Begin creating your project by logging in to your DonorsChoose account.
Getting Around
The navigation bar at the top lets you jump between the five main steps of creating a project.
HI: Pick your project type
WHO: Describe your students
WHAT: Shop for your materials
WHY: Describe your resources and title your project
REVIEW: Make any final edits before submitting your project
You can go through these steps in order, or skip around – just click the step you want to work on next. You’ll see a green checkmark below each completed step.
HI: Pick your project type
On this step, you’ll select the type of project you’re going to create.
- Standard: Request materials or a virtual experience for your students. All Standard projects can ship to a school or district address. If your project is eligible for flexible shipping, you will also have the option to ship these materials to a non-school address, like your home.
- Professional Development: Request resources, a virtual trip, or virtual visitor to develop your teaching craft. All Professional Development projects need to ship to a school or district address.
Have a campaign code to qualify for a campaign or match offer? Apply it on this step by clicking the “Apply a campaign code” link.
WHO: Describe your students
Introduce your classroom by choosing the grade level and number of students that will benefit from your project.
WHAT: Select your resources or online experience and summarize them for your donors
On this step, you’ll choose whether you’re requesting materials, or a virtual trip or visitor. Read this detailed guide on shopping for materials for more thorough steps and screenshots.
When you’re requesting materials, search for materials by typing into the search bar. You can click “Add to cart” from the search results to build your materials list, or click the product’s title to learn more. Products with variations (e.g. different colors) will have a “See options” button and you must click that to choose which variation to add to your cart. When you’re done shopping, click the cart icon or “View cart” button to finish selecting items.
If you would like to search from a specific vendor partner, you’ll need to navigate to their specific site, cart items there, then transfer them to your classroom project.
Then, write a quick summary of those items for your donors.
WHY: Explain how this project will change your classroom
Create a title that sums up your project, then tell your donors how your project will make a difference in your classroom and exactly how the resources will be used.
Let us (and your donors) know if you’re planning on using your requested materials to facilitate in-person or remote learning.
At the bottom, pick up to two subject areas that’ll help donors identify your project.
REVIEW: Make any final edits before submitting your project
On this last step, you can see how your project will appear on the site after it’s approved. Scrolling down to the bottom of the page will show a list of any specific changes that need last minute attention before you submit.
You may need to verify that you teach at an eligible public school before you can submit your project.
Once you’re all set, submit your project and let our screening team have a look!
While your project is being reviewed, you can get a head start on funding by sharing your special Friends and family Pre-funding link with your network. They can make donations toward your classroom immediately, and our system will automatically apply those donations as soon as your project is approved and live on the public site.