DonorsChoose.org Offers Teachers Extra Funding
By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 1/2/2008 5:30:00 AM
Need a new projector? How about some more books or software? If you’re a school librarian short on cash, try turning to DonorsChoose.org, a Web site that offers K-12 public school educators nationwide with funds ranging from several hundred dollars to more than $1,000.
How does it work? Teachers submit a one-page project proposal outlining in detail the exact resources their students need. DonorsChoose.org, a nonprofit organization that’s funded by parents and the public, screens each submission to ensure that the teacher and project meets its eligibility requirements—and if everything works out, the materials are shipped to the school.
Launched in 2000 by public school teachers in the Bronx, NY, the organization has already delivered more than $16 million to more than 80,000 students with donations countrywide. Donors, mainly average citizens across the country, can choose from a variety of subjects that interest them, from pre-K literacy to a science field trip.
In 2007, DonorsChoose.org expanded its program nationwide. Previously, it only served schools in Chicago, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington, D.C., as well as schools in Alabama, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Most of the students who received funding came from low-income communities.
