PTA budget template
Updated
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Short answer: A PTA budget is the plan for the year: money in (income) and money out (spending), with what you budgeted, what has actually come in or gone out so far, and what's left. Download the free template below. Every category in it is an example, and Left and the totals fill in by formula.
Budget template
Free · no sign-upOne tab for the year: money in (income) and money out (spending), with Budgeted, Actual to date and Left. Totals and Left fill in by formula. Every category is an example, so rename, delete or add your own.
- 5 money-in and 6 money-out categories, each marked “example”
- An Assumption column, like “300 families × $10”
- A “How to use this sheet” tab in plain language
The XLSX opens in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets or LibreOffice, formulas included. The CSV has the same rows as plain numbers, for any spreadsheet app; its totals won't update by themselves.
Getting it approved? The guide has the motion wording for the minutes, including budget changes later in the year.
Next: get Sheet K for the vote →What's inside: the sample budget
Sample numbers are filled in so the formulas visibly work; you type over them. Every category and assumption is an example, not a required list.
| Category | Budgeted | Actual to date | Left | Assumption (how you got the number) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money in (income) | ||||
| Membership dues example | 3,000.00 | 2,150.00 | 850.00 | 300 families × $10, your unit's share only |
| PTA units: the state and National PTA part of dues is not your income. It's passed through, so leave it out of this line. | ||||
| Fall fundraiser example | 5,000.00 | 2,400.00 | 2,600.00 | 400 orders × $12.50 profit |
| Spring fundraiser example | 3,500.00 | 0.00 | 3,500.00 | 175 runners × $20 |
| Donations example | 1,500.00 | 300.00 | 1,200.00 | Year-end giving letter, about the same as last year |
| Grants example | 1,000.00 | 0.00 | 1,000.00 | One mini-grant, only if it's awarded |
| Total money in | 14,000.00 | 4,850.00 | 9,150.00 | |
| Money out (spending) | ||||
| Programs example | 5,000.00 | 700.00 | 4,300.00 | 5 assemblies × $700, plus $1,500 for field trip buses |
| Teacher grants example | 3,000.00 | 1,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 30 teachers × $100 |
| Events example | 4,500.00 | 950.00 | 3,550.00 | Picnic $1,000, movie night $500, carnival $3,000 |
| Supplies example | 800.00 | 215.00 | 585.00 | Paper, postage, cash box, deposit slips |
| Insurance example | 450.00 | 450.00 | 0.00 | Last year's premium |
| Bank and app fees example | 250.00 | 38.00 | 212.00 | Card and PayPal fees on online sales |
| Total money out | 14,000.00 | 3,353.00 | 10,647.00 | |
| Net (money in minus money out) | 0.00 | 1,497.00 | ||
In the spreadsheet, Left is Budgeted minus Actual to date (for example =B7-C7), totals are sums of the rows above, and Net is total money in minus total money out. Only those cells hold formulas.
Your group's budget · July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Approved on ____________ · Actual to date as of 09/30/2026
| Category | Budgeted | Actual to date | Left | Assumption (how you got the number) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Money in (income) | ||||
| Membership dues (example) | 3,000.00 | 2,150.00 | 850.00 | 300 families × $10, your unit's share only |
| PTA units: the state and National PTA part of dues is not your income. It's passed through, so leave it out of this line. | ||||
| Fall fundraiser (example) | 5,000.00 | 2,400.00 | 2,600.00 | 400 orders × $12.50 profit |
| Spring fundraiser (example) | 3,500.00 | 0.00 | 3,500.00 | 175 runners × $20 |
| Donations (example) | 1,500.00 | 300.00 | 1,200.00 | Year-end giving letter, about the same as last year |
| Grants (example) | 1,000.00 | 0.00 | 1,000.00 | One mini-grant, only if it's awarded |
| Total money in | 14,000.00 | 4,850.00 | 9,150.00 | |
| Money out (spending) | ||||
| Programs (example) | 5,000.00 | 700.00 | 4,300.00 | 5 assemblies × $700, plus $1,500 for field trip buses |
| Teacher grants (example) | 3,000.00 | 1,000.00 | 2,000.00 | 30 teachers × $100 |
| Events (example) | 4,500.00 | 950.00 | 3,550.00 | Picnic $1,000, movie night $500, carnival $3,000 |
| Supplies (example) | 800.00 | 215.00 | 585.00 | Paper, postage, cash box, deposit slips |
| Insurance (example) | 450.00 | 450.00 | 0.00 | Last year's premium |
| Bank and app fees (example) | 250.00 | 38.00 | 212.00 | Card and PayPal fees on online sales |
| Total money out | 14,000.00 | 3,353.00 | 10,647.00 | |
| Net (money in minus money out) | 0.00 | 1,497.00 | ||
Every category, amount and assumption is an example. The spreadsheet version, with formulas: numivo.ai/treasurer/budget
PTA budget categories
There's no required list. Use the categories your group actually spends and raises money on, and keep the list short enough to read in a meeting. The template starts with these examples:
| Money in (income) | Money out (spending) |
|---|---|
| Membership dues (your unit’s share) | Programs, like assemblies and field trip buses |
| Fall fundraiser | Teacher grants |
| Spring fundraiser | Events, like the picnic, movie night and carnival |
| Donations | Supplies |
| Grants | Insurance |
| Bank and app fees |
Utah PTA suggests giving a line of its own only to items over 10% of the total, and grouping the rest. In a PTA, leave state and National PTA dues out of budget income. That money passes through you to them, so it isn't yours to plan with.
