Updated December 26th: this funding opportunity is no longer available.
Updated December 2nd: this article was incorrectly updated to reflect that funding was no longer available. Funding is still available!
Starting October 28th, qualifying projects will receive a 2X match on new donations. That means a $20 donation will become a $40 donation, and so on. Additionally, ten winners will be selected from the innovation challenge and will each receive a $1,000 gift code.
If your project meets the criteria below, new donations on your project will be doubled as long as funding remains. Once your project is approved and live on the site, you will see the match offer displayed on your project page.
How to qualify for the match offer:
- Teach at an Equity Focus School.
- Create a project requesting materials for experiential learning and use the campaign code HANDSON.
- In your project’s essay, describe your project’s focus on any of the following topics: hands-on activities, project-based learning, real world applications, experiential learning, interactive learning, inquiry-based learning, student-centered learning, role-playing, experiments, or labs.
How to qualify for the innovation challenge:
- If your project qualifies for the match offer, it will automatically be entered into the innovation challenge.
- Submit your most innovative project ideas that emphasize experiential learning—where students learn through hands-on, real-world experiences that encourage active participation and creativity. Our partners at Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation are excited to support projects that go beyond basic needs and general classroom materials, providing your students with unique opportunities to engage in activities that deepen their understanding through direct experience, exploration, problem-solving, and/or connections to experiences outside of the classroom.
- Ensure your essay describes your ideas clearly and mentions specific examples of experiential learning.
What won’t qualify:
-
Projects with with the following material types in the shopping cart:
- Computers and Tablets, Food Clothing and Hygiene, Flexible Seating,
- Projects with Teachers Pay Teachers Gift Cards in the shopping cart
- Professional Development projects
Looking for inspiration?
- Breaking Language Barriers Through Technology and Creative Expression | Mrs. Kathy Clark, Texas
- Exploring STEM with Drones: Hands-On Learning for Future Innovators! | Mr. Puod, New Mexico
- Elegant Enchantment: Table Linens and More for Dinner Theater Magic | Mrs. Vlaming, Nevada
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Are there any restrictions on which donations are doubled? ▼
Credit card, PayPal, account credit, and gift card donations to live projects are eligible for this match. Donations via check and donor-advised fund (DAF) will not be doubled due to processing time. Previous donations placed before the match offer’s start date and time will not be doubled. Please note, the match offer is not active for donations during Friends and Family Pre-Funding (the period when our team is reviewing projects).
Q: How is information gathered about my school? ▼
We receive our school data from a third party vendor called MDR. You can find out your school’s designation by visiting your school page through your teacher profile page.
Check this page to learn more about school page information.
Q: What is an Equity Focus School? ▼
Equity Focus Schools are defined as schools that include any of the following:
- At least 50% of students are Black, Latino, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial
- At least 50% of the students qualify for free or reduced priced lunch
- At least 75% of students are students of color (Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multiracial) and the same race
- Underserved rural communities (rural schools where more than one third (34+%) of the students are eligible for free and reduced priced lunch)
Check this page to learn more about Equity Focus Schools.
Q: How can I edit my posted project? ▼
If your project has not received any donations, you can make any edits by returning your project to draft status. You can do this by heading over to the Projects section of your account and clicking on the "Return project to draft" button underneath your project title. Once your project is in draft status, you can make any edits and resubmit it. Then, it will be re-screened by our team and re-posted if eligible. Read more about editing your project.
Q: Do Essentials Lists qualify for this funding opportunity? ▼
No. Donations placed to an Essentials list will not be matched by this funding opportunity. Essentials lists are currently not eligible to receive matching donations from any funding opportunity. You can read more about Classroom Essentials in our Help Center.