Booster club treasurer duties: bullets, checklist, and Form 990

Last updated 2026-08-14

What does a treasurer do in a booster club or PTO?

A booster club treasurer is the person who touches every dollar that moves through the organization: collecting it, recording it, depositing it, paying it out, and reporting on it. That's the one-sentence version. In practice the job breaks into four buckets: bookkeeping, banking, reporting, and compliance. Bookkeeping means keeping a ledger (spreadsheet or software) of every transaction, categorized by fundraiser, team, or program. Banking means making deposits promptly, reconciling the bank statement every month, and never letting cash sit in someone's car trunk overnight. Reporting means giving the board a clear picture at every meeting: what came in, what went out, what's left. Compliance means filing the annual IRS return and keeping the group's tax-exempt status alive, plus handling any state raffle license or charitable registration the group needs. None of this requires an accounting degree. It requires consistency. The treasurers who get in trouble are almost never the ones who make a math error; they're the ones who go quiet for six months and then discover the group's tax-exempt status got revoked while nobody was looking ^[1].

What is a treasurer, exactly, in a volunteer nonprofit?

A treasurer is an elected or appointed officer, usually named in the bylaws, who has legal responsibility for the organization's money. That's different from a bookkeeper or a parent who "helps with the money." The treasurer role carries fiduciary duty: a legal obligation to manage funds honestly, for the organization's stated purpose, and not for personal benefit. Most booster clubs and PTOs are set up as nonprofit corporations under state law and then apply for federal tax exemption, usually under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) for charitable/educational groups. The treasurer doesn't have to be a CPA. Bylaws sometimes require the treasurer to be bonded (insured against theft) or to have two signers on every check. Check your own bylaws first; they override generic advice every time. If your group has never had a treasurer resign in an orderly way, with a real handoff of records and passwords, you're not alone. It's the most common gap in small booster clubs. See our handoff and audits guidance if you're stepping into a mess.

What do treasurers do day to day, week to week, month to month?

Break it down by cadence, because "treasurer duties" as a vague list doesn't help anyone actually do the job. Daily or per-event: collect payments (cash, check, Venmo, whatever the group accepts), write a receipt or log entry immediately, and get cash into a bank bag or lockbox, never a backpack. Weekly: deposit any cash or checks on hand. A good rule many treasurers use informally: don't let more than a few hundred dollars in undeposited cash sit around past a week. There's no federal law mandating a specific deposit timeline for nonprofits, but fast deposits are the single best defense against "where did the money go" disputes. Monthly: reconcile the bank statement against your ledger, dollar for dollar. Report a summary (income, expenses, balance) to the board at the regular meeting. File away receipts and invoices in a folder by month. Annually: prepare or review the budget, file the IRS Form 990 variant that matches your group's revenue, renew any state charitable registration or raffle license, and, ideally, get an outside set of eyes (a finance committee member or independent reviewer) to look over the year's books before you hand off to the next treasurer.

What is Form 990 and does our booster club have to file it?

990-N (e-postcard)	Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less	Info-only, 8 questions [2]
990-EZ	Gross receipts under $200,000 AND total assets under $500,000	Short form
990 (full)	Gross receipts $200,000+ OR total assets $500,000+	Full form
990-PF	Private foundations	Any size	The IRS states the 990-N "is due every year by the 15th day of the 5th month after the close of your tax year" [2]. Almost every small booster club, PTO, or youth sports group falls into the 990-N bucket. Read our full explainer on the 990-N and Form 990-N filing steps if that's your group.

Form 990 is the annual information return that tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS. It's not an income tax return in the sense that most booster clubs owe tax; it's a disclosure document that reports revenue, expenses, and activities so the IRS (and the public) can see the organization is operating within its exempt purpose. There are several versions, and which one your group files depends on gross receipts and total assets: | Form | Who files it | Threshold |

What is a 990 tax form, in plain English?

Think of it as a report card, not a tax bill. The 990 tax form tells the IRS and the public: how much money came in, where it came from (dues, fundraisers, concessions, donations), how much went out, and what it went to (uniforms, travel, equipment, scholarships). The IRS uses it to confirm the group is still operating as a nonprofit and not quietly functioning as someone's personal checking account. Donors and grantors sometimes pull a group's 990 from the IRS's own Tax Exempt Organization Search before deciding to give, since it's public record for organizations that file the EZ or full version (990-N data is more limited but still searchable) ^[3]. One important nuance: even though the 990-N is called the "e-postcard" and only asks eight questions, it is not optional and it is not paperwork you can skip because the group is small and volunteer-run. Skipping it has real consequences, covered next. General background lives at our 990 tax form and IRS Form 990 pages.

What is the 990, in the context of a booster club specifically?

