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When your PTA leadership changes from one year to the next, there are a few tasks you’ll have to complete—and some documents you’ll have to account for if you want to start the new year off smoothly. The earlier you start to tackle this list, the easier the transition will be.
This article provides an overview of what incoming PTA officers should consider at the start of a new year, as well as a list of steps and documents you’ll need. Our timeline assumes you’ll start these tasks in the summertime, but feel free to move them around if you need to accommodate a school year that’s structured differently.
Note: some PTA/PTO organizations will actually overlap the leadership for the summer months so the outgoing administration can help the incoming administration get settled. That of course is up to each PTA/PTO organization.
See also:
We designed FutureFund to help PTAs and school groups organize and fundraise efficiently. Our platform is 100% free to use, and includes tons of features that can help you get your ducks in a row as an incoming PTA leadership team, like:
Get started for free here, or keep reading to learn more about how to start planning your year as a brand new PTA leader.
The main categories of things that the PTO/PTA should have their minds on for now are:
At the start of each new year, your PTA will want to meet with the school board and school administrators, including the principal.
The meetings you set at the start of each year should be focused on the following goals:
Before you start planning anything, it’s critical to make sure you’re aware of any school-wide events you’ll have to work around. This includes all holidays and events that the school board or administrators have already planned.
Many of these events will present natural fundraising opportunities, but you’ll also need to make sure your planned fundraisers don’t conflict with activities breaks that are already on the calendar. We’ve created a downloadable calendar that can help give you an idea of what you might be working with:
Use the template above or your own PTA event calendar to make note of the following school events:
Fill in your meetings, other events, and fundraisers around these dates so they don’t conflict. Once you get the OK from the board and the principal, start planning your events and get specific with the details.
Once you’ve met with school leadership to get organized and made a list of the year’s significant dates, you can start planning fundraisers that serve the school community effectively and tie seamlessly into their existing plans. This is the best way to make sure your fundraisers are focused, relevant, and successful.
Need inspiration? FutureFund can help. Check out the list below to find all kinds of ideas:
Below is a general list of how long to keep each document for your PTA records per IRS rules. The required documents can vary from state to state so we encourage you to look up what you’ll need to keep and for how long to satisfy your state’s requirements.
You’ll also want to consider digitizing your records to save space and make them more accessible. FutureFund’s reporting features make it easy to do this with treasury reports and other vital documents.
Learn More: The Ultimate PTA Treasurer Report Template
| Document Type | 3 Years | 7 Years | Forever |
| Monthly Treasury reconciliation reports | X | ||
| Check registers | X | ||
| Bank statements | X | ||
| Canceled Checks | X | ||
| IRS Form 990-series | X | ||
| Meeting agendas and minutes | X | ||
| Year end treasury reports | X | ||
| Annual financial review reports | X | ||
| Incorporation paperwork | X | ||
| IRS Form 1023 | X | ||
| IRS determination letter for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status | X |
FutureFund is FREE for schools, PTAs, and school groups. Start your fundraiser today!
Get StartedOnce your year is over, you’ll want to set next year’s PTA leaders up for the same kind of success you enjoyed. Below is a list of steps to take to close out financial activity before the end of the year and set the club up for a good start during the new school year.
Learn More: The Complete PTA Treasurer Transition Kit
The start of a new year is always busy—especially when you’re part of an incoming PTA leadership team. But with the tips above, you should find taking the reins quite a bit easier.
Remember, being organized is the most important part of making sure your PTA will be successful this year—so don’t be afraid to keep meticulous records and use the resources at your disposal!FutureFund’s fundraising platform is also 100% free for school groups. If you want to plan and launch the most efficient fundraisers possible, you can get started here and see for yourself. Your dedicated account manager will walk you through how to use our reporting features, built-in messaging system, and customizable campaigns to help you identify critical funding gaps for your school and fill them.
See what other parents and schools are saying about us!
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Hype videos drive fundraiser engagement, so they’re vital for school groups. Here’s a step-by-step guide for creating a video that inspires your whole school community to donate and volunteer for your next event.
Trinkets are common rewards for K-12 students who participate in fundraisers—but they aren’t the most memorable. Let the FutureFund team show you why using experiences as rewards can be more meaningful in the long run, and why it’s often more cost-effective as well.
