If you have a group of passionate parents looking to get more involved with your children's school, you have the makings of a great PTA or PTO. These groups partner with schools to create exciting opportunities for its students and support the teachers who do so much. In this article, we'll walk you thought the steps to start one in your school and how to keep it functioning.
Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) or Parent-Teacher Organizations (PTOs) are groups formed to incorporate parents into the school and community. Members of a PTO or PTA are parents and teachers.
Parents’ involvement in these groups gives them the chance to play a significant role in their children’s education and support enriching activities at the school. It also allows schools to alleviate some of the stress that comes with running a school. Generally, PTAs and PTOs develop goals to provide scholarships or educational experiences for their children. They are also responsible for raising the funds needed to support these initiatives.
In this article, we’ll share the steps to start a PTA or PTA in your school. We’ll also share some ways you can raise the funds necessary to support a thriving organization.
Starting a PTO or PTA benefits parents, students, and the school. Parents who have a stronger impact on their children’s education create more chances for kids to succeed and are often more closely involved in their children’s schoolwork. PTOs and PTAs must follow specific steps to legally form and run such a group.
From the beginning, it is essential to speak with other parents about your goal to start a PTA/PTO. Groups of parents that are on the same page and have equal passions to create a PTA or PTO ensure the group’s success.
It is best to start a PTA/PTO with only a few parents at first. This allows each member to play a significant role and further connect to the group and its goals. When you have found a small group of passionate individuals, you are ready to move on to creating a mission and vision for your group.
The purpose of your PTA or PTO must be included in official documents with the state and federal government. When creating a mission and vision statement for your group, you define the purpose and create a path for the group to follow.
It is best to ask a few members to come together and determine how to lay out the mission. Once a smaller group has decided on the statement, you can take it to the entire membership to vote on its acceptance.
After the mission and vision have been finalized, your group should include the mission in all fundraising and marketing pieces sent out to the public. By sharing your mission with the community, you have a better chance of encouraging participation in your activities and increasing membership in your group. For example, Northwinds PTO includes its mission statement on its online fundraising page.
Need help? Download our free Mission and Vision Statement Toolkit to get started!
You have spent time creating a mission and vision and have determined the statement you can share with the world. Now it’s time to write a list of ideas and goals for your group. How will your PTA help students, parents, and the school? This is the step where the mission becomes a path to follow to make it a reality.
As you create your list of plans and goals, remember to focus on how each step will encourage parental involvement and help you achieve your mission.
You are ready to meet with the school’s principal. Detailed plans and goals will offer you more information to share with the school and a list of ways you can help the school. Think of your PTA as a partner with the school. When meeting the principal, you should lay out how your group will help the school further its own purpose. By starting on the right foot, you can ensure each member of the partnership is on the same page.
During your first official meeting, your group must elect officers and form committees. When electing your group’s officers, you must be aware of your state’s nonprofit requirements. All states have different requirements for the number and titles of an organization’s officers.
Most PTOs will have a Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer. These members will oversee your group’s activities. Others can remain general members.
PTAs and PTOs can qualify as nonprofit organizations and gain tax-exempt status. This allows them to raise funds from their supporters. To begin the process of filing for this status, your group must follow the rules of your state. As we mentioned earlier, the state will determine the limit of how many officers and their roles, along with the paperwork your organization must file. When filing the Articles of Incorporation with your state, you will need:
Pro tip: Check out our guides to starting nonprofits in different states to get started.
After filing with the state, your PTA or PTO must register for an Employer Identification Number. An EIN is essential for all organizations to file for tax-exempt status.
Before applying for nonprofit status, your PTA/PTO must create your group’s bylaws. Bylaws are official documents and policies for your organization and address board and membership structures. When writing your bylaws, you must include:
This status means donors’ and members’ gifts are tax-free. Most individuals and corporations will only give to PTAs and PTOs with 501(c)(3) status.
To gain this status, your group must fill out and return Form 1023 or Form 1023EZ. The cost of filing Form 1023EZ is $275 and should take less than a month to receive a letter of determination. Form 1023 costs $600 and will take three to six months. Learn more about the difference between these forms here.
