31+ Secrets Your PTO Needs To Know
From free nonprofit perks to smart tech tools, these PTO/PTA secrets can help you work more efficiently and stretch your budget. Check out our favorite tips for making leadership a little easier.
Between AI tools, nonprofit software discounts, and free design resources, today's PTO leaders have more ways than ever to save time and stretch every dollar. These best kept PTO/PTA secrets and hacks can help your group work more efficiently and stretch your budget.
🤫 Got a secret hack or tip we should know about? Tag us on social @ptotoday so we can share it with the PTO Today community!
Design and Tech Tools
1. Canva lets you create custom social media graphics, flyers, and more using its library of professional design templates. Need a teacher or mascot on a flyer? Canva's Background Remover makes it easy to create professional-looking graphics. (Pro tip: If you’re using someone else’s Canva design, make a copy first so that the original design doesn’t get lost!) You can also create a PTO brand kit in Canva. Save your school's colors, logo, and favorite fonts in Canva so every flyer, social post, and announcement looks like it came from the same team. PTO Today also has a library of Canva templates and free printables for PTO and PTA groups. We're always adding new templates and graphics, so be sure to check back often!
2. Create QR codes that link to your PTO's most important resources so families can get involved in seconds. Use QR Code Monkey to generate QR codes and add to flyers, event signage, volunteer sign-up sheets, and donation requests. (And definitely invest in a good label maker!)
@ptotoday Nothing better than a label maker and some QR codes Greenwood Elementary PTA President @Cortney Hall #ptolife #ptamom #ptalife #ptamomsbelike ♬ original sound - PTO Today
3. Free fonts! Fresh new fonts are available to download for free through Fontbundles.net. Font downloads can be used with Cricut, Microsoft Word, and any software.
4. If your group has 501(c)(3) status, you can apply for a free Adobe Express Premium Plan membership. Adobe Express now includes AI-powered tools for creating flyers, social graphics, and videos even faster.
5. Your smartphone can scan documents, but apps like Genius Scan make it even easier to organize receipts, meeting minutes, bylaws, and event planning documents into searchable PDFs. It's a simple way to keep your PTO records organized and make board transitions much smoother.
6. Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations can apply to receive Slack Pro for free (for workspaces with 250 or fewer members) through the Slack for Nonprofits program. Larger eligible nonprofits receive an 85% discount on Pro and Business+ plans.
8. Stop chasing down previous board members for your PTO's passwords. A password manager (like 1Password and Bitwarden) lets your board securely share access to important accounts like social media, email, websites, and vendor portals—without relying on one person to hold the keys.
9. Use AI tools like ChatGPT to draft PTO emails, volunteer requests, newsletter blurbs, and social posts in minutes instead of starting from scratch. More tips on using AI for schools
10. Batch your social media posts. Instead of posting every day, spend one hour creating and scheduling posts for the month using free tools like Meta Business Suite.
11. Instead of constantly changing the link in your social media bio, use a link hub like Linktree to keep your volunteer signups, spiritwear store, calendar, newsletter, and website in one place.
12. Store bylaws, budgets, meeting agendas, event checklists, and graphics in a shared Google Drive so next year's board doesn't have to start over.
13. Let AI take your PTO meeting notes. Tools like Otter.ai, Fireflies.ai, and Fathom can record PTO meetings, create transcripts, summarize key decisions, and capture action items—so your PTO secretary isn't stuck taking notes instead of participating. Before recording, be sure to let attendees know and check your school's policies.
🥳 Pssst! PTO Today’s FREE mega bundle of 20+ printable treat tag tags and signs can be used throughout the year for teacher appreciation, bus driver appreciation, custodian appreciation, volunteer recruitment, and family events like boohoo/yahoo kindergarten send-offs.
Save Money (and Get Free Stuff)
14. TheShareWay is a directory of donors that makes it easy to find food, beverages, auction and raffle items, and more. The Sports Mom Collective also has a list of national companies that have been known to donate to PTO and PTA groups.
