What is the work of a treasurer? a plain-english job guide

Last updated 2026-07-24

what does a treasurer do, in plain terms?

A treasurer is the person responsible for an organization's money: tracking it, protecting it, and explaining it to everyone else. That's the whole job in one sentence. Everything else is detail. In a volunteer group like a booster club or PTO, the treasurer usually handles four things on repeat: recording income and expenses, reconciling the bank account, reporting numbers to the board or membership, and filing whatever the IRS and state require. None of it is glamorous. Most of it is arithmetic and follow-through. What trips people up isn't the math. It's that nobody hands you a manual when you take over. You inherit a shoebox, a login nobody remembers the password to, and a vague sense that "something's due to the IRS soon." That gap between what the job actually requires and what a new volunteer knows going in is why treasurer handoffs go sideways so often.

what is a treasurer, exactly, and how is the role different from a bookkeeper?

A treasurer is an elected or appointed officer, usually named in the bylaws, who has legal and fiduciary responsibility for an organization's funds. A bookkeeper is someone (sometimes the same person) who does the data entry: recording transactions, categorizing expenses, keeping the ledger current. In a small booster club or PTO, one volunteer typically does both jobs. That's normal and fine, but it's worth knowing the distinction because the treasurer's responsibility doesn't end at data entry. The treasurer is accountable for the accuracy of the books, for internal controls (like requiring two signatures on big checks), and for making sure required filings actually get filed. Bookkeeping is a task. Being treasurer is a role with legal weight attached, even in an all-volunteer group. That legal weight matters more than most new treasurers expect. If your organization has 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status, the treasurer is often the one whose name and signature end up on the annual IRS filing, and whose neglect (even accidental) can cause the IRS to revoke tax-exempt status after three consecutive years of missed filings ^[1].

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

Day to day, not much happens visibly, which is the point. A well-run treasurer role is boring by design. Here's roughly how the work breaks down by frequency. Weekly or as-needed: deposit checks and cash promptly, record each transaction with a description and category, keep receipts attached to reimbursement requests, and answer the occasional "can we afford this?" question from a coach or committee chair. Monthly: reconcile the bank statement against your ledger (every transaction should match, dollar for dollar), prepare a short financial summary for the board meeting, and flag anything that looks off before it becomes a bigger problem. Quarterly or seasonally: check in on budget-to-actual for major fundraisers or events, and make sure any state raffle or gaming permit paperwork is on track if your group runs one. Annually: prepare or hand off records for a review or audit, and file the group's IRS return, whether that's the simple 990-N postcard or a full Form 990 or 990-EZ depending on revenue. Small organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less generally file the 990-N; the exact threshold and any updates should be confirmed directly on irs.gov ^[2].

what does a club treasurer do differently from a corporate one?

A corporate treasurer manages cash flow, investments, debt, and banking relationships for a company, often with a finance team underneath them. A club treasurer, in a booster club, PTO, or youth sports league, does a scaled-down version of the same core job with none of the staff and usually none of the software budget. What does a treasurer of a club do specifically? Realistically, it's this list: open and manage the bank account, track dues or fundraiser income, pay approved expenses (uniforms, tournament fees, snacks, whatever the group spends on), keep a simple ledger or spreadsheet, present a treasurer's report at meetings, and make sure the group doesn't quietly lose its tax-exempt status by missing a filing. Most club treasurers also end up as the de facto person who knows where the group's EIN, bylaws, and old tax filings are stored, because nobody else wants that job either. If you're stepping into a role like this, a 990 tax form refresher and a clear folder system (physical or digital) solve most of the anxiety in the first month.

what is Form 990, and does our small club actually have to file it?

Form 990-N (e-Postcard)	Gross receipts normally $50,000 or less	Most small booster clubs, PTOs, youth sports groups
Form 990-EZ	Gross receipts under $200,000 and assets under $500,000	Mid-size groups with real fundraising volume
Form 990 (full)	Gross receipts $200,000+ or assets $500,000+	Larger nonprofits, rarely a small volunteer group	Confirm current thresholds directly on irs.gov [2], because these numbers have shifted before and the IRS updates guidance periodically.

Form 990 is the annual information return that most tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS. It reports income, expenses, and activities so the IRS (and the public) can see how a tax-exempt group spends its money. The IRS describes it plainly: "Form 990 is used by tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and section 527 political organizations to provide the IRS with the information required by section 6033" ^[3]. Most small booster clubs and PTOs won't file the full 990. There are three tiers based on gross receipts and assets, and the IRS sets these thresholds (subject to change, so confirm with the IRS before you file): | Filing | Typical trigger | Roughly who files it |

what is a 990 tax form used for, and who actually reads it?

