Gold Award

Change the world, Girl Scout!

Gold Award Girl Scouts are role models and real-life heroes. How do they do it? By using everything they’ve learned as a Girl Scout to solve a problem in their community or make a lasting change in their world.

Seniors and Ambassadors who want to go for the Gold Award build a team of trusted adults, peers, and leaders in their community to guide them through challenges and support their success.

For Girl Scouts

Nothing beats that feeling of seeing real, lasting, and sustainable change and knowing it was you who made it happen. It changes the way you see your place in the world—and how the world sees you. This journey may open the door to scholarships, recognition and future opportunities.

Important Deadlines:

Gold Award final reports must be approved no later than Sept. 30 of a Girl Scout's high school graduation year. To attend the Gold Award ceremony of that year, your final report must be approved by Apr. 1.

Congratulations to our 2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts!

Check out project photos here.

How to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award

Review the Guidelines above
Complete the Youth Gold Award Training
Create an account in GoGold Online
- Follow the GoGold Step-by-Step Instructions
Choose a Girl Scout volunteer, who can be your troop leader or other trusted adult, but not your parent, to be your Gold Award Coach and inform council by emailing goldaward@sdgirlscouts.org. New Gold Award coaches must follow the onboarding process outlined below before helping you with your project. If you do not know of a volunteer willing to be your coach, email us and we will assign you an experienced Gold Award coach
Work with your coach to develop and submit your proposal
Once your proposal is approved, complete steps 6-7 in GoGold Online by leading your team and carrying out your project plan
Work with your Gold Award Coach and submit your final report in GoGold for council approval
Reflect on the change you’ve created in your community and the world, share your story, and inspire others to make a difference, too.

Prerequisites for a Girl Scout to earn the Gold Award:

Be in high school and have reached April 1 of your ninth grade year
Be a registered Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador
Have completed one of the following: the Silver Award, a Senior/Ambassador Leadership Award, or a Senior/Ambassador Journey

*Journeys are retiring Oct. 1, 2026, but will still be honored as prerequisites if already completed

Additional Resources for Girl Scouts toggle arrow

Bronze, Silver, Gold Award Project Ideas (PDF)
Gold Award Scholarship Rubric (PDF)
Highest Awards Project Ideas Progression (PDF)
Take Action Project Elements Progression (PDF)
Key Points to Think About (PDF)
How much time does it take? (PDF)
Guidelines for Financing Highest Awards (PDF)
Gold Award Training (PDF)
GoGold FAQs (PDF)

Additional Resources for Grown-Ups toggle arrow

Gold Award Adult Guide (PDF)
Gold Award Troop Leader Guide (PDF)
Gold Award Project Advisor Guide (PDF)
Adult Guide for Leadership Experience (PDF)

Become a Gold Award Coach

Every interested and eligible adult—whether experienced or new to the Movement—can become a Gold Award Coach and successfully support Girl Scouts.

GET THE HANDBOOK

How to Become a Gold Award Coach toggle arrow

1. Sign up for membership if you are not a current member

Go to https://mygs.girlscouts.org/.

Towards the bottom of the screen, select “Join as an adult member.” This is in small green font at the very bottom of the screen.

Select “Don’t have an account? Sign up now”. Enter your information and submit.

You should receive a confirmation email with a link to activate. Please check your spam folder if you do not see it in your inbox.

After activating your email, log into mygs.girlscouts.org using your credentials to activate your account.

On the next page, enter all required information to purchase a membership.

2. Read the Coach Handbook and Proposal Rubric.

3. Sign Coach Position Description and email it to gold@sdgirlscouts.org to be paired with an experienced coach to start coaching Gold Award Girl Scouts.

4. Please specify which Girl Scouts you will be coaching or if you are willing to be a coach for other Girl Scouts outside of those you know.

Highest Award Prerequisites

Leadership Awards

Celebrate all the ways you lead–yourself, your team, and your community–with new & updated leadership awards.

Journeys

Journeys encourage Girl Scouts of all ages to think critically, boost their problem-solving skills, and make an impact.

Highest Awards FAQs

Going for your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award? Get answers to the most common questions to get started.

Council Finder

Gold Award

Change the world, Girl Scout!

How to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award

Prerequisites for a Girl Scout to earn the Gold Award:

Highest Award Prerequisites

Meet Our 2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts