Troop Trip Application Packet
Some of the most memorable moments in a Girl Scout’s life happen while taking trips. Travel offers a wealth of opportunities for girls
to develop leadership, confidence, and practical life skills. Girl Scouts is a great place for girls to learn how to plan and take exciting
trips, because travel is built on a progression of activities—one activity leads to the next. As girls grow in their travel skills and can
better manage the planning process, they can progress to longer trips—even international ones! Refer to the Girl Scout Travel
Progression Chart in the Travel/Trips section of in Safety Activity Checkpoints.
Who can take a trip?
• Registered Girl Scouts and registered, approved volunteers for the membership year during which the troop trip will take
place. Distance and duration permitted vary by program level.
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Misosuri (“GSEM”) does not require a Troop Trip Application for day trips or daytime activities away
from the regular troop meeting time and place, backyard camping, or non-camping local overnights at locations such as
the YMCA, church, school, or a leader’s home.
• Daisies and older may participate in day trips and occasional, local overnights as listed above. Daisy troops participating in
a local overnight experience must be accompanied by a leader and a registered parent or guardian for each girl.
• Brownies and older may participate in troop trips of up to two nights. Troop Trip Applications and supporting
documentation must be submitted to the Director of Risk Management, four months prior to departure.
• Juniors and older may participate in regional trips of up to four nights. Troop Trip Applications and supporting
documentation must be submitted to the Director of Risk Management, four months prior to departure.
• Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors may participate in national or international troop trips of any duration, but only if they
have successfully participated in a progression of overnight and extended trips within Girl Scouting. Troop Trip Applications
and supporting documentation for national trips must be submitted to the Director of Risk Management, four months prior
to departure. International Troop Trip Applications and supporting documentation are due to the Director of Risk
Management eight months prior to departure.
• Tagalongs and non-member or unapproved volunteers, parents or guardians may not attend troop trips
What is required for a troop trip?
• Troop Year End Report on file at Council for the most recent reporting period.
• Completed Troop Trip Application and supporting documentation.
• Adult supervision: refer to adult-to-girl ratios in Standard Safety Guidelines, Safety Activity Checkpoints.
• General First Aider: refer to the Standard Safety Guidelines, Safety Activity Checkpoints.
• Advanced First Aider when EMS is more than 30 minutes away, refer to the Standard Safety Guidelines, Safety
Activity Checkpoints.
• Proof of Commercial General Liability Insurance for each facility or vendor used. Make sure each certificate(s) of
insurance (COIs) meets limits required by GSEM, refer to insurance information provided on the GSEM website.
• Supporting documentation/certification(s) for activities such as swimming, camping or canoeing, refer to activity specific
guidelines in Safety Activity Checkpoints.
• Council approval of any contracts and agreements. Submit completed, unsigned contract(s) and agreement(s) to
the Director of Risk Management, allowing at least four weeks for review.
• Health History and Annual Permission form, F-57, for each girl.
• Girl Health and Permission Form for Travel, F-59, for trips that exceed two nights or international travel.
• Adult Activity Waiver, VP-84, for each participating adult.
• Copies of passports for all participating girls and adults (international travel only).
• Permission to Travel Form for Minors (international travel only for all girls under the age of 18).
What type of insurance needs to be purchased for a troop trip?
Basic Accident Activity Insurance (Plan 1) is provided as part of the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) membership registration fee and
covers every registered girl and adult member when they are participating in an approved Girl Scout activity of any length of time.
Troops do not need to do anything to put this coverage in place. This coverage is automatic for those with a valid membership. Plan
1 insurance is secondary/supplemental to any insurance a member otherwise has in place at the time of the trip. However, in the
event the member does not have any personal insurance in place at the time of the trip, Plan 1 insurance becomes primary
insurance for the person at issue.
The Basic Plan 1 insurance does not cover medical expenses for “sickness” or “illness” on a trip that is un-related to the trip. For
example, if a child or adult taking a trip develops appendicitis on the trip, that “illness” is not covered by the Basic Plan 1 insurance.
