- Communicating with DonorsChoose.org
- How can I contact you?
- How do I find my project ID#?
- How can I add DonorsChoose.org to my address book so that I get all of your emails?
- I use Hotmail, AOL, Yahoo Mail, or Outlook 2003. How do I add DonorsChoose.org to my "safe" list?
- Registering/My Account
- I opened a new account but never got the registration email. What do I do?
- Who can use DonorsChoose.org?
- How do I open a teacher account?
- What are my responsibilities when using DonorsChoose.org?
- What should I do if the free lunch percentage at my school is wrong?
- I teach at two or more schools. Which do I register at?
- What is an annex school?
- What do I do when I change schools?
- What should I do if my school is not listed?
- What roles do my principal, colleagues, and school play in my experience with DonorsChoose.org?
- What does 'deactivation' mean and when does DonorsChoose.org deactivate my teacher account?
- I’m a teacher, but when I log in I don’t see my projects or my teacher account information. What should I do?
- What is an archived project?
- Account Photo
- Why am I required to add a photo to my account?
- How do I upload a photo to my account page and projects?
- What are some classroom photo Dos and Don’ts at DonorsChoose.org?
- Is uploading a classroom photo of my students safe?
- Why are some classroom photos not displayed?
- Submitting a Materials Project
- What kinds of resources may be requested?
- How much can a student project cost? How long is it likely to take until the project is funded?
- Who decides if my project is funded?
- How can I write a good project request if I'm not experienced at grant writing?
- Should I submit a project for a specific occasion or upcoming class event?
- What makes a project compelling to donors?
- How do I submit a project?
- How do I request materials using eSchoolMall?
- How do I transfer materials from a vendor website to my project shopping cart in Step 2 of the submission process?
- What vendors can I use to find materials?
- If I'm certain that the materials I need are not offered by an Express Vendor, what should I do?
- Why is my project price tag a little more than the materials themselves?
- Why do you charge Shipping Charges and Sales Tax?
- Why can't I choose a resource from a vendor with a lower price?
- What does DonorsChoose.org do after I've submitted a project? And why hasn't my project been posted yet?
- Why does DonorsChoose.org offer only certain vendors, or change the list from time to time?
- What are the essay guidelines for my project request?
- Funding Opportunities
- What are Funding Opportunities and how do they work?
- What is a Double Your Impact offer?
- What is a Tipping Point Offer?
- What is an “Other” Funding Opportunity?
- My Points
- What is the Points and Benefits System and how does it work?
- How do I earn, spend, or lose points?
- How do I see what points I have earned, spent or lost?
- Why do I have to spend points to submit a project?
- What happens to my points if my project is not fully funded or if I choose to remove it?
- What if my points are wrong?
- Will you return the points I spent to post a project?
- My Thank-You Punctuality
- What is thank-you punctuality?
- How is my thank-you punctuality calculated?
- Why is my Thank-You Punctuality less than 100%?
- My Posted Project
- How many projects can I have posted/in process at any given time? What does "in process" mean?
- How long does an un-funded project stay on the website?
- Why do you charge shipping charges and sales tax?
- Can I modify my posted project?
- What is an expiration date?
- If my project is partially funded and it expires, what happens to the donations?
- Why is my project price tag a little more than the materials themselves?
- How do I remove a posted project from the site?
- How can I find out who donated to my project?
- My project is partially funded. Can some materials be purchased?
- What does "waiting for check" mean?
- Can I transfer donations from one project to another?
- Confirming a Funded Project
- What should I do if the link in the email doesn't work?
- My project is fully funded, so why haven't I received the confirmation email?
- I responded to my funding confirmation email and submitted my interim thank-you note for the donors. When will I earn a point for doing this?
- Can I modify the materials I requested after my project has been funded?
- Materials for a Fully Funded Project
- What should I do if I haven't received the materials for a funded project?
- When can I expect my materials to arrive?
- When will I receive materials funded late in the school year or over the summer?
- When can I expect my magazine subscription to begin? What if my project is funded late in the school year?
- Can funded materials be shipped over the winter break?
- Can I modify the materials I requested after my project has been posted or funded?
- Can DonorsChoose.org send project materials to my home or another address rather than to my school?
- Who owns the materials obtained via DonorsChoose.org? What if the teacher moves to a new school?
- What happens if my materials are lost or stolen at my school?
- What happens to my projects if I am no longer eligible to receive grants from DonorsChoose.org?
- What does my order status mean?
- What do I have to do when I receive an e-mail about a discontinued item?
- Class Trip or Visitor
- Who can submit a project for a Class Trip or Class Visitor?
- How do you verify the prices for a field trip?
- Will DonorsChoose.org pay for flights for my students?
- Since I will be out of my classroom for the field trip, may I request the pay for a substitute teacher?
- I’d like to take my class on a lot of trips. Can I write just one project?
- What do I do if I want to buy my students lunch or a memento while we’re on our trip? What if we take the subway or other form of mass transit?
- I've already taken a trip and the school paid for it. Can I submit a project for it so that my school can get its money back?
- Why did my project for a trip expire so far in advance of the date of the trip?
- What if my venue for a class trip needs a deposit to hold my reservation?
- If I've received funding for a field trip or class visitor, who will make the arrangements?
- What if I can’t take the trip immediately after the funding comes through?
- Can I submit a project for a Field Trip or Class Visitor that will take place next month?
- Special Requests
- What is a Special Request?
- Who can submit a Special Request?
- From what vendors can I select materials for a Special Request?
- What if DonorsChoose.org requests that I make the initial purchase of a Special Request item but I cannot pay for the materials myself?
- How do I receive a reimbursement if DonorsChoose.org requests that I make the initial purchase of a Special Request item?
- Can I request items from eSchoolMall in the same project as a Special Request?
- Can I request gift cards through DonorsChoose.org?
- My Thank-You Package
- What is a Thank-You Package?
- How do I submit the teacher impact letter for my project?
- How do I upload photos for my project?
- What kinds of photos should I take, and what if I have trouble getting permission?
- What is the difference between my impact letter and the thank-you note I wrote when I confirmed my funding?
- How do I mail my student thank-you letters and can I send the student letters using my own label or with FedEx/UPS?
- What are the guidelines for student thank-you letters?
- Where can I find the names of my donors?
- Why can’t I view my Thank-You Instructions online? Why doesn’t the Thank-You Instructions link work?
- What should I do if I lost part or all of my Thank-You Kit or never received it?
- Why do my Thank-You Instructions show a different number of donors than my project page on your website?
- Why is it so important that student names not appear in the photos?
- What if I can't complete my thank-you package because I don’t have all the materials or they didn’t arrive on time?
- Where can I find the photo release permission slip?
- My Thank-You Package Due Date
- What should I do if I need to extend the due date for my Thank-You Package?
- What if I can’t complete my Thank-You Package because I don’t have all the materials or they arrived late? Do I need to complete my project before sending a thank-you package?
- Why is it important for me to return my thank-you package on time and what happens if it’s late?
- General Information
- How can I see which projects have been funded at my school?
- How can I tell others about DonorsChoose.org?
- How could my company become a DonorsChoose.org vendor?
- Where can I see DonorsChoose.org's financial statement and Form 990 tax return?
How can I write a good project request if I'm not experienced at grant writing?
Experience with grant writing is completely unnecessary. In fact, DonorsChoose.org discourages jargon-laden, formulaic writing. We find the best proposals help the reader to picture the student experience that will take place. Our online application form presents you with two sections: one for selecting materials through eSchoolMall (our online "shopping mall") and another for describing a project that will benefit students. Your materials list should reflect your essay.
Still have questions?
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