As a pre-kindergarten teacher in his second year of teaching, I have been quite successful in utilizing donorschoose.org to help get materials and resources for my classroom. With 56 projects funded and over $20,000 worth of supplies received for my classroom, I'd like to share the things I do to make sure my project gets funded before the infamous red clock of doom! Some of these advice are widely known, and that's so for a reason, because they work. I'll include them anyway.
What's in a name?
The first crucial part of grabbing donors' attention is the name of your project. Your family and friends that are willing to donate to your project will donate regardless. It's the people you don't know who you have to pitch your project to. Imagine you're a donor, and you have $50 to donate to a project. You're searching for projects to fund. You come across two projects that are requesting similar materials. Which one do you choose? There are many factors that will influence your decision, but the first impression is the title of the project. Take a look at the two projects below...
Both projects are requesting Dr. Seuss books, but each teacher takes a different approach with the title. One teacher titles the project in a boring way, while the other takes a creative approach, referencing Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places We'll Go. Which would you choose?
Justify Your Need
When it comes to the actual writing process of drafting your project, I love to tell a story about my students and why they need the materials requested. There is a reason why you need the things you're asking for. Tell them! If you work with a high population of language learners, a high poverty community, or special needs students, emphasize it. You can request anything for your classroom if you tell the donors why you need it.
With my Dr. Seuss project, I wrote the whole thing as if I were Dr. Seuss. Everything from beginning to end was written in a rhyme. I had so much fun it should've been considered a crime!
With my Dr. Seuss project, I wrote the whole thing as if I were Dr. Seuss. Everything from beginning to end was written in a rhyme. I had so much fun it should've been considered a crime!
We're so glad you decided to take a look, in this effort to expand our library nook!
Dr. Seuss was an author we grew up with and read
but our classrooms are filled with other books instead.
Common core! Common Core! That's the phrase they all shout,
but our kids are only four, what's that all about?
Our kids are young, ambitious, and curious
but there's darkness lurking about that's much too serious.
Pre-k is a time to explore and play,
to imagine and create until the end of the day.
But the trouble that's looming seems to be blooming.
Academic rigor! Academic rigor! They're telling us to grow up much much quicker.
They want to prepare us to be college ready, we want to go to college but at a pace that's steady.
Our parents can't help us of the troubles that's lurking,
it's not their fault! They're too busy working!
It's up to you to help us keep our childhood we're about to lose,
you wonderful people, the people of Donors Choose!
Dr. Seuss was an author we grew up with and read
but our classrooms are filled with other books instead.
Common core! Common Core! That's the phrase they all shout,
but our kids are only four, what's that all about?
Our kids are young, ambitious, and curious
but there's darkness lurking about that's much too serious.
Pre-k is a time to explore and play,
to imagine and create until the end of the day.
But the trouble that's looming seems to be blooming.
Academic rigor! Academic rigor! They're telling us to grow up much much quicker.
They want to prepare us to be college ready, we want to go to college but at a pace that's steady.
Our parents can't help us of the troubles that's lurking,
it's not their fault! They're too busy working!
It's up to you to help us keep our childhood we're about to lose,
you wonderful people, the people of Donors Choose!
Earlier in the year, I had the awesome privilege to check out Nathan Sawaya's The Art of the Brick exhibit at Time Square Discovery. It inspired me to look at art in ways I never would have expected. I was so inspired, I created a donorschoose project for LEGOs and took an art approach to the project. The project was successful and my students are now enjoying making art out of LEGO bricks.
 Nathan Sawaya Exibit |  Starting our own Art of the Brick journey |
Keep the Project Cost Low
There's a statistic about projects that are under $400. They're most likely to get funded. Imagine you're a donor. You see a wonderful project but it's really expensive and far from getting funded. That may shy donors away from donating because it may not get funded. Donors want to see an quick impact. They don't want to wait months for the likely hood of an expensive project to get funded.