A troop can purchase Plan 3P Accident Plus Sickness Insurance for a trip. This will cover any sickness or illness that occurs on a trip,
and Plan 3P insurance is “primary” insurance. If your troop is interested in purchasing Plan 3P insurance, please indicate this on your
troop trip application form.
Also, when taking an international trip, it is strongly encouraged that you purchase additional Plan 3PI insurance for the added level
of protection and benefit it provides.
See the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri web site for more information about Insurance.
• Plan 3P (primary coverage):
Enrollment Form
Description of Coverage
• Plan 3PI (international):
Enrollment Form
Description of Coverage
What Certificate(s) of Insurance are needed for a troop trip?
A Certificate of Insurance (COI) is a form that identifies how much insurance coverage the holder possesses. GSEM is obligated to
ensure, to a reasonable extent, that external entities, such as vendors, program providers or collaborators, organizations,
companies, sites or facilities used by our members are safe. One measure of safety is evidence of adequate insurance coverage.
• When planning a troop trip, obtain a COI from all external entities. COIs may be required for certain activities, modes of
transportation, accommodations, etc., to verify that they meet GSEM’s insurance standards (a minimum total per
occurrence limit of $1,000,000 in primary commercial general liability, with higher limits for certain external entities,
such as commercial bus transportation and watercraft)
• COIs must be issued with GSEM listed as a Certificate Holder. For high-risk activities, including but not limited to high
adventure (such as challenge courses, rock climbing, zip-lining, etc.), hayrides, food- related and transportation, GSEM
must also be named as an Additional Insured.
• If you need assistance obtaining a COI for a troop trip or have questions about whether a COI is needed for a trip, contact
the Director of Risk Management. Further information about COIs can be found on GSEM’s Insurance page.
When transporting girls:
• Review and abide by Transporting Girls in Standard Safety Guidelines and the Travel/Trips section of Safety Activity
Checkpoints.
• The use of Uber, Lyft, Curb and other similar ridesharing companies is not permitted, because the safety, credibility and
insurance of the drivers is far more difficult to qualify than traditional or well- known charter and rental companies, and
complete auto insurance coverage is often unavailable for a majority of rideshare drivers.
• If you are traveling more than 5 hours or 300 miles in one day, all drivers must complete a Check Driving Record
Request form. Driving records will be checked no sooner than 3 months prior to departure.
• If you will be renting a vehicle:
• Provide copies of rental confirmation(s) including complete Terms & Conditions
• Know that, as the renter, you are responsible for all damage to the rented vehicle(s). The contract(s) state(s) what
costs are your responsibility in the event of damage or an accident. You may wish to accept the insurance coverage
offered through the rental agency; use a credit card that offers vehicle rental insurance coverage to pay for the
rental(s); and/or rely on your personal automobile insurance coverage to pay for any damage to the rental(s).
• Rent from a nationally recognized agency. Keep in mind, GSEM troops renting from Enterprise receive a discount (see
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Booking Guide).
• The use of a 15 passenger van is prohibited unless a professional driver is employed.
When planning accommodations:
• Review and abide by Overnight Trips in Standard Safety Guidelines and the Travel/Trips section of Safety Activity
Checkpoints.
• If you will be camping for less than one week at a non-GSEM-owned site that is within, or no more than 100 miles beyond
GSEM's boundaries, please do not complete the Troop Trip Application. Instead, submit the Application for Camping on
Non-Council-Owned Sites, C-9a to the camp department. For camping experiences more than 100 miles beyond GSEM's
boundaries, submit the Troop Trip Application.
• You do not need to request COIs from nationally recognized hotel chains.
• Each girl must have her own bed. Girls can share rooms, but not beds.
• For overnight accommodations that are private residences, such as a family vacation home or relative's home, proof of
insurance must be submitted four weeks prior to departure.
• Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway and other personally owned accommodations for hire are permitted. However, because
they are privately-owned, it can be difficult to qualify safety and credibility, so additional steps ahead of time are
required for such accommodations to be approved:
• Liability insurance from the host must cover the premises for commercial use, with a minimum of
$1,000,000 General Liability insurance.
• The rental must be for exclusive use of the home. Other renters may not have access to the home during the rental
period.
• The space has smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers (these are noted as amenities on
booking sites).
