DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit fundraising service that connects eligible public-school teachers with donors who want to supply classrooms. It suits full-time educators seeking materials for specific student needs, especially when purchasing and delivery would otherwise be burdensome. The main choice is between no-minimum basic-supply requests and broader projects that require a larger target and have a fixed fundraising period.

Overview

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in New York City, DonorsChoose lets teachers request classroom items while donors finance those requests. DonorsChoose then orders and ships funded goods, rather than leaving teachers to coordinate every donor and supplier themselves. Teachers can sign up and post without paying, but participation is limited to eligible full-time educators at public or public charter schools who work directly with students and meet the service’s eligibility rules.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, DonorsChoose also places controls around fulfillment and student privacy. It says it vets requests, purchases the requested items, and ships materials to verified teachers or reimburses against an invoice. Projects are reviewed before publication, typically within five business days.

Key features

Classroom Essentials

Essentials requests use a curated catalog of basic supplies, require no minimum, and ship items as funding arrives. This is the practical route for routine materials or smaller needs where waiting to reach a substantial campaign goal would be inconvenient. Requests stay online to collect donations, so the format favors incremental funding.

Classroom Projects catalog

Classroom Projects open access to more than 1 million products from over 20 teacher-favorite stores, including Lakeshore, Amazon, Staples, and Teachers Pay Teachers. That breadth is useful when a teacher needs a precise resource list rather than a standard bundle. The trade-off is a $100 minimum request and a posting window of up to four months. If the goal is missed, donors can redirect their contributions to the teacher’s next project instead of leaving the money attached to an unfunded request.

Safeguards and donor follow-up

DonorsChoose says it reviews projects for student privacy, removes identifying information, and requires parent or guardian permission for photos showing students. Teachers are asked to send donors a thank-you package containing two photos of the funded project in use. A Help Center and Trust & Safety contact provide routes for support and suspected-misuse reports. Recurring donations are supported, with cards and wallets accepted for payment.

Pricing

DonorsChoose is free for teachers, with no free trial because there is no paid plan to trial. The Teacher projects plan costs nothing and lets teachers sign up and post projects; Classroom Project requests still require at least $100 and can remain posted for up to four months. Classroom Essentials also costs nothing, has no minimum, uses curated basic supplies, and remains online while donations are collected.

These are not interchangeable price tiers. Essentials gives up catalog breadth in exchange for a lower barrier to funding, while Teacher projects supports more specific purchases but imposes the minimum and time limit. Donors should note that the service supports recurring donations, but the teacher-facing plan terms do not add a subscription or seat charge.

Platforms

DonorsChoose is offered on the web. That suits teachers and donors who can manage requests and contributions through a browser, but no Android or iOS platform is identified for this service.

Who it's for

DonorsChoose is the strongest fit for eligible full-time educators at public or public charter schools who need classroom resources and want a managed path from fundraising to delivery. Essentials fits small or ongoing supply needs; Classroom Projects fit teachers with a defined list and a target of at least $100. It is not a general-purpose fundraiser for private-school staff, part-time educators, or people outside the eligibility rules.

Pros and cons

Pros

• No teacher charge: eligible teachers can register and post without paying.
• No-minimum Essentials requests: basic supplies can ship as contributions arrive instead of waiting for a large goal.
• Very broad project catalog: more than 1 million products and major education retailers support specific classroom lists.
• Managed fulfillment: DonorsChoose says it purchases and ships goods to verified teachers or reimburses against an invoice.
• Privacy and safety controls: project review, student-information removal, and photo-permission requirements address common fundraising risks.

Cons

• Eligibility is narrow: access is limited to qualifying full-time educators at public or public charter schools.
• Classroom Projects have meaningful constraints: the $100 minimum and four-month limit can make smaller or slower campaigns a poor fit.
• Web-only access: there is no identified mobile app platform for teachers or donors.
• Teacher follow-up is part of the process: teachers are asked to provide a thank-you package with two photos after funding.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, see Nonprofit Crowdfunding Software.

• Fundiful is a free Android, iOS, and web option with no startup or monthly fee and no Fundiful percentage fee, although card-processor fees may apply.
• JustGiving suits charities and fundraisers wanting Android, iOS, web, or API access; its free Start plan has standard payment-processing fees and a 5% Gift Aid reclaim fee.
• Ketto offers a free Bronze plan with automated story creation, mobile apps, and support, but applies a 3% payment-gateway fee plus GST on its success fee.
• LaunchGood is a free alternative with no platform fee and Android, iOS, and web access; card processing is 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction.
• Milaap offers free fundraisers with zero platform fees, actual payment-processing charges, and voluntary tipping.
• AdoptAClassroom.org is another free web service for eligible U.S. educators, providing donation credit for marketplace or Teacher Choice purchases.
• FundRazr provides free web and API plans with no platform fee; payment processing is 2.9% plus $0.30, with donors able to cover fees.
• Goteo is a crowdfunding option governed by the nonprofit Goteo Foundation, with a free campaign plan.

Verdict

Choose DonorsChoose if you are an eligible public-school educator who wants free project posting and a service that handles purchasing and delivery. Its no-minimum Essentials route is the standout for basic supplies, while the larger catalog serves specific classroom wish lists. Look elsewhere if you are outside its educator eligibility rules, need a mobile-first platform, or want a fundraiser without the $100 minimum and four-month limit attached to Classroom Projects.