For a booster club, "the 990" almost always means the 990-N, because most booster clubs bring in well under $50,000 a year in gross receipts. Gross receipts means total money in before expenses: concession sales, spirit wear, car washes, sponsorships, the works, added up, not netted against costs. If your group has a banner year, maybe a big raffle or a large sponsorship deal, and crosses $50,000 in gross receipts, you move up to the 990-EZ. That form asks more detail: a breakdown of revenue by source, a statement of functional expenses, and a balance sheet. The filing deadline is tied to your group's fiscal year, not the calendar year automatically. If your fiscal year ends June 30, the return is due by November 15 (the 15th day of the 5th month after close). If your fiscal year matches the calendar year, it's due May 15 ^[2]. Get this date wrong once and nothing bad happens immediately. Get it wrong three years running and the group loses its exemption automatically.

What happens if a booster club doesn't file for three years?

Automatic revocation. The IRS states plainly: "Organizations that fail to file required Form 990-series returns for three consecutive years will automatically lose their tax-exempt status" ^[1]. There's no warning letter that says "last chance." The revocation happens by operation of law on the filing due date of the third missed year. Once revoked, the group is treated as a taxable entity going forward, donations made after the revocation date are no longer tax-deductible to donors, and many states will also flag the group in their own charity registries. Getting reinstated means filing Form 1023 or 1023-EZ (or 1024 for non-501(c)(3) groups) again, along with any past-due 990s, and in some cases paying a user fee. The instructions for Form 1023-EZ list the current user fee schedule, which has been $275 in recent years, though fees change, so confirm the current amount in the official instructions before you file ^[4]. The fix is boring but real: file every year, on time, even the eight-question e-postcard. If your group is already on the IRS Auto-Revocation List, don't panic and don't guess; pull the group's exact revocation date from the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool first, then work backward on which forms are missing ^[3].

What does a club treasurer do that a bookkeeper doesn't?

A bookkeeper records transactions. A treasurer does that plus carries the fiduciary and reporting responsibility that goes with an officer title. The distinction matters for liability and for bylaws. A hired or volunteer bookkeeper can enter every receipt into a spreadsheet perfectly and still not be the treasurer, because the treasurer is the one who signs the 990, presents financials to the board, answers to the state charity office if asked, and is named as an officer in the corporate filing. In a lot of small booster clubs, one person does both jobs, which is fine, but it's worth knowing where the line is if your group ever splits the role (some larger booster clubs have a treasurer plus a separate financial secretary who handles data entry while the treasurer signs off and reports).

What are the core "treasurer bullets" for a resume, handoff sheet, or job description?

If you need a tight bullet list, for a handoff binder, a volunteer job posting, or your own resume, here's a version that covers what treasurers actually do without fluff: - Maintain the organization's checking and savings accounts; reconcile monthly against bank statements

• Record all income and expenses in a ledger, categorized by fundraiser or program
• Deposit cash and checks promptly; never leave undeposited funds unsecured
• Prepare and present a financial report at every board meeting
• Draft the annual budget with input from the board and committee chairs
• Ensure two-signer controls on checks above a set threshold
• File the correct IRS Form 990 variant (990-N, 990-EZ, or 990) by the annual deadline ^[2]
• Maintain the group's state charitable registration, if the state requires one, and renew any raffle or gaming license before events
• Keep receipts, invoices, and bank statements organized for at least the retention period recommended for nonprofit records (many groups keep 7 years; check with a tax advisor for your situation)
• Hand off a complete, organized set of records to the incoming treasurer at the end of term That list works whether you're writing a bylaws job description or just trying to explain the role to a nervous parent volunteer who just got voted in.

What's the difference between 990-N, 990-EZ, and full 990 for a small booster club?

The short version: it's all about gross receipts and total assets, and the form gets longer and more detailed as the numbers go up. 990-N (e-postcard): for organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less. It's eight questions, filed online through the IRS's own portal, no paper, no financial detail beyond confirming you're under the threshold ^[2]. 990-EZ: for organizations with gross receipts under $200,000 and total assets under $500,000. This form asks for a real revenue and expense breakdown, a balance sheet, and program service descriptions. Full 990: required once gross receipts hit $200,000 or total assets hit $500,000. This is the long form, with schedules for compensation, related organizations, and more, and it's genuinely more paperwork than most volunteer treasurers want to take on alone; this is a point where hiring a bookkeeper or accountant for that one filing often makes sense. Note that an organization can always choose to file a more detailed form than required (some groups file 990-EZ instead of 990-N for transparency to donors), but you cannot file a simpler form than your gross receipts and assets qualify for.

Where does the raffle license and cash-handling side fit in?

Booster clubs that run raffles, 50/50s, or bingo nights usually need a separate state-level gaming or raffle license, on top of federal tax-exempt status. This is a state law question, not an IRS one, and the rules vary enormously: some states require a license for any raffle over a small dollar threshold, others exempt nonprofits below a certain revenue level, and a few states don't regulate small charitable raffles at all. California, for example, requires nonprofits to register with the Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts and obtain eligibility before holding a raffle, under California Business and Professions Code section 320.5 ^[5]. Confirm the specific threshold and application process with your own state's attorney general's office or state charity/gaming regulator before you sell a single ticket. Cash handling for raffles and concession stands is where a lot of booster clubs get burned, not through fraud but through sloppy counting. Two people should count cash together, both initial a count sheet, and the money should go straight to a deposit bag, not into someone's purse "until Monday." This is basic internal control, and it protects volunteers as much as it protects the organization; an unexplained shortfall with no counting record puts an honest treasurer in an awful position.

