DonorsChoose.org: How to Support Funding For Schools
DonorsChoose is the most trusted crowdfunding platform dedicated to supporting public school teachers across the United States. Founded in 2000, this nonprofit organization connects educators with individual donors, corporate partners, and citizen donors who want to fund classroom projects that enhance students’ learning.
Unlike other fundraising platforms, DonorsChoose vets every teacher request to ensure legitimacy, making it a great way for educators to secure classroom resources—from art supplies to 3D printers—without financial barriers. The platform holds the highest ratings on Charity Navigator, reinforcing its reputation as a transparent and effective online charity.
How DonorsChoose Works
Teachers create detailed classroom project requests that paint a vivid picture of their classroom needs, carefully explaining how each requested item, whether cutting-edge STEM education tools, enriching field trips, or fundamental basic supplies, will directly impact their students’ growth and learning potential. Donors then browse these specific projects on the platform, connecting with educators’ stories and contributing generous donations that range from small individual gifts to substantial contributions from corporate partners.
The unique DonorsChoose model ensures complete transparency and efficiency; once a project reaches its funding goal, the nonprofit organization immediately purchases and ships all materials directly to the school, with rigorous quality checks guaranteeing that all funded resources arrive safely and promptly in the intended students’ learning environment. This streamlined process eliminates financial barriers while maintaining accountability, allowing teachers to focus on what matters most, transforming these resources into meaningful educational experiences for their students.
Be sure to check your district policy before utilizing the platform to stay in compliance with any rules or regulations.
Why Teachers Love DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose serves as a powerful force for equity in education by systematically ensuring that public schools in every corner of America – from urban centers to rural communities – benefit from essential resources, with particular emphasis on supporting those in high-need areas where funding gaps are most acute.
The platform’s innovative approach to donor engagement creates meaningful connections by providing supporters with authentic photos of the students utilizing funded materials, personalized thank-you notes that express genuine gratitude, and detailed updates on the progress of the project, all of which work together to foster a profound sense of community between donors and classrooms.
The financial incentives are equally compelling. As a registered nonprofit, it offers full tax deduction benefits for all contributions, making donations tax-deductible and thereby strategically incentivizing more donations from individuals and businesses alike. Another key advantage that amplifies the platform’s effectiveness is how DonorsChoose actively partners with corporations through carefully developed relationships, where many corporate partners not only contribute but match employee donations dollar-for-dollar, effectively doubling, and in some cases even tripling, the positive impact on classrooms and students who need it most.
This multi-faceted approach combines social equity, emotional connection, financial incentives, and corporate partnerships to create a uniquely effective model for educational support.
How Teachers Can Get Started
1. Create an Account
Public high school teachers, elementary educators, and even school leaders can sign up on the DonorsChoose platform. The process is simple:
- Visit DonorsChoose.org
- Click “Get Started” and verify your teaching status.
- Provide details about your school and classroom needs.
2. Submit a Classroom Project
Once registered, teachers can submit classroom project requests. Tips for success:
- Be Specific: Clearly explain how the resources will benefit students’ learning (e.g., “These art supplies will help students express creativity”).
- Tell Personal Stories: Share real struggles or inspiring moments to connect with donors on a deeper level.
- Set Realistic Fundraising Goals: Smaller projects (under $500) often get funded faster.
3. Promote Your Project
To maximize visibility, teachers should:
- Leverage Social Media: Share project links on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
- Encourage Parents & Community Support: Many individual donors are local supporters.
- Use DonorsChoose Promotional Tools: The DonorsChoose team provides promotional emails with high open rates and click rates to help spread the word.
4. Receive & Acknowledge Funded Resources
Once a project is fully funded:
- DonorsChoose Purchases Supplies: No cash pass-throughs—materials arrive directly at the school.
- Thank Your Donors: Post updates, share photos of the students, and show the progress of the project.
- Consider Follow-Up Projects: Success breeds more support—submit new requests as needs arise.
