Your Local PTA Unit's Responsibility in Maintaining Your Non Profit Status with the IRS and More...
Benefits of belonging to PTA - Alabama PTA State Office secures a Taxpayer Employee Identification Number :
Your Local Unit PTA is not responsible for paying state or federal income taxes and that donations to your local unit PTA are considered as charitable donations.
With this benefit
comes some responsibility on the part of the local unit PTA.
While income is not taxable
, the IRS may impose fines for not filing a return. I
Please make certain your tax returns are filed annually.
Being income tax exempt is not the same as being sales tax exempt. Alabama PTA and its local units are not sales tax exempt. There is an important reason why Alabama PTA has never sought sales tax exemption. As you are aware, public education in the State of Alabama is funded through sales tax revenues, so by seeking sales tax exemption, we would be taking funds from public education which is not part of our mission. Just for reference, you should not be charged sales tax for fundraising items through a fundraising company.
Falling under the Alabama PTA group exception is an important benefit of membership and sets us aside from other parent organizations where you would either have to secure your own tax exception or keep all your funds in a school account which ultimately belongs to the school and is under their discretion. PTA funds and school funds should always be kept separate. Per the Alabama Department of Education, school employees may not handle PTA funds. They cannot be signers on your checking account, and they should not be collecting funds on behalf of PTA. However, they may serve on your PTA Board as long as they are not on the banking accounts and do not handle funds.
Generally speaking, when a local PTA unit's tax exempt status is revoked due to non-filing of returns, it is because during transition from one group of officers to the next this vital information is not forwarded on to the next president and treasurer and they are unaware of this responsibility. While these requirements are always emphasized at State and Council trainings and meetings, not all units attend training, and not all units are in Councils.
Please take the time to print out this explanation and make certain it is in the president and treasurer notebooks for your local unit PTA.
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Dates to Remember:
December 2018:
1 - Deadline for Gold Leaf Award
7 - Alabama State PTA Christmas Open House
7 - Executive Committee Meeting
8 - Board Meeting
March 2019:
1 - Deadline for Oak Tree Award
1 - Deadline for 100% Membership Award
1 - Deadline for 100% Membership Consecutive Years Award
1 - Deadline Big Topper Award
1 - Deadline Largest PTA Award
1 - Deadline Outstanding Membership Award
12-14 Legislative Conference, Arlington, VA
June 2019
20-23 National PTA Convention and Expo, Columbus, OH
March 2020
10-13 Legislative Conference, Alexandria, VA
June 2020
18-21 National PTA Convention and Expo
March 2021
9-12 Legislative Conference, Alexandria, VA
June 2021
24-27 National PTA Convention and Expo, Grapevine, TX
March 2022
8-11 Legislative Conference, Alexandria, VA
June 2022
16-19 National PTA Convention and Expo, National Harbor, MD
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Congratulations to Madison Elementary PTA, Horizon Elementary PTA and West Madison Elementary PTA for being awarded STEM+Families Grants from National PTA!
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What Makes the "PTA Difference" So Much Better for Schools?
The Power of PTA: PTA Makes a Difference
Over the past 120 years, PTA has helped solve some of the biggest issues facing America’s children. Many of the structures all children benefit from today—child labor laws, universal kindergarten, the National School Lunch Program and the juvenile justice system—were accomplished as a result of PTA members’ advocacy.
And it’s not just at the national level. Our state and local PTAs change lives too. Florida PTA members helped to defeat a piece of state legislation that would allow for-profit management companies and other corporate interests to take over public schools, keeping children’s educations from effectively being bought and sold. Washington State PTA worked to secure the passage of several major state education reforms, improving the day-to-day lives of children across the state. The impact of PTA is felt far and wide across our country
Valuable Resources
Administrative factors also set PTA apart from other parent groups. PTA offers a national and state infrastructure, with staff and trained volunteer leaders available to assist PTAs in securing nonprofit status, filing government paperwork, creating bylaws, purchasing low-cost insurance and training leaders. These support services are included in PTA membership at no additional cost.
PTA schools have access to experts, resources, trainings and dozens of programs and initiatives to encourage arts education, healthy lifestyles and family reading. Over the years we’ve had a PTA in Georgia sponsor vision clinics for low-income students. And in Detroit, Mich., a PTA runs after-school programs that keep kids off the streets. In California, a PTA created a buddy system between families with limited English proficiency and other bilingual families.
When a school has a PTA, parents are better informed and more engaged, and the learning environment is more supportive for students—plus, the school has a better reputation in its community.
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Communication between board members and principals can develop a strong and successful PTA. Also, good communication with your general membership is very important. Please try to include all parents in some capacity who want to volunteer. Make them feel welcome and needed!
