Getting My ESL Class Funded on Donors Choose (My Ups and Downs)

In the beginning I struggled with getting funded on Donor’s Chose. My students in my ELL classroom needed technology and new books. I would post a project for $1200, and let it sit there hoping it get funded. I didn’t realize at the time that I need to put in some elbow grease to get the project funded. Within a year I have had a total of 10 projects funded with Donor’s Chose! I have included some tips on how you can get your project funded on Donor’s Chose.

Reach out to all your family and friends first. I always make them aware that I am trying to fund a project. Their kindness has been overwhelming. However, I try not to harass them every time I post project. I do not want them to feel pressured.

Donate to your own project! Even if it is $3 try to be the first person to give to your project. In the past I never donated to my own project. After doing some research and reflection, people are more likely to give if they see others have given. So kick start your project with a small donation.

Look for ways that you can use the matching codes. I always check first to see if I can get a project matched before writing the project. If there is a way I can get what I need with a match code, I always go for that option first.

Keep your project under $500 dollars. I have found a lot of success with keeping my projects small. If I need a grant that is more than $500, I break them up into small parts that are under $500. Here is an example of a project where I broke it up into three smaller projects. All three projects were funded very quickly.

Join giving pages on Facebook! A giving page is a community of people who help promote your project to get funded. There are some amazing giving pages on Facebook. There are some large giving pages. My favorite is Caring Classrooms on Facebook. Click the photo below for a link to the page.

Use social media such as Twitter and Instagram to promote your project. Use hashtags and join teacher communities.

These tips and tricks have been really helpful for me in getting amazing items for my classroom. Let me know in the comments any tips that have worked out for you.