Here's my question - they have been told that they can't use their PTA to do this type of fundraising. Is there some PTA regulation that prohibits this? We have been applying for (and actually receiving some) grants using our PTO (we're a 501(c)(3)). Why can we do it and they can't? We're all in the same school district so it's not a district policy.
There is no regulation within PTA that restricts applying for grant monies. In fact some groups have found it easier due to the name recognition factor of PTA.
That said, it is also true that some grants are not available to parent groups. The big question is usually "what for" and "How used" with many grant administrators.
ie; certain academic grants may require details of the curriculum and how the funding will work to enhance this work. That is information a parent group usually cannot provide.
Just have a clear goal, and remember the addage: If you don't know where you are going...ANY road can take you there
Is there a special "knack" for applying for grants? Can anyone give suggestions? Im a new President of a PTA and we have never applied for grants, I would like to start. Any help you can give please email me: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I'm a current State PTA Board member, and I don't know of any restrictions on PTA's applying for grants. In fact, our state has a training session on grant writing every year.
We are a PTA and have applied for many grants. Never had a problems with it....we've won more than $20,000 in grants this school year already. We have two talented writers that volunteer their time for our PTA by searching for and writing grant applications. It's a lot of work, though! I think they are working on two more, currently, for $5,000 each.
Yes, it's completely untrue that PTA's cannot apply for grants but like mum24 states, there are different kinds of grants and there are guidelines for most that include who can and cannot apply for grants. A good example would be the outlines provided here www.davis.k12.ut.us/staff/diane/applications.html
In a situation where a grant may only be available to a school, we have had a PTA person work on the paperwork to obtain it, but applied it to the school. Being a PTA in no way would prohibit this as a PTA policy.
Like Tim says, much misinformation is circulated about what PTA will and will not allow. It can largely be attributed to it's size and the distortion that happens when information is verbally passed on and rumors can get started by someone who is angry and then it becomes "truth".
One PTA I'm in is relatively new, and we have just started applying for grants. Some for which we would like to apply are only available to schools, as opposed to parent groups associated with schools, so perhaps that is where the confusion comes in. Right now, we only work on grants that we can get as a PTA.
The other PTA I'm in has a grants chairperson who spends a ton of time researching grant opportunities, both for the PTA and the school. She works with the teachers to help them write grant applications, even if the money goes directly to the school. If it's a situation where the money can go to the PTA, she applies under the PTA's name, otherwise she works with the teacher or principal or whoever, and gets the grant for the school. She has been very successful, and hasn't received any flak about it.