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We are part of the largest child advocacy organization in the nation. As such, we have access to amazing resources from National PTA. If you log in to
www.pta.org
you will be able to find all the assistance you need. AND don’t forget that our Alabama PTA officers and office staff are available to answer your questions, train your officers, meet with your membership and assist in any way we can.
Here is an example of what you can discover on NPTA’s website:
State PTA Leaders, thank you for your leadership and continuous commitment to PTA. Login to your National PTA registration to view the content behind each section.
This State PTA Resource Bank aims to support your organizational health, membership growth, and leadership development strategies so that we can collectively advance our shared mission:
to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
Feedback Welcome:
Do you have suggestions, samples or downloadable tools to make the State PTA Resource Bank better for all State PTA leaders? Email
PTATraining@PTA.org
.
New!
Special Incentive to Access Your PTA Local Leader Kit
Within a month after you
register
to access the Local PTA Leader Kit, we will mail you a
DIY Kit for Membership Growth
, which contains what local PTA leaders need for a "do-it-yourselves" four-step PTA Membership
P.L.A.N.
:
1.
P
icture
who, when and how you will connect with members
2.
L
isten
to what matters most to your members
3.
A
sk
your members to join PTA by aligning your efforts to what matters most to them
4.
N
urture
relationships with members year-round
Limited supplies available
, so
register
today and start exploring!
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Huntsville Council of PTAs Hosts Annual 990s Night
Dealing with financial issues, such as filing taxes, can often be intimidating for new PTA leaders. That's why the Huntsville Council hosts an annual 990s Night at the office of Layna Payne, a CPA and former HCPTA board member. For most local units their taxes must be filed by November 15, so the Council hosts this annual event in late October or early November. The local units simply bring their financial statements and records detailing income and expenses for the previous year, and Layna and the Council's current treasurer Deb Stern help them with the rest. Whether they simply have to fill out the 990-N or a longer form, the Council provides assistance. Additionally, by this time of year the Council has an understanding of which PTAs are not currently active and will file the 990 for them. We know that when a new group of parents is trying to get a PTA off the ground at their school, it can be challenging dealing with all of the legal parts of the job. And it can be very disheartening to learn that the local unit has lost its 501(c)3 status. This is one of the ways we try to support our local unit officers.
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Applications close Nov. 18
PTA Connected gives your PTA the answers families want about cyberbullying, gaming, safe sharing, online reputation, spotting spam and more.
Digital Families Community Events
200 $1000 grants available to host a
parent and child workshop
about online safety. Attendees will be guided through how to create strong passwords, how to best respond to real life online scenarios and will create a media plan together.
Be Internet Awesome Family Workshop
200 $1000 grants available to host a
parent to parent conversation
about tough online topics, such as cyberbullying and sexting. Attendees will receive a family guide to help them continue the conversation with their children at home.
You do not need to be a digital safety expert to host these events, National PTA will provide you with training and all the support you need to successfully run an engaging program.
Applications close Nov. 18
Be Internet Awesome
grant geared for Elementary and Middle Schools. High schools can apply and they ought to work with another PTA in their area. Grant event occurs between Jan 1 – May 1, 2019. Have at least 50 attendees and 10 volunteers.
1.
Give one example of an event or initiative that your PTA is proud of and why (250 words or less).
2.
Give one example of how you will advertise and promote the event to make sure that all families feel welcomed to attend (250 words or less)?
3.
Why do you think your parents and school community would be interested in a Be Internet Awesome family workshop (250 words or less)?
4.
How would your PTA use the $1000 grant to best support your event? (250 words or less)
Facebook Connected Grant to host an event that takes place between Jan 1 – May 1, 2019.
Questions 1, 2 and 4 are the same.
Why do you think your parents and school community would be interested in a Digital Families training (250 words or less)? Yes or no
Why do you think your parents and school community would be interested in a Digital Families training (250 words or less)?
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RESOLUTIONS
A resolution is a main motion used by businesses and organizations to educate its members about a particular problem and ask for certain remedies to correct the problem. Usually, a committee is established to study the question, frame the information into “whereas” clauses, and suggest resolutions in the “resolved” clauses. Following is an example of a Resolution by the Alabama State Board of Education adopted on April 10, 2003 (Past President Markie Harbison was exiting office late in April to be followed by Katie Campbell as Alabama PTA President.)
Even though this resolution is fifteen years old, it is still viable. At the State Department of Education, the Federal Programs section (ESSA) is charged with day-to-day operation that administer the funds coming from the U.S. Department of Education. When representatives from this section visit, it is our understanding they follow only the money, as opposed to programs.
Should your PTA have an issues that has state-wide importance, follow the example to set out facts and submit it to the Alabama State PTA office for consideration. Resolu6tions are normally presented at annual meetings (Conventions) or at Board meetings.
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Alabama PTA |334-834-2501 | 334-834-2504 | alabamapta@yahoo.com| alabamapta.org
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