Membership

Introduction to Membership

The strength of your PTA lies in its membership—the parents, teachers, school administrators, business leaders, and community members who devote themselves to making a positive difference in the lives of children. Members are the lifeblood of Utah PTA by providing the passion, leadership, and hard work needed to fulfill Utah PTA’s Mission.

Every individual who joins PTA is giving something, not only to his or her child, but to every child. Imagine how much stronger your community could be if every parent, every community member, and every business leader who could be involved in PTA did get involved.

Attracting new members, and retaining current ones, is among the most important duties of a PTA. A strong membership is essential for PTA to be a force in decisions involving the welfare and education of children. A thriving membership drive doesn’t just happen. It requires good planning and year-round attention from leaders like you.

Your PTA should plan and hold a kickoff membership campaign at the beginning of the school year and then continue membership recruitment efforts throughout the year. Every PTA sponsored event and every school sponsored event is an opportunity to recruit new members, and every participant is a potential PTA member or supporter! Successful membership recruitment drives are essential to bring new volunteers and excitement to your PTA.

September is Utah PTA Membership Month and PTAs everywhere will be launching local membership campaigns. The campaigns will build on the excitement of children going back to school and encourage parents to get involved in their children’s lives. Utah PTA Membership Month provides an opportunity for PTAs across the state to create joint membership events in our communities.

January is another important back-to-school period and a great time to recruit new members. Parents are resolved to be more involved, and new families may have moved into the community. It is a great time to remind parents that it’s not too late to join PTA to make a real difference for their children and schools in the current school year.

Many PTAs run only one membership campaign a year – in the fall. PTAs that run more than one campaign a year have, on average, 20% more members. That’s because potential members have more opportunities to say “yes” to becoming a member. Nationwide, approximately 18% of PTA members join in January and February, second only to the traditional, fall back-to-school campaign period.

To bolster your membership recruitment activities, we have developed a suite of materials, including a campaign toolkit that outlines how to effectively communicate the value of PTA membership, a suite of dynamic visuals and collateral materials, and a campaign roll out checklist. These materials are available at utahpta.org/membership. Additional tools and resources to help you develop programs and increase participation in your local PTA are available in the “Local PTA Leader Kit” on the National PTA website, pta.org. 

Guidelines for the Membership Chair

Responsibilities of the Membership Chair

The Membership Chair is responsible for facilitating the work of the Membership Committee and ensuring timely, accurate communication with other PTA committees and officers. The Membership Chair and Committee should develop a membership growth plan that will direct the activities of the committee. This plan will create membership recruitment and retention strategies that will lead to overall membership growth. Other responsibilities of the chair include:

• Be the first one to join PTA! Ensure that all members of your PTA board and other PTA committees join also.

• Attend scheduled meetings as determined by the local president, including leadership and membership training at the Utah PTA Leadership Convention, for important training and information.

• Know your council, region, and Utah PTA membership representatives.

• Create and lead the Membership Committee in development efforts to reach membership recruitment and retention goals.

• Work with treasurer to submit membership dues by the 25th of each month.

• Conduct a membership drive with an effective membership campaign. An effective campaign can strengthen current members’ perception of the value of belonging to PTA. Your members will find out what your PTA is all about, and they will see firsthand that PTA can effectively accomplish its goals. Incorporating their ideas also demonstrates the PTA’s interest in members’ opinions, skills, and knowledge, and shows individual members how they can be advocates and be a voice for all children.

• PTA members who join PTA through Givebacks can print their own membership card. If your PTA is not using Givebacks, distribute membership cards to local members (You may receive membership cards from your council president or region director).

• Maintain accurate membership records and relevant information on the work of the Membership Committee.

• Maintain a membership procedure book which includes:

1. 1. Local bylaws

   2. Local PTA calendar

   3. Committee list

   4. Membership roster

   5. Campaign

   6. All membership information

• Work with the council, region, and Utah PTA membership representatives to ensure membership goals are being met.

• Check utahpta.org for membership updates and for additional helpful information and resources.

• Adjust local dues, according to Utah and National PTA dues increases, by following the appropriate procedure.

• Apply for Utah PTA membership awards.

Develop a Membership Committee

The goal of the Membership Committee is to build an informed, active membership that supports the Mission, Purposes, policies, and programs of the PTA. Under the direction of the Membership Chair, the committee should develop a membership recruitment and retention plan that emphasizes a year-round effort to involve new members. Well thought-out committee plans made early and carried out with enthusiasm and imagination throughout the year will contribute to the success of membership development.

Membership Committee Size and Composition

• The size of the committee will vary, depending on the needs of the local PTA.

• Most Membership Committees will include three to ten members.

• Local PTSA committees should include parents, teachers, principal, and at least one student.

• Local Membership Committees should include a representative from all areas of the local school community.

The Membership Committee May Include:

• Administrative Vice President—to provide administration assistance.

• Treasurer—to coordinate collection and remittance of dues.

• Publicity Chair—PTA Public Relations

• Program Chair—to coordinate school events and membership opportunities.

• Hospitality Chair—to welcome and greet everyone at meetings and all school functions.

• Teacher Vice President—to promote faculty involvement.

• Student Representative—to promote student membership in PTSA.

• Community Representative—to reach out to supportive business/partnerships.

