Donor's Choose Starter Instructions by Neely Swygert Teacher-Librarian Gadsden Elementary

What is Donor's Choose? Donor's Choose is a web site that allows teachers to help receive funding for projects that they might otherwise have to pay for out of pocket, or not be able to utilize at all. Only teachers can build Donor's Choose, but anyone can donate to a project. This presentation will share with you how to create a Donor's Choose account and build your first project.

Donor's Choose can be found at Click here to begin the registration process Sign in here once you have registered. Search to find projects to donate to, that are near you, or that are similar to yours.

Click here to register and start your first project If you have already created your account, sign in you use your address and the password you set up

Once you have selected to start your first project, then click get started. Now click set up a teacher account

Make sure you read the questions and answer yes if you are eligible. Click the blue button

Read the user agreement and check the 2 boxes Click the blue button to find your school

Type the name of your school in order to find it As I am already registered, I can't take you past this screen. Once you find and click on your school, you will fill in your profile by filling in the details of your teaching position and your contact information. You will then review your information before submitting. There is also a teacher tutorial that you can try.

You sign in using the address and password you set up and press the sign in button.

Here is where your profile information and projects are kept. Here is where you see your projects (live, archived, and drafted). Don't forget to sign out when you are done working on a project.

The products tab is where you will see all of your projects in all forms. Projects you are working on Start a new project Projects that are currently available to be funded. Projects that didn't get funded or that you let go inactive Where funded projects are stored that need thank you notes, pictures, or other responses.

Building your first project Make sure you have a fun and catchy title! The Menu: you have to finish 1 section before you can move on to the next, but you can always go back and edit earlier sections. The more projects you have had funded, the more points you receive. I only pick products in the vendor directory, but I may try another one some day. Of course the bigger the project, the harder it is to get it funded. Start small! Class visitors, trips, and special requests are available, but I would wait until after a few projects have been funded, unless you really need it now.

Here are a few of the places you can shop for your project. Amazon closes down during the holidays, but is back in early January. Here is what my current cart looks like for the project I am working on.

After shopping: what do I do next? You can still edit your cart Here is your current cart of items for your project. The orange button lets you save your draft. The green button lets you save and move to the next step. You must name at least 3 items in your cart while explaining why your students needs these items.

**Try to be as detailed as possible in each box** Ex. The library at our school is always busy, but we don't have all of the resources we need to help our students. Our students are ready for hands on learning, and this will help them connect what they are learning to the real world. Ex. We are a small Title 1 school in the south. Our students are enthusiastic, smiling children who are ready to change to world. While our students may not have the material possessions that many others may have, they make up for it in wanting to learn.

**Try to be as detailed as possible in each box** T he green button saves the draft and moves you closer to submitting your project. Ex. My students would use the sewing machines, thread, fabric, looms, and yarn to create anything they dream up. We will have a maker space set up so students can learn new skills to relate the curriculum to real life. For example, right now 3rd grade is learning about Sierra Leone for International Culture Night. They are learning bead making, and weaving using simple materials. The students love being able to use their hands to create something, and the culture, history, and art lessons are learned with a lot more enthusiasm. By funding our maker space, children will be able to relate what they are learning to the real world. They may also find a passion for sewing, weaving, etc. that could lead to a career when they are older. The orange button saves your draft.

Make sure you click the appropriate box If this will benefit more than just your class, use the larger number. Check the appropriate grade levels The orange button saves the draft. The green button will move you further into the process of submitting your project.

Your photo needs to share something about you, your students, or work from the classroom. Make sure to get permission to use photographs of your students before using a photo they are in. Have a fun title! Pressing the orange button only saves your project. Pressing the green button will move you into the review process.

You will review your project before you submit it. **Make sure you do a good job of checking it because once it is finalized you can't change it anymore. ** It will take up to 5 business days for your project to be approved or for the people at Donor's Choose to request more information. All of these interactions will take place through , so make sure you check your daily if you are waiting to be approved. Donor's Choose may ask you to add more detail somewhere, which can delay how fast your project goes live, so try to put as much detail into your project as you write it. You have created your project, so what is next?

Your project has been approved, now what? **During the first week, you can get any donations matched (up to $200 or $500) if the donator uses the special code given in your announcing your project has gone live. It will be something like INSPIRE or DISNEYCREATIVITY. ** Also understand that Donor's Choose has it set where a portion of a donation is automatically donated to Donor's Choose. You can change this to any percentage up or even down to 0% so all of the donation goes to the project. Sometimes you can even get matching funds from a company so that when half of your project has been funded, they add the last half of the money to your project. You can share your projects on social media and by to get donations.

Your project has been funded, now what? Once your project has been funded, you will receive an from Donor's Choose confirming this. They will also make sure that you still need the products, they have the correct address, and how long you would like to finish your thank you packet. Make sure you respond to Donor's Choose as soon as possible so your products can be ordered and delivered. Your thank you packet will consist of pictures of the students using the products, pictures of the products, or other creative ways to share what you are doing if you cannot show student faces. You may also be required to have students or the class write a thank you note to donors.

Thanks for checking out Donor's Choose! Remember: Start small Share your project details with others Try again if your project doesn't get funded