Start a School Support Organization

First Steps to Becoming a School Support Organization

School support organizations play a valuable role. They support a school, school team, club, or organization. They also require a dedicated and engaged group of members to function effectively. For that reason, the decision to establish a school support organization should be made thoughtfully, with careful consideration given to both the benefits and the responsibilities involved.

The following steps are intended to help guide potential organizations toward becoming a nonprofit organization that supports our schools.

This guidance is not legal advice and may not include every detailed instruction for your specific organization. It is the organization’s responsibility to research all required steps to form the type of organization it wants to establish. 

Before You Begin

Congratulations and thank you for beginning the process to support your school in an official capacity.

• Do your goals align with the school's vision and objectives?
• Do you have the approval of the principal to take the next steps?
  • Final approval will come from the Director of Schools’ designee after registration documents are submitted.
• Have you read the state law: The School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act, and the Tennessee Model Financial Policy Manual for school support organizations that provides accounting requirements?

If so, great! Let's move to Step 2.

Step 2

For PTAs and PTSAs

If your school support organization decides to become a PTA, contact the Tennessee PTA State Office in Nashville for guidance and assistance.

One major benefit of becoming a PTA is that the State PTA association will file your tax-exempt status at no cost and file the organization’s state forms with the Department of Revenue at no cost. They will require you to have a teacher liaison.

Please note the teacher liaison is an MNPS employee and should not conduct the operations of the organization, only assist with boundaries.

Tennessee PTA
801 2nd Avenue North, Box 13
Nashville, TN 37201

• Office phone: (865) 896-4016
• Office email 
• Website
• President: Charles Everett

Please keep your registration documents and good standing letter from the PTA. They will be needed to register with the school district each year. 

For PTOs and Boosters

In MNPS, all organizations must have a president, secretary, and treasurer. No officer can operate under a dual role. All elected officers must meet the requirements of the School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act and must:

• Be a parent or guardian of a student at the related school
• Not be related to another officer, school administrator, bookkeeper, or coach or teacher overseeing the associated school organization
• Not hold the treasurer position if they are an MNPS employee, even if they are also a parent

Next steps for PTOs and Boosters

• Establish a steering committee to set up the organization
• Establish the organization’s name and elect or appoint officers
• Determine the official mailing address for the organization
• Draft and approve bylaws aligned with the group’s goals and objectives
• Adopt written procedures for accounting, controlling, and safeguarding funds
• Align operations with the school district fiscal year, July 1 through June 30
• Plan officer elections for the next school year between March and May

It is recommended that the organization use a post office box or private mailbox as its official mailing address. Do not use officers’ home addresses since officers change frequently.

Step 3

File a state charter with the Tennessee Secretary of State Business Services Division. Keep a copy of your charter for your files and pass it on to new officers each year because it is needed for district registration.

Also contact the Tennessee Department of Revenue for guidance on how to get a sales tax ID for your organization. The school’s tax exemption number cannot be used.

• Tennessee Secretary of State
• Tennessee Department of Revenue

Step 4

Apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number, or FEIN, from the Internal Revenue Service. The organization will need a FEIN to open a checking account.

If your organization would like to file for 501(c)(3) status, go to the IRS website. If your organization receives that status, keep a copy of the IRS determination letter because it will be needed each year for district registration.

If your organization plans to conduct fundraisers, it must open a checking account in the organization’s name after officers are elected and before any fundraising activities begin. The organization must also have accounting procedures in place for reimbursing any start-up expenses.

Step 5

Any organization that is not a PTA will need to obtain liability insurance for fundraising or hosting events on school property. MNPS is not an insurance agent and cannot advise on this topic or provide recommendations. Please consult a reputable insurance agent or reach out to other school support organizations for recommendations.

Steps 1 through 5 must be completed before registering with MNPS. Keep all documents related to these steps in a permanent file and save them electronically. Provide copies to several officers to help ensure the information is safeguarded. 

Step 6

• Register your school support organization with Metro Nashville Public Schools.
• Registration is from July 1 to August 1 each year.
• Follow the registration instructions for new SSOs to complete the process before the deadline.