Fillable Business Membership Certificate Request

To request a fillable PDF to fill out for your business members, please fill out the short form below.

Membership Challenge 2017-2018

This membership year 10 new members is all it takes to be automatically entered into a drawing for $75! Simply increase your total membership numbers (combination of business and individual) over last year’s total. Units who increase by 20 new members will also be entered into a drawing for $150. And, finally, units who increase by 30 will be entered into an additional drawing for $250. So, if your unit increases your membership numbers by 30 you are automatically entered into all three drawings! Eligible membership dues must be turned into (postmarked or submitted online with payment) by March 31. The drawing will be held at the general membership meeting during the MOPTA annual convention.

$75 drawing – increase by 10 – Ten units will be winners
$150 drawing – increase by 20 – Five units will be winners
$250 drawing – increase by 30 – Two units will be winners

*units who did not submit dues during the 2016-2017 membership year are not eligible until those dues are submitted.

Click here to access the online and downloadable membership dues form.

Eight Strategic Mistakes with Memberships by Blue Avocado

Ellis Robinson and Blue Avocado, a magazine of American non-profits, posted an interesting article that discusses “Eight Strategic Mistakes with Memberships”.

Strategic Mistake #1: Encouraging people to become members.
Strategic Mistake #2: Over-using membership numbers in public.
Strategic Mistake #3: Thinking membership benefits are important.
Strategic Mistake #4: Not asking people to renew several times.
Strategic Mistake #5: Boring members by telling them what your organization does.
Strategic Mistake #6: Relying too much on electronic communication.
Strategic Mistake #7: Thinking that all members are equally valuable.
Strategic Mistake #8: Announcing a membership drive.

Intrigued by the list? Visit “Eight Strategic Mistakes with Memberships” to learn more

Resources/Tools

• PTA Surveys click HERE (in MS Word format)

• Membership section of the Tool Kit. The Tool Kit is emailed to each unit president during the summer. It is also available online in the PTA Members Section of this website.

• PTA Membership Quick-Reference Guide. This is included in the Back-to-School kit from National PTA. The kit is available online.

• Procedure Book. This should be passed on to you from your predecessor. If you didn’t get one, start one now.

• National website: Check out the latest information & hints about card activation, member benefits and growing your PTA.

• Check out “201 Ways to Increase Your Membership“.

• Search the Internet: PTA Membership, PTA Membership Campaigns, PTA Membership Ideas, etc.; Look at other State or unit PTA Websites and Newsletters on-line

• CONTACT: This is a state magazine publication that is online under the PTA Members Section of this website

Business Members

What is a business member?
Business members are companies that join your PTA, but are usually required to pay a different membership cost than individual members. Many PTAs offer special incentives for businesses joining their PTA’s.

What does the average PTA charge for a business membership?
There is no specific answer to this since it varies quite drastically across the state. Dues can vary from $10.00 all the way to $75.00 or more. As with individual dues, the amount your PTA charges for a business membership is addressed in your bylaws. Depending on what a PTA is willing to provide a business in incentives, often determines the amount they charge.

What kind of incentives can a PTA offer business members?
The biggest asset you have to offer as a PTA is exposure a.k.a. “advertising”. You may list your business members in your newsletters, on your PTA bulletin board, your website, student directory, yearbook, etc. The more you can offer a business, the more your business memberships are worth.

Aside from PTA parents who are business owners, what other places are good to approach for business memberships?
Local businesses located around your school or neighborhoods where your students live. Your parents are usually their customer base, so what better advertising for them than to show their support of your school. Just remember….you can never promise a business that you will tell your membership to make a purchase from them, BUT you may tell your members/parents to say “thank you” to that business for their support.

Can a business member attend our meetings or vote on PTA business?
Yes, they can. They have joined your PTA and therefore are considered a member, but they are only issued one (1) card so no matter how many employees that business has, they only are allowed one vote.