• Parent—to assist with friendly personal invitations.

• Diversity and Inclusivity Chair— Representative to reach out to all parents.

10 Tips for Launching a Successful Membership Campaign:

1. Form a Membership Committee

2. Choose a campaign theme

   • Decide how to implement Utah PTA’s yearly membership campaign theme or choose one that best fits your PTA.

   • Using a theme generates interest and enthusiasm.

   • Display your theme in a high-traffic area of the school.

3. Set goals

   • The Membership Committee sets membership goals pertaining to membership growth.

   • Make sure the goals are reasonable and attainable, yet challenging.

   • Choose goals that fit your individual strengths, comfort level, budget, time, and expertise.

4. Target potential members: Retain and Recruit

   • Assign committee members specific responsibilities:

     1. Retaining members.

     2. Recruiting new members.

     3. Increasing male engagement.

     4. Asking teachers and staff to join.

5. Have a plan

6. Sell the value of PTA membership

   • Recruiting new members goes hand-in-hand with making sure they find value in PTA and renew their membership the following year.

   • Emphasize to new members what they get for their membership dues.

   • Keep members motivated through on-going communication, opportunities to volunteer, and recognition.

   • The number one benefit that PTA members receive from PTA membership is the ability to help their own child.

7. Incentives/awards/prizes

   • Post membership goals and progress in a high traffic area of the school and in newsletters.

   • You may choose to offer discounts and incentives for membership promotion.

8. Campaign all year long

   • Every event your school or PTA holds is a chance for members to join PTA. Set up a table to have sign-up opportunities available.

   • Continue to ask members to join throughout the year.

   • Continue to promote your PTA throughout the year.

   • Coordinate with school personnel to include PTA membership materials in new student packets in the school office.

   • Schedule your recruitment and retention activities throughout the year, particularly at back-to-school time and the beginning of the new year in January.

9. Use your resources and follow through

   • Don’t reinvent the wheel

   • Plans are worthless unless they are put into practice

10. Evaluate and adjust accordingly

    • Seek feedback from committee members and PTA members. Regardless of whether the evaluation is done through a formal survey or informal communication, it should be systematic, recorded, and used to adjust and improve the goals of the Membership Committee.

PTA Membership Advantages

The Value of Utah PTA

Where does my $1.75 go?

Leadership Training

• Utah PTA website - utahpta.org

• Utah PTA Leadership Convention

• Utah PTA handbook for local PTA boards

• Training handbooks for leaders

• Field service for local PTAs

• Region trainings Financial training and oversight

• National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

• Student Leadership Conference

• Social media

• Commissioner Resources

Advocacy Efforts

• Training on how to work with policy makers

• Information on current issues affecting children and families

• Take Action Network

• Legislative Bills Sheets

• PTA Day at the Capitol

• Advocacy Conference

• Oversight of School Trust Lands 

• Training on how to work with superintendents, principals and teachers

• Represent parents on coalitions with legislators, other advocacy groups, and various prevention and health groups, including the Governor’s Education Excellence Commission, and the Utah State Board of Education (USBE)

PTA Programs

• Reflections

• Battle of the Bands (PTSA)

• Schools of Excellence

• Ribbon Weeks

• Healthy Relationships Month

• Family Reading Experience Come Play with PTA

• PTA Take Your Family to School Week

• Teacher Appreciation

• Practical PTA

• Access to information on other programs

Awards & Grants

• Leadership Awards

• Arts and Education Fund Grants

• Membership Awards

• Student Scholarships

The Value of National PTA

Where does my $2.25 Go?

Running Your PTA

• pta.org

• National Standards for Family-School Partnerships

• One Voice blog

• eLearning

• Local PTA Leader Kit

• PTA Membership Campaign

• Diversity and Inclusivity Toolkit

• PTA branding and web guidelines

• Spanish resources

• Marketplace

• e-Newsletters

Advocacy

• Take Action

• Federal legislation

• PTA Positions

• Legislative Conference

• Advocacy resources

• Advocacy awards

Family Resources

• Parents’ Guide to Student Success

• Family guides

• College and career readiness

• Our Children magazine

• Health Resources

• Safety Resources

• Special Education Toolkit

• Notes from the Backpack podcast

• Summer Learning

Events

• Event calendar

• Annual Convention 

• and Expo

• Legislative Conference

• Safer Internet Day

• State Conventions and Leadership Training

• Teacher Appreciation Week

• Take Your Family to School Week

• Every Child 

• in Focus

• Back to School with PTA

Programs

• National PTA School of Excellence

• Reflections

• STEM + 

• families

• Family reading experience

• Connect for Respect

• Healthy 

• lifestyles

• Award and grant opportunities

• The Smart Talk

• PTA Connected

Utah PTA Membership Awards

The purpose of Utah PTA Membership Awards is to help increase membership by serving as a motivational incentive and to provide a meaningful reward to those schools who have promoted membership throughout the year.

PTAs may apply for as many awards as they would like. Many awards have similar criteria. Award applications can be found on the Utah PTA website utahpta.org/membership-awards. Each award application must include a separate application form. Keep a copy of your application and supplemental materials. Applications and materials will not be returned to you.

Information and Forms for Utah PTA Membership Awards can be found: On the Utah PTA Website: utahpta.org/membership-awards