• The home and host have substantial, positive visitor reviews. Do not book places with negative, few or no reviews. Look
for superhost status on Airbnb.
• Check the host's profile for identity verification. You may be asked to do the same, as a renter.
• The local host or manager contact info is available for immediate needs.
• Check state laws to see if Airbnb, VRBO, Homeaway and other similar accommodations are mandated to meet
hotel laws and standards, so you know there is an extra layer of protection.
Additional information and resources for international travel:
• International trips are available to Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors who have successfully participated in a
progression of overnight and extended trips in Girl Scouting.
• Obtain originals of Permission to Travel Form for Minors (signed by both parents/guardians and notarized) for any girl
under the age of 18, and copies of passports that will be valid beyond the return date of the trip for all girls and adults.
Also, submit copies of both to the Director of Risk Management.
• Enroll in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). It is also recommended that
you complete GSUSA’s International Intent to Travel form, as well as utilize GSUSA’s Global Travel Toolkit.
• Review the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for any health concerns for the countries to which
you will be traveling.
• Periodically check the travel advisory/alert level(s) for the country you are visiting via the U.S. Department of State’s
Bureau of Consular Affairs. Confirm that both girls and parents/guardians have this information. For Level 3 travel alerts
(“reconsider travel”), further discussion and a potential change in location may be required. For Level 4 travel alerts (“do
not travel”), travel will not be permitted to those countries.
Ready to plan your trip? Here are some final guidelines:
• Girl Scouts take the lead when they travel, helping to build confidence and develop decision making skills. Ensuring trips
have the recommended adult-to-girl ratio, rather than too many adults, allows girls to let their leadership skills shine! Start
travel experiences with Daisies by inviting parents to join field trips and day trips where they support girls while they plan
their trip. If girls are not prepared to take shorter outings without a parent/guardian, they are not ready for more intensive
trips.
• It is recommended that you keep copies of all forms you submit for your trip. Submit forms to Girl Scouts of Eastern
Missouri, ATTN: Senior Manager, Risk Management, 2300 Ball Dr., St. Louis, MO 63146 or email to
• Failure to abide by the timeframes and deadlines identified in these guidelines is grounds for denial of the troop trip
application. After the troop trip application is submitted, the Director of Risk Management will notify the trip leader, troop
leader, parents/guardians and/or neighborhood manager which aspects of the trip are approved, or not approved or that
the trip itself is not approved and must be canceled.
• Refer to Volunteer Essentials and Safety Activity Checkpoints for guidelines and standards, including those for activities,
health and safety, transportation and accommodations. Further information about Girl Scout travel can be found on
GSEM’s Travel page.
• Scholarships are not available for individual, troop, neighborhood or district travel.
• If the troop is paying for any adults, the troop may pay for no more than the number of adults needed to meet the required
adult-to-girl ratio.
• The troop should not make final payments for transportation, accommodations, activities, etc., until the trip has been given
final approval by the Director of Risk Management.
• Ensure the Troop Year-End Report for the most recent reporting period has been completed and submitted to
Council.
• The Director of Risk Management will email final approval and requirements for the trip to the trip leader, troop
leader and neighborhood manager. Have fun!
Troop Trip Leader Checklist
This form can be utilized by the trip leader to assist in planning. It does not need to be submitted to council.
It is recommended that you keep copies of all forms submitted for your trip. The Troop Trip Application and supporting
documentation can be mailed to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, ATTN: Senior Manager, Risk Management, 2300 Ball Dr., St.
Louis, MO 63146. You can also submit this information via email to [email protected]. If you have questions, you may
call the Senior Manager, Risk Management at 314.592.2317.
☐ I have reviewed Safety Activity Checkpoints and Volunteer Essentials for all guidelines and standards applicable to our trip,
including those for travel/trips, specific activities, health and safety, transportation, and accommodations.
☐ I mailed/emailed our Troop Trip Application to the Director of Risk Management on .
☐ All girls are registered members of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri for the Girl Scout year during which the trip will take place.
☐ All accompanying adults are registered and approved (background checked) members of Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri for the
Girl Scout year during which the trip will take place.
