Teacher FAQs

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?

What happens to my projects if I am no longer eligible to receive grants from DonorsChoose.org?

If you become ineligible for our program, any projects that have not yet had materials purchased will be removed from our website and any funding reallocated to the donors. If you have received the materials for a project but not yet returned thank-you notes when you become ineligible, please contact us to determine what you should do.

If you change schools, but remain eligible, please refer to this faq to deterimine what should happen to materials you have already received.

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