Think of it as a nonprofit's annual report to the public, more than the IRS. Donors, watchdog groups, journalists, and other nonprofits can pull a group's 990 to see revenue, major expenses, and whether officers are paid. Sites like GuideStar/Candid and ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer republish these filings, so a booster club's finances aren't as private as people assume. The practical answer for a volunteer treasurer: the 990 (in whichever version applies) is what keeps your tax-exempt status alive. Miss it three years running, and the IRS automatically revokes exemption, no warning letter required beyond the standard notices. The IRS states it directly: organizations that don't file for three consecutive years "will automatically lose their tax-exempt status" ^[1]. Recovering from that (retroactive reinstatement, potentially owing back taxes on income the group thought was exempt) is a much bigger headache than filing the e-Postcard on time every year.

what is the 990 vs the 990-N vs the 990-EZ, in one paragraph?

The 990-N is a tiny electronic form, roughly eight data fields, filed online through the IRS's website for organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less ^[2]. The 990-EZ is a multi-page paper-or-electronic return for mid-size groups, asking for a real income statement and balance sheet. The full Form 990 is the long version, with schedules for compensation, grants, lobbying activity, and more, filed by larger nonprofits. Almost every booster club, PTO, or youth sports parent group that's small enough to be run entirely by volunteers falls into the 990-N tier. If you're not sure which one applies to your group, check the IRS Form 990 filing thresholds directly, since they can shift and your group's revenue can push you into a different tier without anyone noticing.

what does a treasurer do if the group already lost its tax-exempt status?

First, don't panic, and don't assume the group is suddenly a criminal enterprise. Auto-revocation is common among small volunteer organizations precisely because 990-N filing is easy to forget when officers rotate every year or two. The fix is retroactive reinstatement, filed with the IRS, and the process depends on how long the group has been revoked and its filing history. IRS Revenue Procedure 2014-11 lays out the reinstatement procedures, including a streamlined retroactive process for organizations that were eligible to file the 990-N or 990-EZ for the years they were revoked ^[4]. You'll typically need to refile the missed returns, submit an application (Form 1023 or 1023-EZ for many small groups), and pay the applicable user fee ^[5]. This is exactly the situation where a lot of new treasurers discover the job the hard way: they inherit a group mid-revocation and have to reconstruct years of records from bank statements and old email. It's doable. It's just slow, and it's a lot easier if the outgoing treasurer left clean records.

what does a treasurer do around fundraisers and raffles specifically?

Fundraisers and raffles bring in the money booster clubs and PTOs actually run on, and they also bring the most compliance risk. Many states require a specific license or permit before a nonprofit can legally run a raffle, and the rules (bond amounts, prize limits, reporting after the event) vary a lot state to state. A treasurer's job here is to know the money-side requirements even if someone else runs the actual event: track gross receipts and prize payouts separately, keep records of ticket sales, and make sure any required post-event financial report gets filed with the state's charity office or gaming authority. Confirm your state's specific raffle licensing rules with your state's attorney general or charity regulation office before running one, since requirements differ enough that copying a neighboring district's process can get a group in trouble. This is also where the treasurer's recordkeeping habits either save the day or cause a scramble. If you tracked raffle income cleanly all year, the state report and the 990-N take twenty minutes each. If you didn't, it's a weekend of reconstruction.

what basic controls should a treasurer put in place from day one?

Controls sound bureaucratic, but they're really just habits that protect the treasurer as much as the organization. A few that matter more than the rest: Require two people to approve any expense over a set threshold (many small nonprofits use $250 or $500, but pick a number that fits your group's budget). Never let one person both approve and pay an expense with no second set of eyes. Reconcile the bank statement every month, not "whenever there's time." Keep receipts, even for small cash purchases, because "I remember it was for snacks" doesn't hold up at audit time or if the IRS ever asks. Get a second signer on the bank account, ideally someone who isn't related to the treasurer, and rotate who reviews the books at least once a year even if a full external audit isn't required. The ^[990](/articles/treasurer-basics/990) filing is the visible, deadline-driven part of the job. These day-to-day controls are the invisible part that keeps a treasurer from ever having to explain a shortfall they can't account for.

what does handing off the treasurer role look like when you're done?

A clean handoff is the single best gift an outgoing treasurer can give the next volunteer. At minimum, hand over: the EIN and any IRS correspondence, the last three years of filed 990s or 990-Ns, current bank statements and reconciliations, a list of recurring bills and vendors, and login credentials for the bank and any accounting software. Walk the incoming treasurer through where things stand: is the group current on its IRS filing? Does the raffle license need renewal? Is there a budget for the coming year, or does one need to be built from scratch? A 30-minute conversation here saves the next person weeks of guessing. A lot of groups build a simple binder or shared folder for this, sometimes called a treasurer's handoff kit, that includes the state-specific forms and a filing calendar so the new person isn't starting from zero. BoosterLedger's $99 one-time Treasurer Kit Builder puts together a state-personalized version of that binder, with the forms and deadlines relevant to your specific state and organization type already filled in, which is exactly the gap most volunteer handoffs fall into.

what's the honest time commitment for a volunteer treasurer role?

