# DonorsChoose

> DonorsChoose is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform that lets anyone fund specific classroom projects at U.S. public schools. Teachers post exactly what they need - books, microscopes, art supplies, a field trip - and donors give as little as $1 to the requests that move them. When a project is fully funded, DonorsChoose buys the materials and ships them straight to the classroom, then sends donors photos and thank-you notes. Founded by Bronx teacher Charles Best in 2000, it has channeled more than $1.6 billion to public school classrooms.

- **Founded:** 2000
- **Headquarters:** New York City, New York, United States
- **Founders:** Charles Best (Founder (former CEO); founding Board Chair))
- **Team size:** ~115-240 employees
- **Products:** Classroom Project Crowdfunding, Match Offers & Funding Opportunities, Classroom Essentials Lists, District & Employee Giving Programs
- **Notable:** Moved more than $1.6 billion to public school classrooms since 2000, Funded over 2.9 million classroom projects reaching ~86% of U.S. public schools, Held Charity Navigator's highest (4-star) rating every year since 2005

## Products & services

- **Classroom Project Crowdfunding** — Public school teachers post requests for specific materials, resources, field trips or classroom experiences; donors give any amount to the projects they choose, and DonorsChoose purchases and ships the materials once a project is fully funded.
- **Match Offers & Funding Opportunities** — Corporate partners, foundations and individuals pledge to match donations to projects that meet criteria - by subject, geography or item - ranging from a 50% boost up to 10x matches.
- **Classroom Essentials Lists** — A faster way for teachers to order everyday classroom supplies, letting donors fund curated lists of high-need basics.
- **District & Employee Giving Programs** — Tools that let school districts, companies and employee-giving programs direct funds and matching gifts to classrooms at scale.

## Achievements

- Moved more than $1.6 billion to public school classrooms since 2000
- Funded over 2.9 million classroom projects reaching ~86% of U.S. public schools
- Held Charity Navigator's highest (4-star) rating every year since 2005
- Named to Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies list (2011 and 2019) - among the first nonprofits recognized
- Featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2003, raising $250,000 in a single day
- Mobilized rapid relief funding after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2006) and the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma tornado

## Latest updates

- **2025-04** — Released a survey of 2,500+ public school teachers finding they take on growing responsibilities, spend $655 of their own money on average, and nearly half work a second job.
- **2025-05** — Ran Teacher Appreciation Week 2025 campaigns and match offers to fund classroom requests nationwide.
- **2024-06** — Reported cumulative impact of $1.64 billion raised across 2.95 million funded projects supporting 889,169 teachers.

## Links

- Website: https://donorschoose.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/donorschoose
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/DonorsChoose
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DonorsChoose
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donorschoose
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donorschoose

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/donorschoose
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13