125 WAYS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP
In Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of National PTA! | 1
GENERAL OUTREACH
1. Create a welcoming environment! Have a greeter welcome
everyone, especially new people, who attend your PTA
meetings, events and activities. Have board members
introduce themselves to people before the meeting.
2. Do meaningful work! Find out your school community’s
needs and take steps to meet those needs.
In-Person Ideas
3. Add membership to casual moments—invite people to join
at a PTA meeting or event, at a school event, carpool line,
etc.
4. Be available at all school and community events to speak to
families and community members about PTA and ask them
to join.
5. Be present at kindergarten events and transition nights to
middle and high school.
6. Have a PTA membership table at all school events (school
registration, back to school nights, open house, parent-
teacher conferences) and PTA sponsored events.
7. Give a short presentation on the value of PTA at open house,
back to school night, orientations, etc. Use this template
from the Membership Campaign Materials.
8. Have a collection box in the school oce with membership
forms and envelopes to make joining easy.
9. Place “Join PTA” signs and membership forms with a link
to join or QR code around the school. Use a theme to get
people’s attention. For Example: A street sign theme—PTA
membership “yields” results. “Stop” and consider the benets
of PTA. “Do not pass” this opportunity to be a PTA member.
10. Throughout the year, reach out to new families and share
info on PTA. Personally ask them to join.
Virtual Ideas
11. Are in-person invites too intimidating? Ask people to join
your PTA via phone or personalized email.
12. Do you have Online Join? Share the link broadly, allowing
people to join from their laptop, tablet or phone and to pay
with a credit card. Check with your state PTA for help.
13. Have a virtual way for people to connect, like Facebook,
BAND or website.
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
14. Use your PTA logo, not the school logo, on everything! Don’t
have one? Create one here in 30 seconds.
15. Ask current members to renew their membership for next
year, before the current school year ends. Retain members
from current year, so you can focus on recruiting new
members the next school year.
16. Every member gets a member! Challenge current members
to share the PTA value and ask others to join.
17. Create a welcome letter at the beginning of the year letting
families know what PTA does for their kids and school.
Update everyone mid-year!
18. Create a PTA welcome packet for new students and families.
19. Put a “personal membership invitation” in the school’s back-
to-school mailing.
20. Work with the school’s Parent Resource Center to ensure all
families get PTA information and messages.
21. Connect with preschools that feed into your school and
ask them to share info about your PTA with the families of
graduating students.
22. Middle and high school PTAs can reach out to the PTAs that
feed into them to connect with families whose kids are
moving to their schools.
23. Encourage members to bring a friend to PTA meetings,
activities and events.
24. Have PTA shirts and/or name tags for the board, so everyone
knows who you are at school and PTA events and provide
members with name badges to wear at meetings/events.
25. Make sure everyone understands that only members are
allowed to vote at PTA meetings. Then encourage people to
join so their voice is heard.
26. Make sure people know that they can join PTA without
volunteering.
27. Make volunteer sign-up easy. Always have a sign-up form
available in person and/or online. When people sign up who
are not members, ask them to join.
28. Coordinate PTA membership drives and events with
important school events/activities.
29. Include a link or QR code to join on all PTA communications,
and if possible, school communications too.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PTA
NETWORK TO HELP SHOW YOUR
VALUE
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
30. Visit the National PTA website and take advantage of all the
virtual resources. Sign up for National PTA newsletters and
follow National PTA on social media to stay connected and
up to date. Share relevant info with your families to show the
benets of the PTA network.
31. Show your PTA value by sharing National PTA resources
geared towards parents with your members (PTA.org/
FamilyResources).
32. View National PTA’s short 15-minute videos to hear dierent
ways to grow membership and communicate the value of
PTA.
33. Sign up for the Local PTA Leader Kit to use the DIY Kit for
Membership Growth.
34. Host a National PTA program. All programs are ready to use,
developed by experts and available to all PTAs.
