DonorsChoose - Connecting Donors to Classrooms

DonorsChoose a new web site that connects online donors directly to classroom projects that need private support. Teachers post their projects along with a budget. DonorsChoose vets the projects and posts them to the web site. Individuals can then search by geographic region, subject matter, budget, or a combination of factors to find projects that they want to support.

Web masters and bloggers, such as myself, are encouraged to set up challenges to encourage their readers to donate as well. Always one to test out new web applications, I have set up a challenge that you can reach by clicking the banner below:

Over the coming weeks you will hopefully see the progress of my challenge in the graphic to the top right of this page. Beyond testing out the web site, I hope my readers can raise a few dollars. Let's see what you're capable of!

I love this idea and the way they've implemented it. I've wanted to create something like it for nonprofits for several years now and am inspired to see how this works out. The potential for connecting web users directly with projects that need funding is incredible. The use of interactive challenges and viral publicity should be an inspiration for all of us in the fundraising and management of nonprofit organizations.

Tags: nonprofit, DonorsChoose, charity, philanthropy, education, BloggersChoose, schools, giving