How does the State-Personalized Treasurer Kit fit into all this?

If you just inherited a shoebox of receipts and a bank statement nobody's reconciled since spring, building the tracking system from scratch is the slow part, not the filing itself. A $99 one-time State-Personalized Treasurer Kit gives new treasurers a ledger template, a 990-N filing checklist matched to your fiscal year, and the state-specific raffle and charitable registration steps for wherever your booster club operates, so you're not guessing which form applies to a $40,000-a-year concession stand budget. It's a starting framework, not a substitute for professional advice; we're not accountants or a law firm, and nothing here guarantees your filing outcome or your state's license approval. But it does save the hours most new treasurers burn just figuring out what they're supposed to be tracking in the first place.

Frequently asked questions

What does a treasurer do?

A treasurer tracks all money coming into and out of an organization, deposits and reconciles bank accounts, reports finances to the board, prepares budgets, and files required tax paperwork (like IRS Form 990) to keep the group's tax-exempt status active. It's a fiduciary role, more than data entry.

What is a treasurer?

A treasurer is the officer, usually elected under an organization's bylaws, legally responsible for managing its money honestly and for the group's stated purpose. In a booster club or PTO, the treasurer handles banking, bookkeeping, board reporting, and annual IRS filings.

What do treasurers do in a small nonprofit?

They collect and deposit funds, keep a running ledger, reconcile the bank statement monthly, present financial reports at board meetings, prepare the annual budget, and file the group's Form 990-series return with the IRS every year, on time.

What does a treasurer do in a club?

In a club setting (booster club, PTO, youth sports league), the treasurer manages dues, event revenue, and expenses; keeps records organized by fundraiser or team; reports to the board; and handles compliance items like the annual 990 filing and any state raffle license.

What does a club treasurer do differently from a bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper enters transactions. A club treasurer is an officer with fiduciary responsibility: signing the 990, reporting to the board, answering to the state charity office if needed, and being legally accountable as an officer of the organization, even if a bookkeeper does the data entry.

What is Form 990?

Form 990 is the IRS's annual information return for tax-exempt organizations. It reports revenue, expenses, and activities so the IRS and public can confirm the group operates within its exempt purpose. Small groups typically file the simplified 990-N e-postcard version ^[2].

What is a 990 tax form used for?

It's used to disclose a nonprofit's finances and activities to the IRS and, for the 990-EZ and full 990, to the public. It confirms the organization is still exempt-purpose compliant and isn't required because the group owes income tax; most small nonprofits owe little or nothing.

What is the 990 and does every booster club need to file one?

Yes, essentially every booster club with federal tax-exempt status must file some version of the 990 every year, even if it's just the eight-question 990-N e-postcard for groups under $50,000 in gross receipts ^[2]. Skipping it isn't optional just because the group is small.

What happens if a booster club misses three years of 990 filings?

The IRS automatically revokes tax-exempt status after three consecutive years of missed 990-series filings, with no advance warning notice ^[1]. Reinstatement requires re-applying for exemption (Form 1023 or 1023-EZ) and filing the missed returns, sometimes with a user fee around $275 for the 1023-EZ ^[3].

Does a booster club treasurer need to be a CPA?

No. Most booster club treasurers are volunteer parents with no accounting background. The role requires organization and consistency, not a professional license, though larger clubs approaching the full 990 threshold ($200,000+ gross receipts) may want to bring in a bookkeeper or accountant for that filing.

How often should a treasurer reconcile the bank account?

Monthly, at minimum, matching every transaction in the ledger against the bank statement. Some treasurers do it weekly during heavy fundraising season (concession stands, big raffles). Waiting until year-end to reconcile is how small errors turn into unexplained gaps nobody can trace.

Do booster clubs need a separate license to run a raffle?

Often yes. Raffle and gaming licensing is a state law matter separate from federal tax exemption, and requirements vary widely by state and by dollar threshold. California, for instance, requires nonprofits to register and become eligible before running a raffle under Business and Professions Code section 320.5 ^[5]. Confirm your own state's rule with its attorney general's office or charitable gaming regulator.

Sources

1. IRS, Automatic Revocation of Exemption: organizations that fail to file required 990-series returns for three consecutive years automatically lose tax-exempt status
2. IRS, Annual Electronic Filing Requirement for Small Exempt Organizations (Form 990-N): 990-N is due by the 15th day of the 5th month after the tax year ends, and gross receipts threshold is normally $50,000 or less
3. IRS, Instructions for Form 1023-EZ: user fee amount for Form 1023-EZ reinstatement filings
4. IRS, Tax Exempt Organization Search: public tool to confirm an organization's exempt status, revocation date, and filed 990s
5. California Business and Professions Code Section 320.5: California nonprofits must register with the Attorney General and be eligible before conducting a raffle
6. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3): federal tax exemption for charitable and educational organizations under section 501(c)(3)