How to build the budget
- Start from last year: the budget, what actually came in and went out, and the chairs’ plans for their events.
- Write what each big number assumes, like “300 families join” or “400 orders × $12.50 profit”. Then the notes almost write themselves.
- Leave pass-through money out, like state and National PTA dues.
- Draft it in spring. California State PTA has a budget committee draft it; May is a good month to aim for.
- Get it adopted before the year starts, or in July at the latest, and make sure the vote is in the minutes.
In Utah PTA's process, for example, the executive committee reviews the draft and the members vote on it at a meeting with a quorum. Your bylaws say who votes. Until the new budget passes, get the regular summer bills approved ahead of time, at the last meeting of the year.
Sample PTO budget
The sample in the template balances: $14,000 budgeted in, $14,000 budgeted out. By September 30, $4,850 has come in and $3,353 has gone out, so $1,497 more has come in than gone out so far. The same layout works for a parent-teacher organization of any size; change the numbers and the categories to fit your school.
A balanced budget isn't the only choice. Money left at year-end carries into next year. New York State PTA suggests a reserve of half a year to a full year of expenses; ask your board what your group aims for.
Budget vs. actual
A budget is the plan. "Actual" is what really happened. Comparing them shows the board where the year is heading.
- For each line, show the budgeted amount, the amount so far and what's left. You don't need percentages.
- For income lines, "left" means what you still expect to raise.
- If an expense line is over budget, "left" will be a negative number. That's your cue to add a one-sentence note about why.
- Timing matters. A fall fundraiser makes income look high in October and low in March. Say so, so nobody panics.
Say dues were budgeted at $3,000 and $3,400 has come in: "left" shows −$400, and the note says more families joined than expected. Show this table at every board meeting, or at least once a quarter, alongside your treasurer's report. A mid-year budget review with the board, around February, keeps the second half of the year on track.
Getting the budget approved, and changing it
The minutes are your proof that spending was approved. They protect you if anyone asks questions later.
- Spending that isn't in the budget needs a vote. Get it before you spend whenever you can. In a PTA, it's usually the members who vote, not just the board.
- Changing the budget mid-year is a vote too, and it comes before the money is spent. Your bylaws say how many votes it needs. Utah PTA, for example, asks for two-thirds for changes of 10% or more, or a majority if members were told in advance.
- Record each change: the line, the old amount, the new amount and the reason.
- Being in the budget isn't the same as approved to pay in some state PTAs. In California, for one, each bill is read out at a meeting and approved, or ratified if the board already paid it.
Your bylaws decide.
Booster club budget template
The same template works for a booster club. Rename the categories to match your season and your sport, and keep the Assumption column filled in. Ask the principal whether your school district has its own rules for booster clubs. They sit on top of your bylaws and are easy to miss.
PTA, PTO and booster club differences
- PTA units usually adopt the budget by a vote of the members, and leave state and National PTA dues out of income. Your state PTA may have its own sample budget, like Utah PTA's.
- A school PTO or booster club follows its bylaws, which say who approves the budget and changes to it.
- All three record the adopted budget and every change in the minutes. The year-end financial review checks for them.
Common mistakes
- Counting pass-through dues as income. In a PTA, the state and National share isn't yours to spend.
- Judging the year by the bank balance. A healthy balance can hide a fundraiser that came in short or a big bill that isn't paid yet.
- Spending first and amending later. The vote to change a line comes before the money moves.
- Copying a sample as if it were the rules. Every category and amount in the template is an example.
- Spending fast at year-end to use the budget up. Money left over carries into next year.
Questions people ask
When should a PTA budget be approved?
Draft it in spring and adopt it before the new year starts, or in July if it isn’t done. Your bylaws say who votes; in a PTA it’s usually the members.
How often should the board see budget vs. actual?
At every board meeting, or at least once a quarter.
Do I need percentages in the budget report?
No. Budgeted, so far and left are enough, with a short note on anything over budget.
How much should a PTA keep in reserve?
There’s no single rule. New York State PTA suggests half a year to a full year of expenses. Ask your board what your group aims for.
Does the template work in Google Sheets or Numbers?
Yes. Open the XLSX in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets or LibreOffice; the formulas come with it. The CSV has the same rows as plain numbers.