Now, this doesn't mean don't create projects over $400. If you're confident that it will get funded, go for it! Otherwise, break expensive projects into two projects or even three. Take the Deathly Hallows or the Star Wars Trilogy approach! Remember…get creative with the title too!
Now, this doesn't mean don't create projects over $400. If you're confident that it will get funded, go for it! Otherwise, break expensive projects into two projects or even three. Take the Deathly Hallows or the Star Wars Trilogy approach! Remember…get creative with the title too!
- ___________ : Part #
- ___________ : Episode #
Long Live the Project!
Unless your project has a certain time constraint or restriction, keep it running as long as possible. There's no reason to short change yourself in the duration unless you have to. Keep that baby up for the full four months that donorschoose allows you.
If You Believe It, They Will Donate
Create projects that cater to a certain audience and play to your strengths. My school is a healthy school and is the first non-charter public school to go full vegetarian with the lunch menu. I make sure to include that in my projects that request materials that are related to fitness and nutrition. Many donors who live a healthy and active lifestyle or are vegetarian are most likely to donate to projects they believe in.
'Tis the Season to Be Giving!
Towards the end of the calendar year, make sure you get projects up for your class. December has been my most successful month in terms of fully funded projects. Many small businesses and other donors are in a giving mood during the holiday season. Either they're in the giving mood or they want to get the most out of their tax deductions for their charitable donations.
Last year, I had a project that was up for 2 months without any activity. As soon as December rolled around, one donor fully fund the project. This year, my colleague had a project going since September without any donation love. During the holiday season, donations flooded in and helped her fully fund her first project. I created a photography project in December and it was complete within a week.
There's Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, and now...Donate December.
Last year, I had a project that was up for 2 months without any activity. As soon as December rolled around, one donor fully fund the project. This year, my colleague had a project going since September without any donation love. During the holiday season, donations flooded in and helped her fully fund her first project. I created a photography project in December and it was complete within a week.
There's Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday, and now...Donate December.
Special Offers
Donorschoose.org will always have match offers. Keep on the look out for special codewords that match donations. Also, keep a lookout for special offers from Groupon or other deal sites. Groupon has offered $10 vouchers for $30 donorschoose donations. These are great for yourself and for teacher friends. But you must act quick! They sell out really fast.
Give A Little to Get A LOT!
Be the first to donate to your project! I cannot stress this enough! Donors are hesitant when they see that a project doesn't have any donations. You have to be the first to put a dent on that '$ to go' section. This will show donors that you believe in your own project to invest in it. You spend so much on supplies anyway, why not on your own project. In addition to that, the first 7 days your project is posted, there's a match codeword. Use it to your advantage and SPARK the donation flames of others around you! This has been changed and is only applicable to two projects.
Turn on Facebook Updates
Broadcast your project actions and updates on your Facebook. You never know who will see it; family, friends, colleagues, coworkers, people you've added on your Facebook but only met once, or never at all. These are people who may have a philanthropists' heart and may surprise you. I've received donations from family members who've I haven't spoken to in years and reconnected with them because they donated. I've had internet gaming friends who've made very generous donations to my unexpected surprise. Donorschoose has helped me reconnect with family and friends who I've lost touch with over the years because of this feature. Use it.
Be Thankful and Meaningful!
Be sure to leave a thank you message for everyone that donates. Give a thoughtful comment to your donors and they may keep you in mind when they donate again!
Since we're on the topic of Thank Yous, be sure to complete your Thank You package on time. Take great pictures and write a well thought out impact letter detailing what the materials has done for your classroom and your students. Make sure the individual hand-written student thank you letters are awesome as well.
Since we're on the topic of Thank Yous, be sure to complete your Thank You package on time. Take great pictures and write a well thought out impact letter detailing what the materials has done for your classroom and your students. Make sure the individual hand-written student thank you letters are awesome as well.
Don't Reinvent the Wheel
When you've had success on earlier projects, use what you wrote for future projects. When I first started writing projects, I would constantly rewrite some portions of the submission process that was the universal for every project. I use two that I am proud of and will rotate them for different projects.