☐ I mailed/emailed copies of our General First Aider or Advanced First Aider certification to the Director of Risk Management on .
☐ We will be participating in activities that require additional certification(s) (swimming, camping, canoeing, etc.). I submitted
copies of the required qualification(s)/certification(s) to the Director of Risk Management on .
☐ We received a contract and/or agreement for an accommodation, activity, etc. I mailed/emailed the completed, unsigned
contract(s) and/or agreement(s) to the Director of Risk management on .
☐ We are renting a vehicle. I mailed/emailed a copy of the rental confirmation(s) and Terms and Conditions to the Director of Risk
Management on __________.
☐ One or more adults will be driving on our trip for 5+ hours or 300+ miles in one day. I mailed/emailed a Check Driving Record
Request form for each driver to the Director of Risk Management on .
☐ We wish to purchase additional insurance. I mailed an insurance enrollment form and check to the Director of Risk Management
on __________.
☐ We are staying at an Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway or other personally owned accommodation for hire and have completed the
additional steps required for such accommodations to be reviewed. This documentation was mailed/emailed to the Director of Risk
Management on .
☐ There is additional information I need to obtain for my trip to be approved, such as certificate(s) of insurance (COIs) needed for
certain activities, modes of transportation, accommodations, etc. I mailed/emailed this documentation to the Director of Risk
Management on .
☐ We will be traveling internationally. I mailed/emailed copies of Permission to Travel for Minors forms for each girl under the age
of 18, and copies of everyone’s passport to the Director of Risk Management on ________ .
☐ Our Troop Year End Report for the most recent reporting period was submitted to Council on ____________.
The Director of Risk Management approved our Troop Trip on . Hooray! During the trip, I will always carry with me:
• Health History and Annual Permission form, F-57, for each girl
• Girl Health and Permission Form for Travel, F-59, for trips that exceed two nights or international travel
• Adult Activity Waiver, VP-84, for each participating adult
• Permission to Travel Form for Minors (international travel for all girls under 18)
• Passport copies for all participating adults and girls
Troop Trip Application
Due to Council four months prior to departure for domestic trips and eight months prior to departure for international trips.
Date Submitted: ____________ Troop #: __________ Neighborhood: __________ District: __________
Level(s) at time of departure: ☐ Brownie ☐ Junior ☐ Cadette ☐ Senior ☐ Ambassador
Note: As of June 1, girls are at the next grade level. For example, a girl entering fourth grade in August of this year can participate as a
fourth grade Junior on June 1 of this year.
Troop Leader:
Email: Phone:
Street Address: City, State, ZIP:
Trip Leader (if different than Troop Leader):
Email: Phone:
Street Address: City, State, ZIP:
Role in troop and leadership experience:
Trip Information
Purpose of trip:
Destination(s):
Departure date: Return date:
Duration:
☐ 1-2 nights (Brownies and up) ☐
3-4 nights (Juniors and older) ☐ 5+ nights (Cadettes and older) ☐ International (Cadettes and up)
We wish to purchase additional activity and sickness Insurance:
☐ Plan 3P ☐ Plan 3PI (international travel only) OR ☐ Declining insurance, with parent/guardian agreement
# of girls in troop: # of girls participating: # of adults accompanying:
If all girls in the troop are not participating, provide reason:
_
☐ Yes ☐ No All parent/guardians in the troop have been informed of the troop trip and permission has been obtained.
☐ Yes ☐ No All accompanying adults have reviewed and support this application.
Participating girls’ first and last names and age at the time of departure (attach additional sheet of paper if more than 12 girls
are participating):
All accompanying adults (attach additional sheet of paper if more than four adults will accompany the troop):
1. Name: Phone:
Email: Address:
2. Name: Phone:
Email: Address: _______________________________________
3. Name: Phone:
Email: Address:
4. Name: Phone:
Email: Address:
If traveling internationally, which adult has international travel experience?
Certifications and Activities
• Who is the adult certified in First Aid and Adult and Pediatric CPR/AED?
(Attach their CPR/AED certification and their medical provider license in lieu of a First Aid certification OR their Adult and
Pediatric First Aid, CPR/AED certification).