There's no official study measuring hours for booster club or PTO treasurers specifically, so take this as a practitioner's estimate rather than a cited statistic: for a small group (under $50,000 in annual revenue) with decent records already in place, expect roughly 2 to 5 hours a month in a quiet season, spiking to 10 to 15 hours during a big fundraiser or at tax-filing time. Groups with messier starting records, multiple fundraisers, or a raffle license to maintain should expect meaningfully more, especially in the first year while you're learning where everything lives. The time isn't evenly spread. Most months are quick: reconcile, report, done. The IRS filing takes minutes for a 990-N once you have the EIN and revenue figure ready ^[2]. The real time sink is the setup: finding old records, learning the software, and figuring out what your state actually requires for raffles or charitable solicitation registration. Once that scaffolding exists, the job settles into a routine most volunteers can manage alongside a full-time job and kids' schedules.

Frequently asked questions

What does a treasurer do?

A treasurer tracks all money coming in and going out of an organization, keeps the bank account reconciled, reports finances to the board or membership, and files required tax paperwork like Form 990 or 990-N with the IRS. In a small club, one volunteer usually does all of this alone.

What is a treasurer?

A treasurer is the officer, usually named in an organization's bylaws, responsible for its money: recordkeeping, reporting, and compliance. It's a role with legal and fiduciary weight, more than a bookkeeping task, even in an all-volunteer booster club or PTO.

What do treasurers do that other officers don't?

Treasurers are the only officer typically responsible for the organization's financial records, bank account, and IRS filings. Presidents run meetings and set direction; secretaries keep minutes; treasurers are legally accountable for where the money went and whether required tax filings got submitted on time.

What does a club treasurer do?

A club treasurer manages dues and fundraiser income, pays approved expenses, reconciles the bank account monthly, reports numbers at meetings, and handles the club's annual IRS filing (often the 990-N for small groups). They're also usually the keeper of the EIN and past tax records.

What is Form 990?

Form 990 is the annual information return most tax-exempt organizations file with the IRS, reporting income, expenses, and activities. The IRS says it's used "to provide the IRS with the information required by section 6033." Small groups typically file a simpler version, the 990-N or 990-EZ, instead.

What is a 990 tax form used for?

It's used both to satisfy IRS reporting requirements for tax-exempt organizations and, once filed, as a public record of a nonprofit's finances that donors, watchdogs, and journalists can review. Missing it for three consecutive years causes automatic revocation of tax-exempt status.

What is the 990-N and who has to file it?

The 990-N (e-Postcard) is a short electronic filing for tax-exempt organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less. It's filed online through the IRS system and asks for basic information like the organization's name, EIN, and confirmation revenue is under the threshold.

What happens if a booster club or PTO misses its 990 filing?

Miss it for three consecutive years and the IRS automatically revokes the organization's tax-exempt status, no additional warning required. Getting reinstated requires filing missed returns and submitting a reinstatement application (often Form 1023 or 1023-EZ) along with a user fee to the IRS.

Does a small youth sports booster club need to file anything with the IRS?

Almost certainly yes, if it has 501(c)(3) or similar tax-exempt status. Even groups with very small budgets generally must file the 990-N e-Postcard annually. Confirm your group's specific filing obligation and threshold directly with the IRS, since exemption type and revenue affect which form applies.

How much time does being a volunteer treasurer take?

There's no official study on this for booster clubs specifically, but a realistic estimate is 2 to 5 hours a month in quiet periods, rising to 10 to 15 hours during a big fundraiser or tax season. Messy starting records or a raffle license add significantly more time, especially in year one.

What records should an outgoing treasurer hand off?

At minimum: the EIN, the last three years of filed 990s or 990-Ns, current bank statements and reconciliations, a vendor and recurring bill list, and login credentials for banking and accounting tools. A short walkthrough conversation about pending deadlines saves the incoming treasurer weeks of guessing.

Does a treasurer need to be a licensed accountant?

No. Most booster club, PTO, and youth sports treasurers are volunteers with no accounting background. The role is learnable through consistent habits (monthly reconciliation, receipt tracking, timely filing) rather than formal credentials, though groups with complex finances sometimes bring in a bookkeeper or CPA for extra support.

What is the difference between a treasurer and a bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper handles data entry and transaction records. A treasurer is the accountable officer, often legally named in the bylaws, responsible for the accuracy of those records, internal controls, and required filings. One volunteer often fills both roles in a small nonprofit.

Sources

1. IRS, Automatic Revocation of Exemption: organizations that fail to file required 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 filing threshold and requirements for organizations with gross receipts normally $50,000 or less
3. IRS, About Form 990: definition and purpose of Form 990 under IRC section 6033
4. IRS, Revenue Procedure 2014-11: reinstatement procedures including a streamlined retroactive process for small organizations after auto-revocation
5. IRS, Form 1023-EZ Instructions: user fee and eligibility instructions for the streamlined exemption application many small revoked organizations use
6. IRS, Form 1023-EZ, Streamlined Application for Recognition of Exemption: Form 1023-EZ is the streamlined reinstatement and exemption application many small revoked organizations use