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By Daphra Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008 at 6:40pm

Answer:

The 2008 Blogger Challenge kicked off today, and almost immediately the hilarity ensued. Here’s a quick round up of some of the “prizes” that some bloggers have offered to their readers:

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By Daphra Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 at 12:31pm

With 24 hours to go until the Blogger Challenge officially kicks off, we wanted to share a very “inspirational” message from TomatoNation.com…

It’s not too late to join the party. Email bloggers (at) DonorsChoose (dot) org if you’re interested in getting involved in this year’s election Blogger Challenge.

Vote with your wallet.

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By Daphra Sunday, Sep 28, 2008 at 5:00pm

Blogger Challenge Banner

Last October, the 2007 Blogger Challenge inspired the web community to help 75,000 kids in high-need public schools. This October, bloggers and their readers are setting out to provide even more help to students in low-income communities. Technorati is sponsoring the “generosity rankings,” and FORTUNE is helping to spread the good word. Yahoo!, who will award the blog that mobilizes the most readers, recently announced that they will pay for a field trip for the kids at a school of the winning bloggers choice (up to $5,000). Six Apart will also award the bloggers who helps the most students (TBA)!

Titans of the Web have tossed their hats into the ring. TechCrunch, Engadget, BoingBoing, Fred Wilson, Kara Swisher, Apartment Therapy, and other top bloggers have created giving pages on DonorsChoose.org listing their favorite classroom project requests–and are now encouraging their readers to donate to those projects. See the giving contest take shape at: www.donorschoose.org/bloggers and check out a great piece in FORTUNE describing the 2008 Blogger Challenge.

Fear not, small bloggers. The DonorsChoose.org Blogger Challenge is about the engagement and generosity of your readers, not the number of your readers. Here are some tips for having the most fun, and helping the most students possible, during the 2008 Blogger Challenge:

1. Invite your readers to pick some of the classroom projects that will go on your giving page. When readers participate in choosing the projects, they feel a special responsibility to fund those projects.

2. Offer to do something wacky if your readers reach a certain level of donations. Last year, the blogger behind TomatoNation.com offered to dance through Rockefeller Center dressed as a tomato if her readers funded all the projects on her challenge page. It worked.

3. Say something feisty about the other bloggers in your giving group or about the singular awesomeness of your readers. A sense of competition, and of team pride, really helps to inspire donations.

4. Use the widget for your giving page. This widget will not only serve as a constant call-to-action for your readers, but as a public salute to the individual readers who have made donations through your giving page.

Here are some all-star posts from the last Blogger Challenge:

TomatoNation: “Preview” and “Whoa”

ScienceBlogs.com | Pharyngula: “Freethinkers for Education”

TechCrunch: “Fred Wilson Needs to be Stopped!”

Kara Swisher (All Things Digital): “Blogger Charity Smackdown” and “Using MY kids to Raise Money for the Kids at DonorsChoose.org

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By Daphra Friday, Apr 18, 2008 at 4:00pm

Monday, April 14th
Articles
Public Education in America: Charles Best Weighs In
Source: Big Think Blog
Articles
Colbert does Philly
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania | Author: Dan DeLuca
Just who is this guy & why is he here?
Source: Philadelphia Daily News, Pennsylvania | Author: Ellen Gray
Even small donations make a very big difference in schools
Source: Providence Journal, Rhode Island | Author: Linda Borg
Blog
TomatoNation BloggersChallenge donor reflects on the DonorsChoose.org experience
Source: Shanchan’s Blog | Blogger: shanchan
Garden Rant: DonorsChoose.org Update
Source: Garden Rant | Blogger: Susan
Best $50 I ever spent
Source: rc3.org | Blogger: Rafe Colburn
DonorsChoose.org: Fulfilling the Promise of Micro-Philanthropy
Source: socialactions | Blogger: Peter Deitz
“A Gift that Keeps on Giving”
Source: Lifelong Learning: The Third Degree | Blogger: Georgia Harper
Cage and Aquarium raises money for DonorsChoose.org
Source: Shelly Anderson Photography | Blogger: Shelley
Do Something Nice
Source: Life by Candlelight | Blogger: Amy

