Donors Choose
The Erie Community Foundation is providing $10,000 to teachers via www.DonorsChoose.org, a nonprofit that makes it easy for anyone to help public school teachers and classrooms in need. Public and charter schools in Erie County, PA are eligible to apply for a "Double Your Impact" grant to match funding for classroom projects. All Erie County teacher projects that raise 50% of the funding needed for their project can receive the remaining 50% needed from the Erie Community Foundation.
Here's an Example of How it Works:
The Erie Community Foundation made a $10,000 Double Your Impact offer/grant for classroom projects. A teacher at a public school lists his or her project on the website. Although the project costs $500, it is listed as needing only $250 thanks to the Double Your Impact offer. Once the remaining $250 is given by other donors, it "unlocks" The Erie Community Foundation Double Your Impact offer, the funding is applied, and the project is fully funded!
However, if the teacher's project does not receive the remaining $250 in donations before the entire $10,000 grant is spent on other Erie and Erie County projects, then the Double Your Impact offer is withdrawn from her project. If this is the case, the Foundation logo will disappear from the project page and the project price will return to its original amount.
If you are a teacher and would like to post a project:
- Click here to access www.DonorsChoose.org.
- Create or Log into your DonorsChoose.org account.
- Submit a student-centered math or literacy project for up to $1000 in classroom materials. The total cost of your project must be $1,000 or less, including shipping and all fees.
- Projects take about 5 days to review and post on to the website. You can learn more about the process here. As long as your project qualifies for our offer, The Erie Community Foundation logo will appear as soon as it is posted to the website.
- Promote your project to your colleagues, networks, parents, and PTO’s and ask them to donate. Donors will choose which projects receive the Erie Community Foundation match by their show of support.
- If the $10,000 match is exhausted and your project has NOT been fully funded, it will remain in the DonorsChoose.org site for up to a year past your post date. This will allow for possible individual donations but will not receive a match from The Erie Community Foundation.
If you are a donor:
If making online grants of any size to school projects appeals to you, then Donors Choose can be exciting. Simply read about the teacher's projects by clicking here, and then decide which literacy or math project you would like to support. You can search Pennsylvania and then Erie, and/or any of the surrounding counties such as Millcreek, Fairview, Albion, ect. Your gift can be even just a dollar because every gift matters!
Last year the following schools have projects:
- Elk Valley Elementary School
- Fairview Elementary School
- Jefferson School
- Lincoln Elementary School
- Northwest Penn Collegiate Acad
- Perseus House Cs-Maritime
- Pfeiffer-Burleigh Elem School
- Wattsburg Area Middle School
- Wilson Middle School
- Klein Elementary School
- McKean Elementary School
- Northwest Penn Collegiate Academy
- Rolling Ridge Elementary School
- Central Tech High School
- Burton Elementary School
- Earle C. Davis Primary School
Please Note:
- The match funding is only applied to projects if donors fund the other 50% before the grant of $10,000 runs out or before the project expires.
- The Erie Community Foundation is partnering with Erie County schools. We are promoting Donors Choose to local donors, and we are providing materials/information for teachers to send to their colleagues, networks, parents, and PTO’s.
For any questions regarding Donors Choose, please e-mail Tiffanie Collazo, Director of Community Impact or call (814) 454-0843.
