In the ten years since Parent Booster USA was launched and Lyncrest PTO became PBUSA’s first member, the government paperwork burden to operate a school fundraising organization increased while state education funding decreased in at least 35 states. The need for school support organizations is greater than ever before. PBUSA supports these organizations by providing relief from the paperwork burden. To recognize a decade of continuous membership, the PBUSA founders have planned a big surprise for this hard-working elementary school organization.

To recognize ten years of continuous membership, Parent Booster USA (PBUSA) has a surprise planned tomorrow for its very first member, the Lyncrest Parent Teacher Organization of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. PBUSA, an educational nonprofit organization for school-connected booster clubs, began with a handful of members who needed help with managing the required government paperwork. Now the company, with over 2,300 members in 48 states and a 95% renewal rate, is going to recognize this loyal member with a surprise visit by the founders, Sandra Pfau Englund and John Englund.

The surprise visit will take place on May 20, 2015 at the Lyncrest PTO meeting, at the Lyncrest School, 9-04 Morlot Avenue, Fairlawn, NJ at 7:30 p.m. Lyncrest PTO became PBUSA’s first member on May 4, 2005.

“We started Parent Booster in 2005 thinking schools, PTOs and booster clubs needed relief from all the government paperwork,” stated John Englund, co-founder and the former Executive Director of Parent Booster USA. “We knew the need was there when Lyncrest PTO asked to join before we were really ready to accept members. They needed taxexempt 501(c)(3) status to hold a charity golf tournament.”

Members of PBUSA are automatically recognized as tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations under PBUSA's IRS group exemption. Tax-exempt organizations, though, have to follow federal and state regulations resulting in a hefty government paperwork burden. Parent Booster USA provides relief to schools and their fundraising groups by handling this paperwork so they can focus on raising much-needed funding and community support. “Thousands of school booster clubs are not in compliance with IRS rules and state regulations, largely because the parent volunteers and school administrators are unaware of the rules or simply don’t know how to comply,” said Sandra Pfau Englund, cofounder and current Executive Director.

Most states now require registration as a charity before any fundraising can begin, and this often has to be renewed annually. In addition, the IRS after passage of the 2006 Pension Protection Act, now requires all nonprofits to file an annual information (tax) return. Previously small nonprofits, including most school support organizations, were exempt from this requirement. Groups that fail to file a return for three consecutive years automatically have their 501(c)(3) status revoked. Revoked organizations then must go through a lengthy process to get their tax-exempt status reinstated.

School support organizations are also under increased scrutiny as theft, fraud, and embezzlement issues continue to grab national headlines. To counter this unwelcome trend, Tennessee enacted the School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act of 2007. Its intent is to secure the continued support of the vital programs for the students while ensuring fiscal accountability of the school support organizations. PBUSA helps organizations with theft prevention by providing numerous resources, including PBUSA Briefcase, cloud-based accounting and document storage software which is a free benefit to all members.

Parent Booster USA, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that provides information and resources to help school support organizations (i.e. PTOs, booster clubs). Founder and Executive Director Sandra Pfau Englund, an attorney with over 20 years of experience, is the nation’s leading authority on school support organizations.

[Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]