One of the most challenging things for a PTA leader to do is to balance your PTA’s financial and legal obligations with the day-to-day running of your unit. It can feel like a lot – a lot of deadlines and expectations – and this is especially true if you’re running a PTA with a small crew. It can be the same as balancing family life, work, and fitness goals: despite our best efforts or intentions, sometimes we can fall behind with our health and miss goals that leave us feeling discouraged.
For PTAs, falling behind can sometimes snowball and lead units to think their only option is to disband. Maybe previous boards failed to keep up with necessary financial obligations saddling new officers with missing tax filings, or maybe the PTA is struggling to attract members or to find someone to serve in a key role. Any one of these things can seem insurmountable in the moment, like trying to run a 5K after months of little activity.
The good news is that for most units, there is a way to get back on track and set a course to become “PTA Fit” every single year by doing five key things annually. And even better? No PTA has to do this alone! If you’ve fallen behind, or are struggling to reach one of the five benchmarks listed below, the Council can help get your unit to a healthy place so you can put your energy toward doing good things for kids in your community. So, what does it take to become “PTA Fit”?
1) Elect or Appoint the Big 3 Positions
Every 501c3 non-profit—including PTAs!—needs to have a President, Treasurer, and Secretary to be in compliance with federal and state non-profit law. No single person can hold any of those jobs simultaneously, and PTA rules state that the President and Treasurer cannot be related by blood or marriage, nor reside in the same household, because they are both check signers. CA PTA has a Fall deadline for these three positions to be eligible for things like National PTA grants and Reflections. If your PTA is struggling to fill one of these roles, please reach out. We are happy to help you find someone in your community who can take on the job or help your board work some “musical chairs magic” to make sure the positions get filled.
2) File Taxes
Taxes—like birthdays—come around every year, whether we like it or not! If your PTA makes less than $50,000, filing your annual taxes is as simple as answering a few questions. (PTAs that make more have a slightly more involved process and typically hire a tax professional to help them file.) If your organization has not filed taxes in the last few years, fear not! The Council can help you get up-to-date and back on track for future filings. Remember, filing taxes is a legal federal requirement for operating as a 501c3 organization, and all non-profits are expected to file annually to remain in good standing with the government.
3) File with the California Attorney General
To operate as a legal non-profit in the state of California, every 501c3 organization needs to pay an annual fee and show that they are operating in good faith (filing their taxes annually, etc.). Failure to file with the California Department of Justice can lead to a suspension of activities (including suspending fundraising and spending funds) or forced dissolution. You can check your PTA’s status here: https://rct.doj.ca.gov/Verification/Web/Search.aspx?facility=Y
Like with tax filings, if you find that your PTA is behind on your AG filings, please reach out—we can help you get caught up.
4) Have 15 PTA members
Unlike the previous three compliance pieces, having a minimum of 15 members is a CA PTA annual requirement to make sure your PTA is engaging with the community and that no small clique of parents is directing the association’s funds. For some PTAs, signing up 15 members is as easy as the auto-renewals hitting in TOTEM on July 1. For other PTAs, getting 15 people in your community to sign up by mid-September can feel like a lot. If your PTA is struggling to meet the 15-member minimum, please reach out. The Council will help you meet your minimum member goal by crowd sourcing community members and/or providing materials to help you better engage with your school community so folks can see the benefit of membership.
5) Have Insurance
All PTAs MUST have insurance to operate under the CA PTA non-profit umbrella. Insurance not only protects your PTA’s finances and the physical safety of folks attending your events, it protects YOU as a PTA leader from liability claims. Because CA PTA negotiates a group rate, there’s no need to spend time shopping for a good deal; just sign up using the Council provided information once a year, pay your dues, and rest assured that your PTA is covered from harm.