Donors Choose--Like Go Fund Me for Teachers

TLDR: DonorsChoose is like Go Fund Me for teachers. Teachers post projects. Friends, family, corporate sponsors, and total strangers donate (every dollar counts). If the project is fully funded, the items are orders and shipped to the school.

I've received about $900 in funding.

Teachers; Click this link to get started (and you'll help me with my next project!)

What is DonorsChoose?

Mission: "We make it easy for anyone to help a teacher in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education."

Stats:

• 87% of public schools in America have posted a project on DonorsChoose
• Over 5.7 million individuals have donated
• Over $1.4 billion has been raised
• 88,753 schools have been funded

Closer to home, in New Mexico:

• $6.65 million raised
• 4009 teachers supported
• 13,026 project funded
• 55,177 books delivered

Process:

1. Teachers select the items they need through vendors such as Amazon Business, Lego Education, Kaplan, Lakeshore, and Staples (to name a few).
2. Teachers follow a simple template to explain the need and the request.
3. Within 5 days, the project is either approved or more information/clarification is requested.
4. Project is posted and anybody can donate.
5. Teacher shares link with friends, family, and social media.
6. If project is fully funded, the items are ordered and shipped directly to the school.
7. Teacher shares pictures and an impact statement.

There are often matching gifts for specific criteria. Currently, the first project a teacher funds has a 2x match for the first week.


My DonorsChoose Experience:
I've heard of Donors Choose often over the years.  The first I remember was a teacher who wanted Chromebooks for her class--this was pre-pandemic and EVERYBODY having Chromebooks.

After I got all the Legos (see story here) I needed a place to store them--as well as some "regular" Lego bricks. (I got a bunch of free Legos, but most of them specialty pieces.).  My first project: Lego My Bricks  was funded during the first week, so my $170 project required $85 which was doubled.  My project was fully funded before Spring Break, so I was able to delay shipping until the following week. It arrived in 3 days!

While I was on Spring Break (in DisneyWorld!!) I heard of a special one day 2X match for projects that were mostly books. At first, I decided not to do it. But I kept hearing about it. I created a small project: Keep Reading A Series with 4 different book series sets (Percy Jackson, Babysitters Club, Emily Wingsnap, and The Mysterious Benedict Society).  I based my request on the idea that if a child (or adult!) falls in love with a character, they will keep reading the next book.

Imagine my surprise when, less than 2 hours later--before the match started!!--my project was fully funded by PandaCares--the philanthropic arm of Panda Express!

I quickly created another project (they were approving quickly!) and called it Keep Reading a Series Part 2 where I requested another 6 book series sets including Narnia, Anne of Green Gables, and Artemis Fowl.  Before noon, on match day, this project also funded.  I was in class when I found out, so I asked my students for ideas.

Then I created Keep Reading a Series Part 3. (I know--original!). I requested more Babysitter's Club, some Star Wars, Dogman, and Cat Kid. This was also fully funded.

Within 24 hours, I had 3 book projects funded--totally just under $500 worth of books!  Most have already arrived in my classroom.

I currently have 2 projects open.  First is Out of this World Classroom Decor. Our schoolwide them for next year is Outer Space/reach for the stars. I'm looking to purchase a full decor set that I can print from my home printer.  The second (Making Better Use of My Space) was because of a special match for projects requested through the vendor Quill. There is a 2X match (while funding lasts).  I requested a standing desk/lectern that I can use with my Promethean Board.

My current stats:

• 4 projects funded
• 2 live projects 
• 23 donors have supported me (only 2 were people I knew!)
• $897.07 raised in 4 months
• 1 teacher referred