What a PTO or PTA Financial Report Should Include

Financial reports tell your parent organization’s money story to board members, fellow parents, and school administrators. They demonstrate accountability and support smart decision-making by showing how fundraising dollars are being managed and what your financial outlook looks like.

Most PTO and PTA boards expect to see financial reports monthly or quarterly, often presented at general membership meetings. While there are many types of reports, these four will cover the biggest financial reporting needs of most parent organizations.

The Budget Report: Your financial roadmap

What it looks like: A one to two page document organized into income and expense sections, typically presented as a simple table or spreadsheet with categories and dollar amounts.

Think of your Budget Report as your PTO’s financial roadmap—it shows where you planned to spend fundraising money and helps you stay on course throughout the school year.

What to Include in a PTO or PTA budget report

Income Categories:

• Fundraising events (fun runs, book fairs, bake sales)
• Direct donations from families
• Grants or district funding
• Membership fees
• Corporate sponsorships

Expense Categories:

• Program expenses (classroom supplies, field trip subsidies, teacher grants)
• Administrative expenses (meeting supplies, insurance, accounting software)
• Fundraising expenses (event costs, marketing materials)

Essential Details:

• Time period covered (monthly, quarterly, or school year)
• Budget approval date and any amendments
• Notes about major assumptions (expected participation rates, seasonal events)

Income and Expense Report Compared to Annual Budget

What it looks like: A table or spreadsheet comparing your actual income and expenses for a given period against what you have budgeted for the year. It typically includes one or two pages with columns for budgeted amounts, actual amounts, variances, and percentages. Sometimes this report is also called an Actual vs. Budget report (comparing your actual income and expenses against what you budgeted).

This report answers the critical question: “How are we doing compared to our plan?” For each category (income and expense), you need four pieces of information:

What to include in an PTO or PTA actual vs. budget report

• Budgeted amount each category (fundraising events, teacher grants, etc.)
• Actual amount for each category (what you actually spend or took in)
• Variance by category (the difference between the budgeted and actual amounts)
• Percentage by category (how much of each budget category you’ve earned or used)

Don’t forget to include year-to-date totals, brief explanations for significant variances, and projections for the remainder of your fiscal year.

Reconciliation Report

What it looks like: A table or spreadsheet that compares your record of expenses and income to your bank statement balance.

Reconciliation is the process of making sure your PTO’s records match your bank statements. This isn’t just about finding errors—it’s about demonstrating to parents and school administrators that every fundraising dollar is properly tracked and accounted for.

Banks process transactions at different times than when you record them in your books. A check you wrote on the 28th might not clear until the 3rd of the next month, or a deposit from your book fair might not show up on your statement right away. Reconciliation identifies these timing differences and ensures your actual cash position is clear and accurate.

What to include in a PTO or PTA reconciliation report

• Beginning balance from your records
• Ending balance from your records
• Bank statement ending balance
• Outstanding checks (written but not cashed)
• Outstanding deposits (made but not reflected on statement)
• Bank fees or interest not yet recorded in your books
• Explanation of any discrepancies and how they were resolved

Treasurer’s Report

What it looks like: A simple, one-page summary with just the essential numbers rather than complex tables or detailed spreadsheets. Treasurer reports are broader in scope and typically summarize your organization’s financial highlights and performance for the time period.

What to include in an PTO or PTA treasurer report

• Balance at the beginning of the period (your “starting total”)
• Total income for the period, broken down by major categories
• Total expenses for the period, broken down by major categories
• Balance at the end of the period (your “ending total”)

You can also include a paragraph or two noting any financial highlights or challenges and providing additional context for the board.

Running financial reports for your PTO and PTA

As a volunteer treasurer, your financial reports serve multiple purposes beyond just tracking money. They demonstrate transparency, support informed decision-making, and build confidence among stakeholders that your organization is well-managed. Establishing a regular reporting schedule is important to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

What you don’t want is to spend time pulling numbers, adding formulas, and creating reports from scratch every time you need data. Instead, use a trusted accounting system and vetted formulas to keep your reporting process consistent, accurate, and easy to replicate with each financial report you give—no matter who the current treasurer is.

MoneyMinder can generate all four of these reports automatically with just a few clicks, eliminating the need for manual calculations or complex spreadsheets. It’s specifically designed to help volunteer treasurers create accurate, professional financial reports without extensive accounting experience.

Looking for more types of reports? Check out our guide to nonprofit financial reports.