide immediate but not long-term relief.
- Beautification and renovation projects*. These short-term efforts help fulfill an immediate need, are done for the community, and do not have an awareness, educational, or sustainability component. Girl Scouts act as the workforce instead of leading a project (Cleaning a park, clearing an existing trail, planting flowers, placing pavers, replacing an existing sign, painting a fence, etc.).
- Performing short-term tasks for an organization. (Organizing materials, painting a room, fixing broken furniture or equipment, cleaning, etc.)
- Building only projects*. (Building benches, Little Free Libraries, gaga ball pits, ramps, dog houses, cat shelters, garden boxes, closets, shelves, etc., are community service projects.)
- Projects that are “to relieve boredom” will not be accepted. Boredom can certainly be a root cause of an issue, but projects that identify boredom as the issue will not be accepted.
*These activities can be a small part of a larger Take Action project, but can not be the majority or only part of the project. No more than 10% of the total project should be devoted to these types of activities.

Take Action addresses an issue's root cause with a unique project idea, done with the community, that will reduce or eliminate the root cause of the issue in a way that is sustainable and makes a long-term impact.

Example: If your issue is low literacy rates in your community, building a free little library will not address low literacy rates - it only supplies books. Your project must reduce or eliminate the root cause of low literacy rates with your unique and sustainable solution. If you discover low literacy rates are caused by a lack of supportive adults who read to and encourage children to read, you could partner with a youth-serving community organization and create an ongoing program in which volunteers read to children, and the children can take the book with them (free books collected with a book drive) at the end of the program.
Describe your project. Tell us exactly what you plan to do. If we read your answer and still don't understand your project or plan, we will ask you to restate it, which may delay the approval process.

Include any educational or awareness activities you plan to do. All Take Action projects involve community education, understanding, and participation. How will you inform your community about your issue and educate them on what they can do to help address it?

Include your goals and anticipated results.

Tip: Ask someone who does not know anything about your project to read your answer and have them describe your project back to you.
7. My team’s project idea is... (Please include a 3-4 sentence description of your project including the desired result and how it addresses the root cause of your issue. See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 4, pages 14-15.)*
Remember: Take Action projects are done with the community not for the community.
Optional: Documents to support your project description

For example: a workshop outline, sample materials, estimated timeline, community outreach plans, letters of commitment or support, etc.
Cancelof
8. How will you create a plan to make your project sustainable? Check the boxes that apply. (See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 5, page 17.)*

Create a permanent solution that can be used after the project is complete.Educate and inspire others in the community or within Girl Scouts to be part of the change.Advocate to change a rule, regulation, or law and encourage others to join.
Specifically, my team will plan to make the project sustainable by... (Please include a 3-4 sentence description. How will your project continue after you are done? Will a community partner take it over?)*
Sustainable here does not mean you will use strong or long-lasting materials in your project but how will the project continue to make a different once you are done. If you create something online, how will people know about it? Hoping they stumble across it is not sustainable. See the Cadette Workbook for more details.
9. Please provide a description of your team’s leadership. (See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 2, page 10-11, and Step 5, pages 16-17.) *

Cadette Leadership Team*

	Cadette Name	Project Role	Responsibilities
Leadership Team
Leadership Team
Leadership Team
Leadership Team

Estimated Budget

Silver Award projects sometimes require money or nonmonetary donations of goods. If your project requires this, please estimate the supplies/donations needed and the potential costs. A budget worksheet with actual supplies and costs will be required with the Final Report. (See the Cadette workbook, step 5, and the template pages.)

Check out the council's highest awards fundraising policies with your adult volunteers to help plan any money-earning activities or requests for donations.

Remember: Take-action projects often have small budgets because they address the issue with community education and advocacy, which does not cost much. If your budget is large (for example, you have a lot of building supplies), re-examine your project to ensure it is truly Take-Action.

