Membership Dues – How Much is Enough?

A good rule of thumb for membership dues is to specify an amount that will cover per capita for the constituent organizations – National PTA, California State PTA, PTA District and council PTA, if in council – and a small portion of each membership for liability insurance premiums. (To change your unit’s dues, your
bylaws must be amended.)

Keep your dues affordable so that everyone can afford to join!

There is only one Level of Membership

A PTA may wish to solicit additional donations and have levels of membership for different prices. However, there is only one level of PTA membership. The actual per person dues amount must always be specified in the bylaws and perspective members must be allowed to join at that price.
Remember – one member, one card, one dues payment.

Membership Dues versus Donations

If you wish to solicit donations with levels of contribution, you may do so as a separate project from the membership campaign. For example, a gold donor/patron could be $100; a silver donor/patron could be $50, or whatever names and amounts you like. The details of this project must be outlined in the standing rules and approved annually by the membership.

Remember to keep contributions and membership dues separate in your accounting and regular financial reports.

From the May 2007 issue of “The Communicator”, published by the California State PTA; full issue available at www.capta.org