ISSUE DATES

  • Box Tops for Education: No More Clipping!

    A new mobile app allows users to scan a receipt to receive credit for participating products.

  • 32 Volunteer Appreciation Ideas and More

    Whether it’s in the classroom, at school events, or elsewhere, your volunteers contribute in so many ways! Thanking them isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a really important step to building a lasting relationship (and making sure they come back). Our free guide to volunteer appreciation includes not only some awesome ways to say thanks (who doesn’t love fuzzy socks?) but also key points to consider: Should you thank people in different ways depending on how much they helped? How much should you spend? When should you do it? Make it a priority for your group to recognize the contributions of its volunteers instead of leaving it as an afterthought. Get Free Guide Inside 32 Volunteer Appreciation Ideas and More: Why It’s a Must Don’t think of volunteer appreciation as optional or as something your volunteers have to earn—it’s actually a really important part of making volunteers want to continue. Should Small Groups Do It? Absolutely! We’ll explain why it’s totally OK for groups consisting of even just a few board members to show appreciation to each other. Year-Round Volunteer Appreciation It’s great if you want to throw an event at the end of the year, and you should—but your efforts don’t stop there (and it’s not hard to make them ongoing). All Those Awesome Ideas Whether you want to go all-out or keep it simple, we have lots of suggestions for showing your volunteers some love. Gift Tags and Other Downloadables Many of the ideas we’ve selected include cute, colorful, and free gift tags, as well as other printables and graphics. Why Does Volunteer Appreciation Matter? Whether it’s in your role as spouse, employee, parent, friends—you know it makes a huge difference when you feel appreciated. It’s a natural motivator that helps you keep going. As a parent group leader, showing appreciation is just the right thing to do. Many of your volunteers spend lots of time away from their families and personal responsibilities to make the school better, and even those who help just a little here and there deserve recognition for their contributions. Ideally, volunteers will be thanked while they’re helping out or shortly after. It’s also a good idea to plan a larger volunteer appreciation effort once a year if your parent group has the time and resources. Don’t worry if a big volunteer recognition program isn’t feasible for your group. Do what you can now and work toward doing more in the future. Remember, volunteer appreciation is about building parent involvement—and that’s your main goal! Get Free Guide Still have questions? Call us at 800-644-3561; we’re here to help. Share this page:

  • How To Promote Your School Parent Group (and Why It Matters)

    Your parent group works hard to support the school—but do your school’s parents and community members understand how much your group actually does? For so many PTOs and PTAs, the answer is no. Here at PTO Today, we think it’s time to change that, and we’ve put together the tools to help you do it. You can use these resources during National School Parent Group Day (the fourth Thursday in September) or anytime throughout the year. Put your PTO or PTA front and center with the guide to promoting your school parent group. Whether your group is relatively unknown beyond its board members or it enjoys a strong reputation at school, we’ll make it easier for you to get the word out at school about the great work you’re doing! Get Free Resources Inside the Guide to Promoting Your School Parent Group: Celebrate at School Raise Your Profile at School Sample Messages for Talking About Your Parent Group Customizable Flyer Social Media Toolkit Tips for Posting on Social Media Facebook Photo Frame Brag Sign Shareable Graphics Local Media Toolkit Getting Media Coverage for Your PTO and PTA Events and Achievements Customizable Press Release National School Parent Group Day Fact Sheet Are You Visible at School? When you spend so much time talking and thinking about what your parent group does, it’s easy to forget that some parents don’t know much about it. Maybe they’re new to the school, or maybe they’ve been around for a few years but have never gotten plugged in to the school community. Of course parents should be involved in the school parent group, but it’s not an effective recruitment tactic to tell people they’re doing something wrong. Instead, think about how to market your group as a can’t-miss organization. That might sound scary, but mostly what it means is getting the word out to parents at different times and in different ways. Every time you interact with parents, whether it’s in a short speech, a Facebook message, an email, or a chat in the school hallway, you’re communicating something about what your group is like. Think carefully about the messages you’re sending. For some parents, the first reaction to a message from your group will be “why should I care?” That’s why it’s important to spell out the benefits parents, children, and the school get from parent involvement. And don’t be modest when it comes to talking about what your parent group does. People want to be part of a successful group. Many times, parents aren’t aware of just how much PTO or PTA volunteers do at their school. Bragging about your achievements helps busy parents see your group as worthy of their limited free time. The simplest way to start is to create lists of all the events your group sponsors, the many ways volunteers help at school, and how the money you raise is used. Post these lists on your website, put them in your newsletter, and display them on a bulletin board or trifold poster at your back-to-school night or open house. Like it or not, not everyone wants to be involved in the parent group to the level you are. It’s natural to be disappointed when you ask people to volunteer and they say no, but it’s important to communicate your response in a way that leaves the door open to involvement in the future. Remember that parents have many competing demands on their time, and they might be worried that involvement will take more time than they have to give. You can reassure potential volunteers by breaking down volunteer jobs into smaller tasks that have a concrete beginning and end time. For example, ask someone if she has an hour free on a Friday to pop popcorn, or if she could work the concession stand for two hours once a month. If someone simply doesn’t have the time, be understanding. Mention that even an hour or two helps the school, and if her situation changes in the future, you’d love to have the help. Get Free Resources Still have questions? Call us at 800-644-3561; we’re here to help. Share this page:

  • These #ptokids Know How To Make the Most of Any Situation

    When parenting and volunteering for the PTO have to happen at the same time, kids often find a way to be involved—and frequently, cute photos result.

  • Free Webinar: 501(c)(3) Basics for School Parent Groups

    Taxes can be complicated, but they’re a fact of life! If your head spins thinking about the IRS, tax-exempt status, and what it can mean for your PTO, watch our webinar on the whats, whys, and hows of federal tax-exempt status, incorporation, and other frequently asked questions. We’ve updated the 501(c)(3) presentation from our PTO Today Live expos, consistently one of our most popular information sessions, and spent extra time explaining all the ins and outs. In this webinar on 501(c)(3) basics for school parent groups, you’ll learn best practices for becoming a tax-exempt nonprofit group with the IRS (and maintaining that status), get access, to helpful resources, and find answers to loads of FAQs submitted by other parent groups. Watch Free Webinar What’s Covered in the 501(c)(3) Basics Webinar: The Difference Between 501(c)(3) and Incorporation Your group can have federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status without being incorporated as a nonprofit at the state level. You can also be incorporated in your state and not have federal tax exemption. But it’s a good idea to do both—and if you do, there’s an easier way (and a harder way) to do so. 5 Recommended Steps for Becoming a 501(c)(3) Group From applying for an EIN to keeping your determination letter safe—and then applying for tax exemption within your own state—we’ll walk you through the steps in the right order. Annual Tasks for Tax-Exempt, Nonprofit Groups After you’re granted tax-exempt and nonprofit status, there are a few things to do each year to keep your group in good standing with the IRS and your state. How Your Bylaws Fit Into All This Your bylaws are the key document for running your group day to day; if you have a question about what you’re allowed to do, check your bylaws. Resources From PTO Today Links to additional guides and articles to learn more about the topics covered during the webinar. More Information Download a PDF of the webinar slides, learn more about parent group insurance, and read the extended Q&A addressing frequently asked questions about setting up a parent group, EINs, incorporation and 501(c)(3) status, completing the Form 990 series annual returns, raising and spending money, and donations. What Is 501(c)(3)? “501(c)(3)” refers to federal income tax exemption under the IRS tax code; it applies to charitable organizations such as school PTO and PTA groups. The IRS also refers to these groups “exempt organizations.” 501(c)(3) tax exemption is often confused with nonprofit status, but the two designations are distinct—while 501(c)(3) status is a federal designation from the IRS and refers strictly to federal income tax-exemption, nonprofit status is related to incorporation, which is a state-level process. The benefits of becoming tax-exempt: It shows your community that your group takes itself and its mission seriously. Donations to your group are tax-deductible for the donors. Many grants from businesses and other nonprofit organizations are open only to 501(c)(3) groups. Watch Free Webinar Still have questions? Call us at 800-644-3561; we’re here to help. Share this page:

  • Parent Handout: Promoting Fundraisers on Social Media

    Handy tips to help parents make posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter that draw more attention to your school fundraisers.