35. Apply for a National PTA Award or Grant. Both are great ways
to connect to the PTA network, amplify your work and show
your community the power of the PTA.
36. View your state PTA website, sign up for their newsletters
and follow them on social media. Join your state PTA
Facebook group for ideas and resources, when available.
37. Don’t reinvent the wheel—use State and National PTA
Membership Resources.
38. Add a PTA Membership Campaign graphic to your email
signatures and hyperlink it to your Online Join.
TIP!
Nothing else matters if you don’t do the first two!
125 WAYS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP
In Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of National PTA! | 2
BE WELCOMING/OPEN AND
REFLECT YOUR COMMUNITY
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
39. Make sure your board represents the community you
serve—diverse and inclusive. People want to join groups
where they can see others like them involved.
40. Assess the needs of the school community each year to
ensure the PTA work supports all students. Base committees
on the focus areas (special needs, male engagement,
mental health, etc.).
41. Bring in new people (both members and volunteers)
by selecting an enthusiastic and friendly person to be a
volunteer coordinator.
42. Be transparent. Show what your PTA does and how the
money directly supports children. Develop a “What PTA
Money Supports” yer and share it broadly. People will join
once they know what your PTA supports.
43. Be accessible. Have PTA meetings and events at times
and locations when most members, non-members and
potential members can participate.
44. Open your general membership meetings to everyone.
People may join once they get to know the people and
the work your PTA does. Remember, during the business
portion of the meeting, only members can participate.
TEACHERS/SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATION SPECIFIC
In Person Ideas
45. Put info in their school mailbox about why PTA needs to
keep the “T” in PTA. Include a membership form or QR code
to join.
46. Put a poster in the sta lounge letting them know how
much PTA appreciates them and their support.
47. Have members of your board personally tell each teacher/
sta how valuable their support is and invite them to join
PTA.
48. Ask principal to establish a weekly “casual dress day” for all
teachers/sta who join the PTA.
49. Host a Back-to-School luncheon for teachers/sta. Welcome
the sta back and share the benets of PTA. Invite them
to renew or join the PTA and let them know why 100%
teacher/sta participation is important.
50. Oer a teacher/sta luncheon if you reach 100% PTA
memberships for teachers/sta.
Virtual Ideas
51. Give shout-outs to teachers/sta who are PTA members in
your newsletter and on social media.
52. Send personalized thank you emails to all teachers/sta
who join.
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
53. Set and share a teacher/sta specic membership goal—
consider 100% teacher/sta participation.
54. Give a short PTA update at sta meetings—live, virtual or
recorded.
55. Ask the principal to encourage sta to join. It is important to
have principal support.
56. Highlight teachers and sta members during Teacher
Appreciation Week.
57. Give a special recognition or shout out to teachers/sta
who join. Decorate the doors of the teachers who join PTA.
58. Add a teacher position to your board or have a teacher ll
a current board position, if school board policy allows. This
person can help nurture the PTA-sta relationships and get
more sta involved.
59. Collaborate with the PTAs and PTSAs in your area, have
teachers identify high school/middle school student
volunteers to read with or tutor math to elementary
students.
STUDENT SPECIFIC
In Person Ideas
60. Engage students in recruitment eorts. Have students run a
membership table so they can ask their friends to join.
61. Have students speak at school events about the value your
PTA/PTSA brings to the school. Students will relate to other
students.
Virtual
62. Start a “Text to Join” membership campaign.
63. Create a fun membership challenge on social media—
consider something like the viral “ice bucket challenge” from
a few years ago.
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
64. Set and share a student-specic membership goal.
65. Allow middle and high school students to engage in
learning opportunities that support the work of your PTA/
PTSA, either individually for volunteer hours or as a class
project. They can prepare radio and TV ads to show on
school TVs and at events, create social media/marketing
campaigns or design promotional materials.
66. Consider developing a student-focused membership drive
where students get other students to join. Put the referring
member on the membership card, and oer a drawing to all
those who refer other students.