If you've had success before, use what works. The portion where you describe who your students are can be reused. If you have projects that overlap in similar resources or themes, go back and look at what you wrote. It will definitely help in the submission process. Don't try to reinvent the wheel!
If you've had success before, use what works. The portion where you describe who your students are can be reused. If you have projects that overlap in similar resources or themes, go back and look at what you wrote. It will definitely help in the submission process. Don't try to reinvent the wheel!
Community Pages
I've joined several community pages such as Caring Classrooms, Classroom Angels, Kindergarten Rocks, and Send A Smile to help others and receive help. Basically how it works is you join their page on Facebook. Once a week, they post projects on their community page. You donate at least a dollar and post your project you want featured. You'll have a chance to get selected once current projects on the community page get funded and spots open up. They also host fun contests that allow you to win gift cards and spots on their page. Most of them have 100% successful funding rates. If your project gets posted, it's almost guaranteed to get funded. Check it out!
 Caring Classrooms |  Classroom Angels |  Send A Smile |  Kindergarten Rocks |
A Personal Touch for Those You Know
One of the biggest things I've done this year to get family and friends to donate is creating a WALL OF DONORS bulletin board in my school. Anyone I know personally who donate will get a spot on this bulletin board. They receive a special avatar with a speech bubble shout out. I take a picture of it, post it on Facebook, and tag them to show appreciation and get them recognition from their friends. It's another way to get your project noticed by unsuspecting donors.
 WALL OF DONORS |  Adopt a Critter Through Donation |
For those who are friends of family members, parents, or people who live far away, I like to show my gratitude by sending them a card. These are special thank you cards for their donations because not everyone may donate enough to get handwritten thank you notes from your students, but you still want to show your appreciation anyway. I wait for Walgreens to have a special on photo cards, and I take the opportunity to make thank you cards for this purpose. Sending these show how much you appreciate their generosity and may inspire them to donate to your future projects.
Promote Yourself!
Teachers are a little bit of every profession. Why not a promoter as well?
Besides my WALL OF DONORS, I have a Classroom Herald board next to it that informs parents and any visitors about what donorschoose.org is and how they can help. There are strips of paper with my donorschoose.org web address. I also post project that need help in funding along with their info. The attention grabber are the photos of the kids using the materials we've received from previously funded projects.
I've also created and order business cards with my contact info, personal webpage, and my donorschoose.org/ayung details. I wear shirts that promote my donorschoose page. As ridiculous as that sounds, putting yourself out there is very important.
Besides my WALL OF DONORS, I have a Classroom Herald board next to it that informs parents and any visitors about what donorschoose.org is and how they can help. There are strips of paper with my donorschoose.org web address. I also post project that need help in funding along with their info. The attention grabber are the photos of the kids using the materials we've received from previously funded projects.
I've also created and order business cards with my contact info, personal webpage, and my donorschoose.org/ayung details. I wear shirts that promote my donorschoose page. As ridiculous as that sounds, putting yourself out there is very important.
 Me in front of my Wall of Donors wearing my Donorschoose.org/ayung shirt! |  A closer look at the shirt. |
Check Out Part 2!
Need more tips? Check out the second advice post here!
http://kinderheim.weebly.com/blog/more-tips-to-ensure-success-on-donorschooseorg
http://kinderheim.weebly.com/blog/more-tips-to-ensure-success-on-donorschooseorg
Help a Teacher Out!
Help a colleague out and they'll be willing to help you out as well! We're teachers. We go above and beyond for our classroom and students. I hope these tips help in getting your project funded. If you have any other tips for me to include, please feel free to e-mail me at green.oak1122@gmail.com
With that being said, I'd like to take this opportunity to promote a project that needs your help!
Check out www.donorschoose.org/ayung
With that being said, I'd like to take this opportunity to promote a project that needs your help!
Check out www.donorschoose.org/ayung
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