  • The School Events You Love Most

    Parent leaders in our Facebook group told us their favorite family events. We share ideas for making them unforgettable.

  • Field Day Makeover

    Small changes to this school’s annual event help keep it fresh year after year.

  • 33 Ways To Boost Your School Fundraiser With Social Media

    Practical tips for creating effective posts about PTO and PTA fundraisers for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

  • 13 Teacher Appreciation Gifts for $5 or Less

    These inexpensive appreciation gifts will help you say thanks to staff members without breaking the bank.

  • 10 Easy STEM Activities for Kids To Try at Your Next Family Night

    No Bill Nye the Science Guy around? No problem.

  • Free Guide: How To Incorporate a School PTO

    Incorporating your parent group is one of the key components of organizing your group in a professional way. It might sound like an overwhelming process, but it really isn’t once you break it down—and it’s a smart step in the overall picture of boosting your group’s independence and public image, among other things. Whether you’ve taken some initial steps or are just starting to think about it, our free guide on how to incorporate a school PTO includes helpful information on the benefits, what to do before you officially start the process of incorporation, the three key steps to incorporating, how to draft your articles of incorporation, and more. Read Free Guide Inside the Guide on How To Incorporate Your School PTO: Reasons To Incorporate Did you know incorporating your group helps protect your officers and members from being held personally liable in a lawsuit against the organization? This “corporate shield” is one of several benefits of incorporating. Before You Start Key points you need to know about (and do) before you begin the incorporation process, such as why incorporation should be completed before filing for tax-exempt status from the IRS. Incorporation in Three Key Steps The main actions you’ll need to take, broken down so the process isn’t overwhelming—from contacting your state for the filing forms (plus the questions you should ask up front) to choosing a business name and filing your articles of incorporation. What Are Articles of Incorporation? Background on the meaning and importance of this document, plus a sample set of articles of incorporation for you to use as a reference. Other Important Information If you’re planning to apply for 501(c)(3) status either now or later, you’ll make things easier by including this required language from the IRS when you incorporate. What Is a PTO? “PTO” stands for “parent-teacher organization,” and it’s a general name for the 75 percent of school parent groups that choose to remain independent of the National PTA. These independent groups go by many acronyms, including PCC, HSA, and PTSO. They write their own bylaws, apply for their own tax-exemption (and nonprofit incorporation) status, and they can choose how much to charge in dues—or not charge dues at all. What Does It Mean To Be Incorporated (and Why Should You Do It)? Incorporation involves registering your parent group (for the most part, inexpensively) in your state, including filing “articles of incorporation”—paperwork that establishes the existence of your organization as a nonprofit entity. While it sounds technical, it’s worth it for a number of reasons. Incorporating your school parent group gives it a more professional status—it legally establishes your group as an independent organization. This helps build your public image and can also make it easier to solicit donations from local businesses to support your group’s activities. Some groups choose not to incorporate because of the paperwork involved, the cost, or the idea that it’ll make things too formal. But PTO Today believes that incorporation is a wise investment of time and money for the future of any parent group. Eligibility for grants and funding, professionalism, and the corporate shield are all benefits that outweigh the short-term effort and (often minimal) expense of incorporating. Read Free Guide Still have questions? Call us at 800-644-3561; we’re here to help. Share this page:

  • Trying Out Taekwondo

    Mother-daughter martial arts night teaches valuable lessons while promoting family bonds.

  • Building Parent Involvement, Step by Step

    How to help parents transition from volunteers to leaders.

  • Your Toughest Leadership Challenges Tackled

    We asked and you told us—here’s what leaders say are the key ways to strengthen leadership skills.

  • 24 Awesome Ways To Encourage Being Kind at School

    Kindness is cool! And there are lots of easy ways to spread good vibes.

  • Makerspace Basics

    These fun and flexible areas can help students develop creative and analytical thinking skills.

  • What Do You Love Most About Your Parent Group?

    Friendship, shared goals, teamwork—there's a lot to love about being in a school parent group!

  • You Know You're a PTO Parent When...

    That moment when you know there's no turning back.

  • A Very Crafty Holiday

    Students create the merchandise in a new spin on a favorite holiday tradition.
results