67. Invite Reections program participants and their families to
join your PTA/PTSA.
68. Let all seniors know about PTA scholarship opportunities—if
available from your local, council, district, region and/or
state PTAs.
69. Package membership yers with school or PTA/PTSA spirit
wear.
70. Include the student voice in your decision-making—listen
to their ideas, suggestions and needs.
71. Hold a student-focused PTA/PTSA event. Have students in
board positions assist with the event and ask everyone in
attendance to join your PTA/PTSA.
72. Let students know they can earn volunteer hours by
assisting your PTA/PTSA with events or other work.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
In-Person Ideas
73. Make sure your PTA is at community events (e.g., county
fairs, local parades, countywide meetings, etc.) with talking
points, a poster showing your impact and easy ways to join.
125 WAYS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP
In Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of National PTA! | 3
74. Ask local businesses (such as doctor/dentist/orthodontist
oces, hairdressers/barber shops, banks, etc.) if you can
leave PTA newsletters for visitors to read while they wait.
Include a QR code for easy joining.
Virtual Ideas
75. Ask local businesses to post about their collaboration with
your PTA on their social media page.
76. Use #HowWePTA for local business/organization
partnerships, to show the breadth of your work.
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
77. Keep a list of all the work your PTA has done to support the
school and families in your community. Share the list widely
and often, including with local businesses and community
partners.
78. Ask local businesses to hang PTA yers in their store
windows. Include a link or QR code on the yer for easy
joining.
79. Invite community members such as school board members,
superintendents, teacher union representatives, state
legislators, etc., to join your PTA.
80. Solicit local businesses for donations. Provide them with
signage to publicly display, thanking them for their support.
On the recognition sign, include a link or QR code to join
and add “Don’t You Want to Support Us Too? Join Today!”
81. Ask local businesses to extend discounts to PTA members.
Provide them with signage to acknowledge the partnership.
On the sign, include a link or QR code to join. Recognize the
partnership in PTA communications too!
82. Display winning Reections entries in municipal buildings,
banks, libraries and other visible locations. Include signage
with a link or QR code for easy joining.
83. Partner with other non-prots to promote the value of PTA
and establish relationships. Invite their members to join your
PTA.
COMMUNICATIONS
In-Person Ideas
84. Create a display case or bulletin board in the school
lobby with PTA materials, like upcoming events, copies of
newsletters, membership applications/QR code,
photos, etc. Make it fun!
85. Put “Join our PTA” messages on yard signs with QR codes
and display throughout the school and community.
86. Post signs at the carpool line that tell the PTA value. Have
drive-up “Join PTA” events.
Virtual Ideas
87. Conduct an online survey to nd out what members and
non-members want from your PTA. Have a link to join at end
of the survey for non-members.
88. Send an email to all families encouraging them to join.
89. Promote PTA membership on the school website, the PTA
website and/or Facebook page.
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
90. Communicate everything your PTA is doing to fulll the
PTA mission in a variety of ways. Use your social media
channels, newsletters, websites, auto-calls, morning school
news, texting apps, and post in the school and community
buildings.
91. Publicize your meeting and event times and dates in as
many ways as possible and always include info to join.
92. Send information more than once and in dierent
languages, as needed.
93. Make your PTA visible by using/selling Membership
Campaign PTA-branded swag.
94. Include PTA membership and program information
regularly in the school newsletter.
95. Throughout the year, remind people how and where they
can join.
96. Welcome and thank new members by name in your PTA
meetings and/or the school newsletter.
97. Doing a big event? Get local media outlets to cover
your event, highlight your PTA and share how people can
join in order to support your PTA.
98. Prepare local radio and/or TV spots. Work with your district/
council/region PTA or other PTAs/PTSAs in your area to
collaborate and share resources.
99. Keep membership campaign visuals (like a thermometer)
up throughout the year to show progress toward your
membership goal.
