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How to Start Your Own Online Giving Marketplace

Lessons we've learned

Do you work for a nonprofit organization, or are you considering starting one and want to incorporate some DonorsChoose.org-like aspects? If you'd like to learn more about our model and operations, check out our webinars and blog posts below.

Webinars

We've hosted a few informal webinars about the best practices each of our departments have developed over the years.



Technology and Operations (Spring 2011)

Presenters: Oliver Hurst-Hiller (CTO & EVP Product) and César Bocanegra (COO)
  • How did DonorsChoose.org get started?
  • What would we have done differently if we were starting today?
  • What are some common pitfalls to avoid when starting an online giving marketplace?
  • How do you maximize the efforts of your volunteers?
  • How do you decide between investing in technology and doing things manually?

Marketing and Business Development (Fall 2011)

Presenters: Missy Sherburne (CPO) and Katie Bisbee (CMO)
  • How do you get businesses and corporations involved in your organization?
  • What are key strategies around marketing and business development to achieve your goals?
  • How do you get renewals?
  • How do you figure out who are the right people for your team and what roles do you need to make your ideas work?
  • What are your lessons learned from marketing and business development?

Financial Operations (Spring 2012)

Presenters: Andy Kaplan (CFO), Rama Louis (Accounting Manager), Taylor Chang (Financial Operations Manager)
  • What should a finance team focus on in the early years of the organization?
  • How do you create a system to manage Accounts Payable?
  • How do you provide a level of transparency that allows donors to see exactly how each of their dollars is spent?
  • How do you work with the business and development team to efficiently manage grants?

Posts

Career Advice: César Bocanegra, COO

Introducing César, the Chief Operating Officer at DonorsChoose.org. Among his many roles,César is responsible for leading the operations team and ensuring the operations workflow is fully scalable. César earned his MBA from the Wharton School of Business in Strategic Management and served as the national president of HISPA, a non-profit organization focused on developing Hispanic youth.

Career Advice: Jim Steinberger, Senior Software Engineer

DonorsChoose.org staff member, Jim, would like to shed some insight on the world of non-profits. Hailing from southeast Michigan, Jim is equipped with a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and strives to make software development more efficient, enjoyable, and cost-effective for everyone involved.

How to hire a data scientist

Our data scientist Jay Garlapati, former OK Cupid data scientist Max Shron, and our Chief Technology Officer Oliver Hurst-Hiller addressed this question at a panel at DataGotham 2012.

Our Top 10 Email Subject Lines

In the world of email subject lines you only get one chance to make a first impression. A mere minute to tempt your reader. We recently took a look back at our top 10 performing subject lines to see what sets them apart & share some insights we learned along the way.

If you have further questions, you can contact us.

Supporting teachers and students since 2000

DonorsChoose makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America create classroom project requests, and you can give any amount to the project that inspires you.

We've earned the highest possible ratings from Better Business Bureau, Charity Watch, Charity Navigator, and Guidestar.