15. Don't pay sales tax on eligible PTO purchases. If your PTO has tax-exempt status, you may be able to apply it to eligible Amazon purchases through the Amazon Tax Exemption Program. Set it up once, then save on supplies, event materials, and other school-related purchases.
16. Many national retailers have discretionary funds for donations within the local community. Many PTO leaders have secured succulents and other plants from Lowe’s for Teacher Appreciation Week or workshop crafts from Home Depot. If your organization is a nonprofit 501(c) 3, you can request a Target GiftCard donation through the Target Local Store Giving program.
17. Get free kids’ reward certificates—they make great readathon incentive prizes! Panda Express offers meal cards through its Panda Express Achievement Awards Program. Some Sonic restaurants also offer reward certificates; contact your local Sonic to request these certificates, call 800-569-6656 to get in contact with your local franchise office, or contact
18. Apply to receive a free bike donation from Strider—a hot silent auction item! (More on planning a silent auction).
19. Check with local restaurants to see whether they’re willing to donate free (or discounted) food or beverages. Texas Roadhouse has been known to donate salad bar fixings and rolls, while Wendy’s has donated potatoes for a “spudtastic” teacher appreciation hot potato bar! Chipotle also provides event donations for silent auctions, raffles or fundraisers through their Community Roots program (you can apply here).
20. Stock the middle school restroom: and request a donation from RedDrop Girl Power Kits.
21. Need watermelon cut into 800 slices or ice pops frozen but lacking in freezer space? Some local grocery stores will donate labor or freezer space.
22. Did someone say Pop Its...on clearance?! (IYKYK.) Hit clearance sales in early September and after the holidays at retailers like Walgreens to stock up on incentives for fundraiser raffles and prizes.
23. Score deals and offers just for PTO and PTA leaders from PTO Today and partners. With new offers added throughout the year, you can find freebies for your school, participate in fun giveaways, get product fundraising samples, take advantage of sign-on bonuses, discover new programs, and more! Check back regularly for newly added offers. Encourage your board to sign up for text alerts from PTO Today to hear about our free samples and giveaways for schools throughout the year!
24. PTO Today Plus members get VIP access to PTO Today freebies. Learn more about becoming a PTO Today Plus member.
Events
25. Grab your board and spend a few hours with us at a PTO Today Expo—you’ll walk away with tons of ideas and free samples! You’ll get to meet with a variety of fundraising and arts & enrichment vendors, watch live demos, enter raffles, snag tons of freebies, and so much more. Get complimentary tickets to a PTO Today Expo near you
@ptotoday We’re hitting the road this spring! Visit www.ptotoday.com/events for FREE registration until 1/20/23. Use promo code EARLYBIRD at checkout! #ptomom #ptamom #ptaparent #ptoparents #volunteer #pto #pta #ptoparent #schoolvolunteer #ptalife ♬ Happy - DJ Keblinger$
PTO Hacks
26. Use a scale to quickly count flyers.
27. Use a fitted sheet instead of plastic tablecloths at events.
28. Keep your parent volunteer cool in a mascot costume using a personal ice vest.
29. Stick things to walls at school using Gorilla Removable Mounting Putty.
30. When you don’t want to spend $40 on card stock...spend $5 on five stacks of $0.99 plates from the dollar store instead!
31. Need volunteers? Use middle and high school students who need to log volunteer hours to run games and activities.
32. Glow dance tip! Use fluorescent poster board and neon tape for a fun glow-in-the-dark dance floor. Just add black lights!
33. Spiritwear organization hack! Roll and rubber-band T-shirts for easier storage, access, and inventory tracking. After banding, use clear bags to separate sizes.
34. Need to transport lots of individual drink orders for teachers across town? Ask your local liquor store for wine boxes that have dividers in them, or use these honeycomb drawer organizers to hold drinks in place.
Get more PTO recommended products
Updated July 2026: We've reviewed this article and updated it to ensure the tips, tools, and nonprofit resources are current.
