Not sure what to expect as a new PTA volunteer? You’re not alone. This guide answers common questions and shares practical tips to help you get started with confidence.
Whether you’re a brand-new volunteer or a returning officer, the right tools make your PTA work easier, faster, and more effectively. You want to:
- Set up and run fundraisers without having to create all your materials from scratch
- Collect required information from parents, donors, and volunteers without wasting their time—or yours
- Check inventory for items, create campaign reports, and track other data without manually crunching numbers for hours in spreadsheets
Fortunately, plenty of other PTAs have been down this road before—so you don’t need to start from zero. The key is knowing what tips, tricks, and tools successful organizations use so you can start where they’ve left off and accomplish even more for your school.
This section of our handbook for new PTA volunteers highlights some of the most useful resources available to PTA members. You’ll find helpful planning templates, management tools, and links to official PTA organizations.
Essential templates & guides
Every PTA benefits from having clear documentation and repeatable systems. These templates can save time, reduce confusion, and help your group stay consistent from year to year.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg—click the button in any section to see more free guides, forms, and ideas from our experienced school fundraising team.
General PTA Help
- PTA Checklist: Starting the School Year Off Right: Learn how to make progress towards key fundraising goals during the most important time of year with this checklist of essential PTA tasks.
- How To Attract New PTA/PTO Volunteers This Year: Find a checklist of vital steps for growing the ranks of your PTA so it can stay organized and run well.
For Treasurers
- The Ultimate PTA Treasurer Report Template: Make your next PTA treasurer report a breeze with this ready-made template—including fields for income, expenses, and more.
- The Complete PTA Treasurer Transition Kit: Use this complete kit from Future Fund to help new Treasurers transition smoothly and keep your organization’s finances in capable hands.
Templates for Key Tasks
- Sponsor Request Letter Template: For approaching local businesses to sell sponsorship opportunities.
- School Fundraiser Donation Form: Use this template to collect donations from parents and community members (FutureFund can also let you do this online).
- School Fun Run Waiver: Have parents fill this out so students can participate in fun runs—you can also send it out with FutureFund and collect responses).
Recommended apps & platforms for PTA management
Running a PTA means juggling communications, fundraising, volunteer coordination, and budgeting. These tools can help simplify all of it:
FutureFund
The free platform we built specifically for K–12 school groups to help you run your PTA from a single user-friendly platform. Streamline key tasks and save time for your volunteers with:
- Customizable fundraising campaign templates
- Volunteer sign-up and management features
- A built-in messaging system
- Quick and accurate financial reporting for compliance and budgeting
- Secure payment processing
- Accessibility features to remove obstacles and encourage participation
FutureFund is also 100% free for schools to use. Get started here to see how we can help your school.
Trello or Asana
Project management tools to help you organize bigger initiatives:
- Break events or campaigns into manageable tasks
- Assign due dates and responsibilities
- Keep track of progress with visual boards or timelines
Canva
An easy design tool with templates for all your school-related visuals:
- Make flyers, signs, and social media posts without needing a design background
- Create templates your PTA can reuse every year
- Collaborate with other members in real-time
Notion or OneNote
Digital notebook tools that help your PTA organize knowledge, notes, and how-tos:
- Document planning steps for events or fundraisers
- Maintain shared notes from meetings and brainstorms
- Create editable guides or checklists that can be passed down year to year
Even if your group already has a few systems in place, it’s worth checking whether they’re still the best fit—or whether a more integrated tool like FutureFund could save time and avoid duplicating effort.
Links to state & national PTA organizations
Your local PTA doesn’t have to operate in a vacuum. State and national organizations offer training, advocacy support, and downloadable tools to help your group run smoothly and stay compliant.
- National PTA: The official parent organization, with nationwide initiatives, leadership resources, and event toolkits.
- Find Your State PTA: A full directory of state-level PTAs with links to membership requirements, bylaws, and event calendars.
- Your school district’s PTA council or regional PTA may also provide leadership training, mentorship, or help resolving local issues. Ask your president or school liaison how to get connected.
With the right tools in place, your PTA can spend less time organizing spreadsheets and more time focusing on what really matters: supporting students, teachers, and your school community.
