Running your PTA

What are the responsibilities?

• Understanding how grants can support the PTA’ s objectives

• Researching and highlighting suitable grants for the PTA and school

• Writing clear, thorough and persuasive applications that meet the grant giver’ s criteria

• Ensuring grant applications are submitted in a timely and appropriate fashion

• Keeping the PTA up to date on applications in progress

• Ensuring grants are used appropriately once secured

• Thanking grant givers for their contributions

• Sharing grant-supported projects with the community

Looking to get started with grants? Get 50 % off a 12-month Grants 4 Schools subscription, which gives you access to their comprehensive database of funding opportunities:

Alongside Chairs, Treasurers and Secretaries, modern day PTAs often have other specialist roles that help to make their committee a success. In this issue, we’ re taking a look at the‘ Grants Officer’

What’ s the main purpose of the role?

Grant funding can be a major source of income and help to support larger projects that traditional PTA fundraising may not be able to cover, such as big renovations, new playgrounds and significant investments in school resources. A Grants Officer works to research, apply for and secure these grant funding opportunities. They will identify how and where funding opportunities may be able to support the PTA and school, and then submit applications to grant givers, trusts, businesses and local authorities for donations.

These donations are usually large sums of money to fund a specific project, but can also come in the form of goods or services. As Grants Officers work closely with PTA finances, this role can sometimes cross over with the role of Treasurer.

What skills are required?

• Organisational skills

• Good maths skills

• Strong, persuasive and clear writing abilities

• Person-oriented

• Great research skills

Turn the page to read about Joanne Reeves’ experience securing grants for Havannah CP School PTA

Photography: iStock. com / izusek

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