If any of the below apply to your trip, complete, and attach the appropriate certification(s). If not, mark “N/A.” Refer to Safety
Activity Checkpoints and Volunteer Essentials for guidelines and standards for the below and any other activities.
• If the troop will be swimming, what is the name of the location or facility they will be swimming at?
Provide the lifeguard’s name and a copy of their American Red Cross lifeguard certification OR documentation stating that the
facility you are visiting has an American Red Cross Lifeguard on duty during swimming activities.
For open water/oceans, lifeguard(s) must be Beach Lifeguard Certified; Basic Lifeguard Training is not sufficient.
• If camping, what is the name of the certified troop camper?
• If 30+ minutes from EMS, provide the name and attach the appropriate certification for the Advanced First Aider.
• If your troop is participating in an aquatic small craft activity, provide the name of the qualified instructor and documentation
of their activity-specific qualifications.
Are specific qualification(s) or certification(s) required for any other activities your troop will be doing? If so, what are the activities,
and who is/are the qualified/certified individual(s)? (Check Safety Activity Checkpoints and note activities that require certifications
and/or additional training.)
Transportation and Overnight Accommodations
During the trip, the following form(s) of transportation will be used
☐ Privately-owned vehicle(s)
☐ Rented vehicle(s) - attach copy(s) of rental confirmation including complete Terms & Conditions
☐ Bus ☐ Train ☐ Airplane ☐ Ship Other: __________________________________________________________________
Adults who will be driving during the trip:
During the trip, the following accommodation(s) will be used (attach additional sheet if needed):
Name: Type (hotel, cabin, campground, etc.):
Phone #: Address:
Planning and Troop Funds
Girls’ part in planning:
Adults’ part in planning:
Troop’s previous trip location(s)/experience:
Approx. total cost per participant: $
x
= $
# of participants for which troop funds may be used (if troop is
paying for any adults, troop may pay for no more than the number
of adults required to meet the required adult-to-girl ratio and/or
drive)
Approximate total cost of troop trip
Estimated budget for troop for: $ Transportation $ Accommodations
$ Activities $ Food
$ Insurance $ Emergencies
$ Other (specify):
Amount raised by troop: $
If “amount raised by troop” does not cover “approx. total cost of trip for troop,” how is remaining cost being paid?
How will funds be safeguarded during the trip?
What are the plans for the troop funds if the trip is not carried out?
Itinerary
Attach additional sheet if your itinerary does not fit on this page. You may also attach an itinerary that your troop has already
prepared.
☐ Yes ☐ No Did you receive any contracts and/or agreements for an accommodation, activity, etc.?
If so, attach copy(s) of completed, unsigned contracts(s)/agreement(s).
Day
Date
Mode(s) of transport and
approximate travel
miles if driving
Itinerary for the day (activities, names of
vendors/providers, meals, etc.)
Name(s) of
overnight
accommodations
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
At Home Emergency Contact
Emergency contact available during the entire duration of the trip who has contact information for all families.
Name: Email:
Day Phone: Evening Phone:
Address:
Relationship to troop:
Alternate Trip Leader/Adult
If the trip leader is unable to lead the trip, this person will assume trip leadership. If only two adults are accompanying the troop, list
a third adult here as an alternate to ensure the adult-to-girl ratio will be met.
Name: Email:
Day Phone: Evening Phone:
Address:
Relationship to troop:
Neighborhood Manager Approval
The district manager should sign if the neighborhood manager is involved with the troop going on the trip.
I have reviewed this application and endorse the trip with the following suggestion(s):
Printed name: Manager of: District: Neighborhood:
Signature: Date:
Trip Leader’s Signature
I have read and understand the information and guidelines provided in the Troop Trip Application Packet. By signing this application,
I verify that the information provided is accurate. I also understand that if, for any reason, trip plans change after this application has
been approved, I will promptly notify the Director of Risk Management.
Printed Name:
Signature: Date:
It is recommended that you keep copies of all forms you submit for your trip. Submit forms to Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri,
ATTN: Senior Manager, Risk Management, 2300 Ball Dr., St. Louis, MO 63146 or email to [email protected].