One benefit to starting a PTO or PTA is that you are part of a larger society. Once you have officially registered with your state and gained tax-exempt status with the IRS, you can join your state’s PTA. Visit the PTA website for more information on different PTA types and the rules and regulations all groups must follow.
The Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer are not the only leaders in your PTA/PTO. As you find more members and develop ways to fulfill your mission, you should create committees to take charge of each program. The following committees can help your group reach its goals:
The more parents are involved in your PTO or PTA, the better chance you have of making a difference in your child’s school. Parental involvement can determine the effectiveness of the school and the future of your children.
There are several ways to gain more involvement in your organization.
Need more ideas? Check out our article with 10 PTA membership drive ideas.
Every PTA/PTO needs money to get started. Only PTAs pay national dues, but dues are not the only costs organizations will encounter. PTAs and PTOs will often develop programs and scholarships to fulfill their mission – and they need funds to support these initiatives.
There are several ways groups can raise funds for these projects. Create an online donation form for your PTA fundraising projects or take it a step further and start a crowdfunding campaign.
However you choose to fundraise, Donorbox is there to help. Set up a fundraising campaign that includes a fully customizable donation form or utilize features like Donorbox Crowdfunding, Peer-to-Peer, Text-to-Give, QR codes, Donorbox Live™ Kiosk, and more.
Whichever way you opt to fundraise, remember to make giving convenient and quick for your donors! Let’s have a look at some of the best ways you can raise money for your PTA.
When forming your PTO/PTA, there will be initial costs. Some of these can be alleviated by asking the school for help initially. In some cases, school budgets may include this option. This will help you establish your PTA so you can start fundraising legally.
Many PTA/PTOs charge membership fees. Some may be concerned that it could limit interest, but when parents know the perks and benefits of being a member, they’ll show more interest. Plus, PTO and PTAs create a sense of community through membership programs. These programs also ensure a steady flow of income.
Check out this online membership form this PTA put together using Donorbox Memberships. They offer both monthly and annual memberships with a variety of levels. Their members can log in to their donor portal to change or cancel their membership at any time.
Giving people an easy way to donate will increase the amount you collect. When creating an online donation page, you should add different amounts and how each amount can help students and parents. For example, Peck Slip PTA added compelling reasoning for each giving amount on their Bridge the Gap fundraising campaign.
Events have dual purposes of raising funds and introducing your PTA/PTO to the community. Ensure all events your group holds include both goals. Otherwise, get creative with the type of events you host!
Donorbox Events allows you to create customized event pages and embeddable event ticketing forms to make the most out of each event. Set ticket limits and sales deadlines, showcase the tax-deductible amount of each ticket type, leverage promo codes to boost sales, check your guests in, and more.
Learn more about Donorbox Events in this short video and get started!
Not everyone carries cash these days – so to raise more for your PTA, you should put a donation kiosk in your school and at your events. This allows donors to give using their cards and smartphones so you don’t miss out on any donations.
Donorbox Live™ Kiosk is here to help. This app turns your Android or iOS tablet into a donation kiosk by pairing it with a card reader device to accept in-person, cashless donations. Your supporters can easily tap, dip, or swipe their credit or debit cards or use their digital wallets to make a swift donation. Learn more about donation kiosks here.
Donorbox Live™ Kiosk - Learn More!
PTAs and PTOs are an excellent way for parents and families to involve themselves in their children’s education and future. After registering with the state and IRS, your PTA can form committees, projects, and fundraising events that work best for your community.
Fundraising for PTAs and PTOs can feel overwhelming for parents with no experience, but Donorbox can help your organization with tools, tips, and support to fuel your mission. Check out our Nonprofit Blog and subscribe to the newsletter to receive our best resources in your inbox.
As your fundraising committee works to find ways to raise money, visit our website to learn more about Donorbox, its features, and the advanced fundraising tools we provide to fuel your efforts.
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor