You’re in on the DonorsChoose secret. Now you can make your community even stronger by spreading the word. You can help more students get the resources they deserve, and your students will benefit too! Every time you help another teacher submit their first DonorsChoose project*, you can receive a $25 DonorsChoose gift code, while funding lasts.
Here’s how to refer another teacher to post their first project:
- Sign into your DonorsChoose account.
- Head to DonorsChoose.org/refer.
- You’ll see a button that says “Refer a teacher” after a few seconds.
- Choose one of the four options listed (email, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn) to spread your referral link to teachers who’ve never used DonorsChoose. You can also access your unique share link at the top of this popup. The unique share link starts with http://share.donorschoose.org and ends in your unique code!
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Once a new teacher has your referral link, they should click that link and get started creating their first project.
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- To better ensure their project is connected to your referral account, encourage them to click your referral link again before they submit their project.
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- You’ll be eligible for one $25 gift card for each new teacher you refer with your referral link who submits a project. The teacher you refer will be eligible for our Friends and Family promo code during the first week their project is live, and as soon as they submit, we’ll send you a $25 gift card.
Here’s how to check on your referrals:
- You can track your referrals’ progress by going to Donorschoose.org/refer and clicking “Track your referrals and rewards.”
FAQ about the Refer-a-Teacher program
1. Why didn’t I receive a gift card for one of my referrals?
Let’s figure it out! Mind checking the following things?
- If your referred teacher hasn’t yet submitted their project, they’re considered “in process.” As soon as they successfully submit their first project, you’ll receive your gift card by email!
- Head to your referral tracker (click “Track your referrals and rewards” on DonorsChoose.org/refer) and click “Your Referrals” on the left. Each teacher who’s used your link should be listed there, and any teacher who posted a project will have a green “approved” indicator on the right. If your referred teacher isn’t appearing, they may not have used your link.
- The teacher you referred may not be a new member of the DonorsChoose community. Could they possibly have posted a project a few years ago? Check out their teacher page—if you see any projects listed before the one they posted with your help, they won’t count toward your referrals. We’re so appreciative that you were able to help them post another project on DonorsChoose, and we bet they will be, too!
- It never hurts to search your spam folder. Sometimes our emails end up there!
2. Is there a limit to the number of teachers I can refer?
Each teacher on our site can refer and earn rewards for up to 50 new teachers.
3. I got my gift card! How do I use it?
Nice! We can’t wait to see what project you support. Here are some instructions for using your new gift card.
4. The teacher I’m referring has some pretty complex questions about how to create their project. How can I help them?
These resources for helping another teacher use DonorsChoose may be a good place to start. If you’re stuck, just help them reach out to our team!
5. Are Classroom Essentials lists eligible for this program?
No. Essentials lists do not count toward a successful referral. This program is specifically for new teachers to create classroom projects.