100. Spread the word that the only thing required to be a
member of PTA is to support the PTA by joining annually;
you don’t have to volunteer.
DIVERSIFY PROGRAMING TO
BRING IN A VARIETY OF MEMBERS
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
101. Oer a variety of programs to cater to the dierent
interests of families within your PTA community.
102. Grow membership by participating in the National PTA
School of Excellence program.
103. Balance PTA meetings with fun and educational events
like a Talent Show, Career Day, Heritage Night, Bingo Night,
Math Night, Reections event, Science Festival, etc.
104. Host programs in conjunction with your PTA meetings to
encourage parents who aren’t members to attend. Partner
with the school—your PTA meeting could be followed by
literacy night or college planning seminar, for example.
105. Oer parent education workshops, such as: helping
your student with homework, teen driving, substance
use awareness, developmental changes in adolescents,
internet safety, applying for college, etc.
106. Oer programs on a variety of topics, for example: mental
health, healthy lifestyles, arts, online safety, STEM, etc.
to demonstrate PTA value and ask people to show their
support by joining PTA at the programs’ end.
107. Oer a homework area for kids during in-person PTA
meetings. Provide qualied, school-aged childcare during
PTA meetings at no cost to families.
108. Have a translator(s) and/or signer at all meetings.
109. Oer a “dads” or “men’s” program to encourage men to be
more engaged in their child’s education. Ask participants
to join PTA.
All programming can be modied to be
in-person or virtual.
DID YOU KNOW?
125 WAYS TO INCREASE MEMBERSHIP
In Celebration of the 125th Anniversary of National PTA! | 4
110. Coordinate a “new family social” with the rst PTA
meeting of the school year. Ask attendees to join PTA.
111. Host a PTA dance for students and families to bring
together the school and PTA community. Highlight
PTA at the event and have a way for families to join that
night.
112. Host a back-to-school dinner or ice cream social.
Perhaps see if a local restaurant will cater for free or
reduced cost. Ticket costs for the event can include
family entry and a PTA membership.
113. Sponsor coees the morning after evening meetings to
update members who were unable to attend. You could
also do this virtually and promote it as “bring a coee” or
“drink and hear.”
114. Host virtual events and meet-ups for families. Be sure to
adjust in-person activities to work in a virtual setting.
115. Host a local Write-a-thon. Write to your local school
boards and local elected ocials about the current
needs of the community.
CONTESTS/DRAWINGS/
CELEBRATIONS/OFFERINGS
In-Person Ideas
116. Have a poster, slogan or PTA mascot contest for
students to design PTA promotional materials.
117. Reach for the stars! Put each member’s names on a
star cutout. Place the stars on a poster or hang them
from the ceiling. Consider making the stars be color-
coded to represent parents, teachers/sta, students and
community members.
118. Plant a ower bulb for each member in a prominent
location and watch it ourish. Share the growth of your
PTA garden on social media.
119. Watch Us Grow! Create a “member tree” in the front
hallway of the school building. Put members’ names on
the leaves (teacher members can be apples).
Virtual Ideas
120. Virtual Spirit Wear! Encourage your community to show
school pride by taking a photo while wearing PTA/
school gear and sharing it to your PTA’s Facebook page.
Consider adding every member who participates to a
drawing for a small prize.
Both (In-Person and Virtual Ideas)
121. Hold a membership contest between classes or grade
levels.
122. Create a fun membership growth theme; for example:
March Madness. Have a target growth chart that is
a basketball hoop and add a picture of a basketball
reaching the hoop as you reach your goal.
123. Hold membership drawings and giveaways for PTA
members. For example, get turkeys donated and have a
drawing before Thanksgiving.
124. Provide members with a free PTA directory, for those
who opt in.
125. Cut a picture of your school into the number of pieces
equal to your membership goal. As members join, put
the pieces together.
Join the Local PTA Leader Facebook
group and watch the Beyond the
Building micro webinar videos.
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