FIND YOUR PTA PATH – The PTA Handbook
education, buying school equipment or educational resources would be acceptable, but paying a teacher’s salary would not. If your PTA receives donations or
fundraises for a specific project, it must spend that money as intended. However, the Charities Act 2022 made it easier for a charity to spend money raised for an appeal that doesn’t raise enough money or raises too much. As long as the original appeal states a secondary purpose, the PTA is free to reallocate funds to that project instead.
TOP TEN Most frequently
asked questions Whether you’re new to PTA life or you’ve been here a while, we take you back to basics with some common queries
Does the PTA have to be a registered charity? A PTA can operate as an unincorporated charitable
association or registered charity, each with a different legal structure. Unincorporated charitable associations are less formal, with no legal distinction between the charity and its members. They are easy to set up, and you can still open a bank account, register for Gift Aid and apply for certain grants. If your PTA’s income is over £5,000 per
year, you must register with the Charity Commission. It comes with benefits such as access to more grant funding but carries additional responsibilities and reporting requirements.
Can a member of school staff or a governor also be PTA chair,
secretary or treasurer?
Refer to your governing document to determine who can be a member
of your PTA. If all parents, carers and school staff are members with equal rights, they can participate in the AGM and be elected as committee members. Even a senior staff member would require nomination, seconding and voting. For a Friends Association, individuals who wish to support your charity’s objectives can also be members and run for committee positions.
Are there any restrictions on how the PTA can spend its funds? PTAs must always act according to their constitution. While they have
some flexibility in deciding how to allocate funds, they must ensure that all purchases fall within the scope of their charitable objectives. For example, if all purchases must enrich the pupils’
Can the PTA apply to trusts and foundations for grants? PTAs can access grants to support their projects in the same way as
other charities. They can often apply for funds that are not available to the school directly. Look for funders whose charitable aims
align with the PTA’s goals. Every grant has specific eligibility criteria, such as area of interest, location and target beneficiaries. Make sure your project is a good fit, apply on time and be prepared to engage in any follow-up reporting required by the funder. In your bid, clearly outline your
objectives and explain how you will spend the funds. Describe the expected impact on the pupils. You may need to source additional documents such as bank statements, budgets or quotes. Ask your communications or grants
officer to stay up to date with any grant funders that may be suitable for future bids. Sign up to a searchable grants database such as
funded.org.uk.
Do we need a licence if we want to run a raffle? If you intend to run the kind of raffle where all tickets are sold at
an event, such as a fair, this is known as an incidental lottery and there’s no need to register or obtain a licence. But if you plan to sell raffle tickets
before an event or run a standalone raffle, you will need to register with your local authority and pay a small fee. This is called a small society lottery. The application will require details about your organisation, the objective of the lottery, intended use of funds and some financial information. You must also
pta.co.uk AUTUMN 2023 15
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