Funding Your Classroom with DonorsChoose
Searching for funding for your next classroom purchase? Whether you need classroom supplies or want to fund a new project to round out your students’ educational experiences, DonorsChoose is a great option. DonorsChoose is a crowd-funded website that could help you earn money for supplies and projects.
Keep reading to learn what the website offers and how to leverage your proposal to stand out for donors, loved ones, and the community.
What is DonorsChoose?
DonorsChoose is a website for teachers who need funding for classroom supplies or projects. Essentially, with DonorsChoose teachers can post their desired funding projects and the public can then donate to a teacher’s cause. DonorsChoose makes it easy for teachers to get started and for donors to find classrooms to support.
What funding opportunities does DonorsChoose Offer?
DonorsChoose offers three different kinds of funding.
- A match offer is when a corporation, donor, or foundation matches the contributions for projects that meet a specific set of criteria. This is the most common type of funding available. DonorsChoose even has a list of partners in your state or nationwide who are willing to donate to your classroom if you qualify for funding.
- Selective funding (also called corporate funding) is when a corporation or foundation offers to commit a set amount of money toward an eligible request.
- Classroom Rewards are a way for DonorsChoose partners to engage teachers and students with independent, online education resources, and in return, award teachers who participate with a DonorsChoose.org gift card. Classroom Rewards do not involve creating a proposal, but instead using a source outside the website with students.
Ready to get your project funded?
Now that you’ve decided on the type of donation opportunity you’re aiming for, it’s time to get your project funded. DonorsChoose has plenty of suggestions on what you can do to get closer to fully funding your classroom.
- Keep your proposal costs low, around $200, for a higher likelihood that a donor will fund the entire thing. Need more than $200? Start multiple, lesser-cost requests at the same time to earn money for your project. Even if one project is funded, other DonorsChoose teachers suggest having proposals running continuously to avoid missing out on flash funding from companies.
- Share your goals with family, friends, and the community. Tag companies and people you think might be interested in helping with your cause to increase your reach.
- Take the time to create a well-written proposal. Tell a story that details how donations will impact your students and classroom. Check for word choice, grammar, and spelling for a professional, polished proposal. Avoid using jargon and ambiguous words or phrases to enhance clarity for potential donors.
Now that you’re a DonorsChoose pro, it’s time to get started! Looking for other funding opportunities? Check out our blog to see how you can get sponsorships this year!
