DonorsChoose.org

Mission: We make it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need, moving us closer to a nation where students in every community have the tools and experiences they need for a great education.

About: In 2000, Charles Best, a teacher at a Bronx public high school, wanted his students to read. As he was making photocopies of the one book he could procure, Charles thought about all the money he and his colleagues were spending on books, art supplies, and other materials. And he figured there were people out there who'd want to help - if they could see where their money was going. Charles sketched out a website where teachers could post classroom project requests, and donors could choose the ones they wanted to support. His colleagues posted the first 11 requests. Then it spread. Today, we're open to every public school in America.

Our team of 80 has vetted and fulfilled over 600,000 classroom project requests that range from butterfly cocoons, to robotics kits, to. Many of us are former teachers, so our operation feels like a cross between a startup and a schoolhouse. Stop by our offices in New York or San Francisco and you'll find us working hard, digging into our data, sharing our favorite classroom projects, and Instagramming the happiest thank you notes from students.

Partner Since: 2016

Founder (year established): Charles Best (2000)

Website: http://www.donorschoose.org/