Estimated Supplies/Donations

	Item Name	Will seek donation?	Anticipated cost or value (even if donation)
Item 1
Item 2
Item 3
Item 4
Item 5
Anticipated Totals:

10. Check YES to indicate you are aware that each individual Girl Scout team member should spend at least 50 hours working on their Silver Award project and will maintain their own separate time log. (See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 6, page 21-22, and the template pages.)*

Yes.
11. Optional: Describe how you will try to make your project measurable by sharing the goal your team set to measure your project’s success. (See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 5, page 20.)
Measurable means how will you determine "how many" or "how much" (something you can count).
12. Optional: Describe how you will try to make a national and/or global link. (See the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, Step 5, page 20.)
How is this issue relevant nationally or globally and how do other communities address this issue?
Any other information you would like to share that wasn't covered above?

Signature Page

You and your adult volunteers will need to sign.
We*—the Girl Scout Cadette(s), troop/group leader, and adult Girl Scout volunteer supervisor—agree and understand that the Silver Award Project:
- Cannot be just a collection or donation drive. Donations may be a small part of a larger Silver Award project, and cannot be the majority or only part.
- Cannot be just a building, fixing, or beautification project. This includes activities such as fixing, building, cleaning, planting, etc. including any prep work for these types of activities.
- Cannot be a fundraiser for another organization, program, or individual.
- Is not simply volunteering time for another organization in an already existing project.
- Cannot be done by multiple teams. Only one team (1–4 Girl Scouts) may collaborate on each Silver Award project. Work on the project cannot count toward any other Girl Scout award.
- Is a Take Action project, not a community service project—even if the community service project is very large and takes a lot of time and hard work.
I, Girl Scout Cadette, have read and understand all the requirements and guidelines specific to the Girl Scout Silver Award as outlined by the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award and Council-specific requirements including Silver Award Cadette training. I am aware of all deadlines for the Girl Scout Silver Award. Should any major plans change, I will contact the person who approved my proposal.
Girl Scout 1 Signature*
Type your name
Date*

MonthDayYear
Girl Scout 2 Signature
Type your name
Date

MonthDayYear
Girl Scout 3 Signature
Type your name
Date

MonthDayYear
Girl Scout 4 Signature
Type your name
Date

MonthDayYear
I, the adult Girl Scout volunteer supervisor, recognize that the Cadette’s responsible for fulfilling the Girl Scout Silver Award requirements, including all deadlines. I understand they must uphold guidelines specific to their project as outlined by the Adult Guide for Earning the Silver Award, the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, and council-specific requirements.

I also understand that any registered Cadettes and adult Girl Scout volunteers listed on a Silver Award proposal must have completed the appropriate council Silver Award training on gsLearn within the last nine months.

I understand I must fulfill any missing training requirements before this proposal is reviewed for council approval.
Adult Volunteer Signature*
Type your name
Date*

MonthDayYear
I, the Girl Scout troop/group leader, have reviewed the above Girl Scout Silver Award Project Proposal. I am aware of the requirements and guidelines outlined by the Adult Guide for Earning the Silver Award and the Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award, as well as council-specific requirements. I believe this project aligns with those requirements.

I also understand that any registered Cadettes and adult Girl Scout volunteers listed on a Silver Award proposal must have completed the appropriate council Silver Award training on gsLearn within the last nine months. (We will verify this. The proposal will be returned if we have no record of completed training.)

I understand I must fulfill any missing training requirements before this proposal is reviewed for council approval.
Troop/Group Leader Signature*
Type your name
Date*

MonthDayYear
*Adults may cover multiple roles in the Silver Award process.

Make sure your proposal is as complete as it can be before you click submit. Multiple submissions of the same proposal are confusing and therefore discouraged.

If you have questions or trouble with this form please contact council at info@gsnypenn.org or call (800)943-4414.

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GSNYPENN Girl Scout Silver Award Project Proposal

Girl Scout Silver Award Project Proposal

Signature Page