Best Practices for Success
Choose the Perfect Time to Post
Understanding donor behavior is key to successful fundraising on DonorsChoose. Donor activity peaks during the Back-to-School and Holiday seasons, making these ideal times for fundraising, as individuals and corporations are more inclined to give during periods of heightened generosity and educational focus. Meanwhile, STEM and Science Classroom Projects consistently attract high engagement because of the growing demand for STEM education support across schools, driven by national initiatives and workforce needs that highlight the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math.
Both of these factors, seasonal giving patterns and subject-area priorities, create optimal opportunities for teachers to get their classroom projects funded, as they align with donor interests and societal trends. The combination of these trends means educators focusing on STEM initiatives during peak donation periods can maximize their chances of success on the platform, leveraging both timing and subject matter to capture donor attention and support.
Engage Beyond the Platform
To truly amplify their fundraising potential, teachers can significantly boost their fundraising success by collaborating with school leaders to encourage fellow teachers to join DonorsChoose, fostering a collective effort that helps create a school-wide culture of support that benefits all classrooms, rather than operating in isolation. Additionally, educators should explore new channels beyond just social media promotion, recognizing that while platforms like Facebook and Twitter are useful, they may not reach all potential donors.
This includes pitching their projects to local news features or community bulletins, as these alternative outreach methods can tap into different donor networks, such as civic groups, alumni associations, or local businesses, and expand visibility for their classroom needs beyond the digital sphere.
By combining internal school collaboration with external community engagement through diverse channels, teachers create multiple pathways for their projects to gain attention and funding, ensuring a broader and more resilient support system.
Track & Optimize Outreach
Strategic fundraising requires continuous refinement, and teachers using DonorsChoose should actively monitor the transactional emails from the platform, as these provide valuable insights into donor engagement and project performance, revealing patterns such as which donors give most frequently or which project descriptions generate the strongest response.
By carefully reviewing these communications, educators can identify which aspects of their campaign are most effective, whether it’s the emotional appeal of student stories, the clarity of their budget breakdown, or the urgency of their timeline, and then strategically adjust their messaging to emphasize what resonates most with supporters, ensuring future projects are even more compelling.
This data-driven approach allows teachers to refine their outreach efforts, ensuring their project descriptions, updates, and thank-you messages speak directly to what motivates their donors to contribute, whether it’s academic impact, community connection, or tax benefits. The combination of monitoring platform communications and adapting messaging accordingly creates a feedback loop that can significantly improve fundraising outcomes over time, turning initial successes into sustained, long-term support for classroom needs.
The Impact of DonorsChoose
Since its founding, DonorsChoose has achieved remarkable success, having funded millions of classroom projects that have made a tangible difference in education. The platform has supported public school teachers in all 50 states, demonstrating its nationwide reach and impact. Through these efforts, DonorsChoose has delivered essential classroom supplies, innovative 3D printers, and specialized science classroom equipment to schools in need. Teachers consistently report that these funded projects lead to significant benefits, including improved students’ learning experiences that enhance academic outcomes.
Beyond academics, the projects foster greater student motivation and engagement in the classroom. Perhaps most importantly, they create a stronger sense of community that connects donors, educators, and students in meaningful ways, building relationships that extend far beyond the initial donation. These outcomes highlight how DonorsChoose creates lasting positive change in education through its unique model of community-supported funding.
Conclusion: A Great Way to Enhance Education
DonorsChoose is more than a fundraising tool…it’s a movement ensuring that every child receives a great education, regardless of zip code. For public school teachers in need of classroom supplies, this platform offers a streamlined, trustworthy solution.
By crafting compelling classroom project requests, leveraging social media, and fostering donor engagement, educators can unlock funded resources that transform their classrooms. Whether it’s STEM education tools, field trips, or basic art supplies, DonorsChoose helps bridge the gap between classroom needs and generous donations.
Now is the perfect time to get started. Sign up, submit a project, and join thousands of teachers making a positive impact on their students’ futures!
About the Author: Jenn Breisacher
After moving from a teacher-dominated classroom to a truly student-centered one, Jenn found herself helping colleagues who wanted to follow her lead. In 2018 she decided to expand outside of her school walls and help those out there who were also trying to figure out this fantastic method of instruction to ignite intrinsic motivation in their students. Read more about her journey with Student-Centered World at studentcenteredworld.com/about
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