TicKids Toolkit
Affiliated Charity Reference Guide
How to Claim, Use, and Report on Experiences
This guide is a reference for your organization after training.
Your organization may use these opportunities in the way that best serves your youth — with parents, caregivers, mentors, staff members, volunteers, case managers, teachers, or other appropriate adults.
Our goal is not just attendance. Our goal is meaningful shared experiences that expand minds, create joy, and inspire dreams.
Please Engage
Some affiliated charities hesitate to claim experiences because they worry a family may cancel or something may go wrong. We understand those concerns, but TicKids exists to create access, and we want you to use the opportunities available. Claim thoughtfully, communicate clearly with families, and let us know if plans change. We are building this model in partnership with you — your participation and feedback help us understand what works, what barriers exist, and how to make the process better for the youth and families we all serve.
Step 1 — Get Set Up
Log in to your portal at texastickids.org and confirm your organization’s information is complete and accurate under Profile.
Designate one primary Texas TicKids contact. This person should know your youth and families well, check email regularly, communicate effectively with Texas TicKids, coordinate participation, and submit required follow-up reports.
Add a cell phone number in your portal profile if you would like text updates about strong or time-sensitive opportunities.
Step 2 — Find Experiences
Log in and click Search for Tickets or view the Calendar to browse upcoming opportunities. Events are listed in chronological order.
Before claiming, consider:
- Do you have youth or families who are available and interested?
- Do your families have transportation to the venue?
- Is the experience appropriate for the age range you serve?
- Does the event content align with your organization’s mission and values?
Most events are family-friendly, but Texas TicKids does not censor the events we provide. Theater performances, concerts, and some events may be better suited for older youth or may not align with a faith-based mission. We defer that judgment to your team.
Step 3 — Claim Your Experiences
Claim the exact number your group will use. There is no minimum. You may claim 2 tickets for a youth and mentor, 4 for a family, 10 for a small group, or more for a larger outing.
If 50 tickets are listed, you do not need to claim all 50. Claim what your organization can realistically use — the rest remain available for other affiliated charities.
Claims must be submitted at least two business days before the event. Requests are not reviewed on weekends.
After you claim, you will receive an email with instructions for accessing the experiences electronically. All experiences are delivered to one designated contact at your organization, who then distributes them to the appropriate recipients.
Important — Ticket Utilization
These are not free tickets. They are curated experiences made possible through donor support and venue agreements that Texas TicKids has worked hard to secure and maintain. Our venue and donor partners track utilization, and consistent use is essential to sustaining these partnerships and keeping experiences available for all affiliated charities.
Only claim what you know will be used. We understand that things happen last minute and not all events can be attended; however, please make best effort to attend when events are claimed.
Experiences may not be sold, traded, or transferred to anyone outside your organization under any circumstances.
Step 4 — Prepare Your Families
Once you claim an experience, communicate clearly with the family, mentor, staff member, or chaperone attending. A simple message works well:
“These experiences are made possible through Texas TicKids donors and venue partners. Please only accept if you can attend. If something changes, let us know as soon as possible so another family may have the opportunity.”
Reminders for your families:
- Confirm the date, time, and location
- Plan transportation and parking in advance — Parking details will be noted if included, otherwise plan for costs or public transit
- Arrive on time — Many arts performances do not allow late seating until a break or intermission
Step 5 — Attend the Experience
Texas TicKids experiences are intended for underserved youth and are often most meaningful when shared with important adults in their lives. Parents, caregivers, mentors, staff members, case managers, teachers, volunteers, or other appropriate adults may attend when they are supporting youth.
The primary recipient should always be an underserved youth. Experiences should never be used for staff or volunteer-only outings unless specifically approved by Texas TicKids.
Experiences may not be sold or transferred to individuals outside your organization under any circumstances.
Step 6 — If Plans Change
If a family or group can no longer attend, contact Texas TicKids as soon as possible so we can try to make the opportunity available to another organization.
We know the families you serve face real barriers — transportation challenges, health issues, unstable schedules, and other barriers. An occasional issue will not remove your organization from participation. What matters most is communication, good-faith effort, and completing required follow-up reporting. A pattern of no-shows without communication may affect future access, but we want you engaged, not on the sidelines.
Step 7 — Photos, Videos, and Releases
Photos and videos are not required, but help Texas TicKids show impact to donors, venue partners, and funders, and demonstrate that experiences were used as intended.
A signed photo release form must be on file for your organization before sharing any photos or videos with Texas TicKids. Photo releases for individual recipients are being finalized in 2026 — more information will be shared as that process is complete.
If children’s faces cannot be shown, you may submit:
- Photos from behind
- Hands holding tickets or programs
- Group photos with faces covered or blurred
- Venue or event setting photos without identifying youth
Step 8 — Submit Your Follow-Up Report
Follow-up reports are required after every event. Compliance with reporting is required to remain an active affiliated charity.
Reports help Texas TicKids confirm experiences were used as intended, track participation, measure impact, report back to donors and venue partners, support grant applications, and secure future opportunities.
How to submit:
- Log in to your portal
- Click ‘Event Survey’
- Complete the form — Include attendance and basic demographic information, an impact statement, and photos or videos if available and permitted
What makes a strong report:
A specific story about how the experience affected a youth, family, mentor, or group is the most powerful thing you can send. A simple thank-you is appreciated, but stories, quotes, and photos are what move donors and build our case for funding.
A short video from a youth or adult after the event sharing what they saw, learned, or felt is especially valuable. Ask families for examples if needed — most are happy to share when prompted.