The first question we often hear at National PTA is … are PTAs allowed to spend PTA dollars on technology? The answer is a resounding YES. Your local PTA is a membership association and a non-profit business. PTAs can budget for, and spend money on, any technology that will be used by the PTA. This year, PTAs across the country must pivot to the new reality of the business world during the COVID-19 pandemic. That means figuring out how to run your PTA either partially, or fully, virtual. This pivot will benefit your PTA well beyond the pandemic as well.
It is important to note that many of the below items have free and paid versions. You will need to look at your specific PTA needs to decide what product may work for you and if the free version is enough or if one of the paid versions is a better fit. The items are linked so you can learn more about each, and remember, you can Google or YouTube just about anything online to find how-to videos.
Overall PTA Management Needs
- G-Suite for Nonprofits – Looking for a little bit of everything? Offered by Google for free to non-profits, this is a suite of cloud computing, productivity and collaboration tools, software and products. You can upgrade for a small monthly fee as well. You can get Gmail accounts for your PTA and board members, online drive to store your PTA documents and photos, centralized calendar, Google Meet and other resources
- Microsoft Office Online – Offers free online use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and One Note
- TechSoup – A non-profit international network that provides free or discounts on technological tools and support to non-profits.
- Notion – An all-in-one workspace where you can share and work on the same content. Individual accounts are free and can be shared with up to five guests.
Virtual Gatherings
Planning on hosting a virtual meeting or event? There are many products out there to suit your needs, and some have free versions. Since this is the way your PTA will be doing business for quite some time, your PTA should invest in this expense. Each platform provides tips for setup for all the features, including screen sharing and login requirements. If you use a free version, you may be limited on the number of attendees and how long the event can run, so do your homework. Some of the platforms to look at are:
- Zoom Meeting – The free plan allows up to 40 minutes per meeting with up to 100 participants. If you need more time, they have a $149 per year plan for unlimited meetings with up to 100 participants.
- Facebook Live in a Private Group – Consider using this option for a board meeting! Make sure everyone on your board is on Facebook and in your private group.
- Go to Meeting – $12 per month for up to 150 participants.
- Google Meet – Free one-hour meetings up to 100 participants, more features if you have G-Suite
- Skype Meet Now – Up to 50 people per meeting. Anyone can host or join with no need to download an app.
- FreeConferenceCall.com – Up to 1,000 participants and up to six hours of conference call time, screen sharing and video.
- WebEx – Can host one meeting free a month or look to upgrade to another option.
Survey and Poll Tools
Need to find out what your members and other families in your community need? Ask virtually! See the links below for some online survey options.
- Facebook Polls – This option offers instant feedback but is limited to people who follow your page or are in your closed group
- Google Forms – Cloud-based questionnaire and survey software, can create reports of the survey responses.
- SoGoSurvey – Free to non-profits
- SurveyMonkey – The basic plan is free for up to 10 questions and 40 responses
Storytelling Tools
Showcase the value your PTA brings to the community by sharing #HowWePTA on social media, in your newsletters and more! These tools can help you create beautiful visuals to help tell your PTA story.
- National PTA Membership Campaign – Check out the over 50 free graphics in the new PTA campaign that can help you highlight and share the benefits of being a part of your PTA.
- Canva for Nonprofits – Use this easy graphic design platform to create social media graphics, posters and other visual content.
- Need some free photos? Check out sites that offer many free photos: Getty Images, Shutterstock and iStock Photo.
- Need to store and share files? Maybe Dropbox is just what you need. The basic version is free.
Other Online Tools and Resources
- Another tool in your toolbox to help run your PTA virtually is BAND – PTA’s newest national sponsor. BAND can be a timely, modern, no-cost solution for PTAs that need to virtually coordinate activities and events and share information. BAND helps make it easier for parents, teachers and PTA members to stay connected and organized while embracing distance learning. PTAs can use the BAND app for scheduling, instant messaging, video calling and virtual meetings, conducting polls, managing signups, live streaming events, and other critical two-way communication features.
- Need volunteers to sign-up to help? Try out SignUpGenius. Free option for nonprofits.
- Need to randomly pick a winner virtually? Want to play a game virtually? Looking to create a word search? Check out Flippity, which is free, and offers all sorts of fun things you can create quickly and easily virtually.
Learn from Others
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Join the PTA Local Leaders Facebook group. Connect with over 6,000 other PTA leaders across the 54 State PTA Congresses. Click on the search icon to look for ideas on how to hold virtual meetings, virtual events or online fundraisers.
