A PTO Today survey of 764 PTO and PTA leaders found 97% plan to fundraise the same or more this school year, while 64% name a volunteer shortage as their top challenge. Leaders said family events that build community spirit have the greatest positive impact, which makes simple events like Breakfast with Santa a strong choice.
School parent groups are heading into the holiday season with bigger expectations and smaller teams. As families feel the squeeze of inflation, PTOs and PTAs are being asked to fill more gaps, and many are rethinking which fundraisers are worth the effort.
What's trending
In a PTO Today survey of 764 PTO and PTA leaders covering the 2025–26 school year, 97% said they plan to fundraise at the same level or more, and 45% plan to step up their efforts. Many expect more pressure: 43% anticipate greater demand for parent-group support because of budget cuts.
Volunteers are the sticking point. 62% of leaders expect reduced volunteer participation, and 64% call a volunteer shortage their top community engagement challenge. One leader summed it up: "The PTO/PTA groups will be asked to do so much more with less money."
The same survey found what works: 52% of leaders said family events that build community spirit offer the greatest positive impact, ahead of traditional product sales.
Why it's resonating
Families are watching their budgets too. A Penny Hoarder survey from August found 77% of Americans plan to change how they buy gifts this year because of inflation. That makes another catalog of wrapping paper a harder sell, while an affordable morning out with the kids feels like a treat rather than an ask.
Where Breakfast with Santa fits
Breakfast with Santa is the kind of event the survey points to: family-focused, community-building and relatively simple to run. Ticket sales cover costs, photos with Santa draw families in, and the event can be staffed by a small crew with clear roles: pancakes, drinks, the ticket table and the photo line.
The time-consuming part is often the promotion. Groups short on volunteers can save hours with a ready-made Breakfast with Santa flyer, invitation and ticket template that includes printable numbered tickets plus phone and social versions for sharing in parent groups.
The bottom line
With volunteers stretched and families budget-conscious, PTOs are leaning into events that bring people together. A well-promoted Breakfast with Santa may raise less than a big auction, but it's the kind of morning that builds the community a parent group runs on.