Tuesday, April 15th
Video
Making Good Money Doing Homework
Source: Big Think Blog
Articles
Website designed to make teachers wishes come true
Source: WISH TV 8 | Author: Leslie Olsen
Blogs
DonorsChoose.org Children’s Artwork
Source: No Fact Zone | Blogger: Ms Interpreted
Help American Education Directly
Source: Live Journal- Victoria Lane

Wednesday, April 16th
Articles
‘Kingmaker’ Colbert Hits the Road
Source: Calgary Herald | Author: Dan DeLuca
Empty Bowls Dinner way for students to aid food banks
Source: Woodland Progress | Author: Stephanie Hacke
Teachers Seek Funds for Classroom Supplies
Source: Sun Sentinel
Blogs
Collateral benefits of a people’s candidate
Source: Wordpress Blog- unastronaut
Vote in Pennsylvania!
Source: Shelby’s Life and Whatnot | Blogger: Shelby

Thursday, April 17th
Articles
The Daring Dozen 2008: Our Heroes- Twelve who are reshaping the future of education
Source: Edutopia | Author: Douglas Chruickshank
Colbert straw poll benefits PA. students
Source: Arizona Daily Star
Clinton aims to attract youth with appearance on ‘Colbert’
Source: Washington Times | Author: Christina Bellatoni

Friday, April 18th
Articles
Citizen Philanthropy: Helping Teachers get the tools they need to enhance learning
Source: Westport Minuteman| Author: Claire Minerly
English lesson comes to life in conversation with author
Source: Martinsville Bulletin | Author: Kim Barto
Blogs
Another call-in radio show talks to Stephen Colbert
Source: No Fact Zone | Blogger: Ms Interpreted

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By Daphra Wednesday, Apr 16, 2008 at 11:19am

Charles Best, the Founder & CEO of DonorsChoose.org, was recently featured on the Big Think, an interactive web forum, where he addressed the state of public education, the level of disparity, and his thoughts on the level of investment it takes to bridge the widening gap. Check out what he had to say below and feel free to leave your own thoughts/remarks in our comment section…

Link

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By Daphra Friday, Apr 11, 2008 at 7:00pm

Although we had two big stories this week (The Today Show and Colbert Report), we also wanted to share a sampling of some of the other awesome coverage that we received this week…

Enjoy!

Monday, April 7th
Articles
Champions explore strategies for education
Source: Hickory Daily Record, North Carolina | Author: Sarah Newell
Website brings together Educators, Philanthropists
Source: Virginia Journal of Education
Stephen Colbert hosts show in Philadelphia, raises money for PA public schools
Source: The Temple News, Pennsylvania | Author: Kriston Bethel
Video
Urban kids learn to beat drums
Source: ABC7 News, San Francisco | Reporter: Lyanne Melendez
Blog
Donorschoose and a Challenge
Source: Knit Flix, Silicon Valley | Blogger: Bogie
Bold Undertakings
Source: It’s Getting Hot in Here, Williams College, MA | Blogger: Morgan
What seems small to you might make a big difference
Source: Uwe’s Blog | Blogger: Uwe Hook

Tuesday, April 8th
Video
Stephen Colbert Interview with Matt Lauer
Source: The Today Show, MSNBC
DonorsChoose.org featured again on The Colbert Report
Source: The Colbert Report, Comedy Central
Blogs
Gammoth Gives Back
Source: Gammoth
DonorsChoose
Source: Here and There
Colbert Rigs New Vote in Pennsylvania
Source: Camper: Politics/Policy/Pacifiers

Wednesday, April 9th
Articles
Opinion: Colbert straw poll benefits PA. schools
Source: The Arizona Daily Star Online
Blogs
Donorschoose.org Groupspace Highlight
Source: DailyKos.com | Blogger: Fitzmas Elf
Celebrate the Democralypse with Stephen Colbert
Source: Gather.com | Blogger: Sarah G.
Want to Vote in the PA Primary?
Source: Spiderplant
Obama leading in yet another race
Source: Life After D.C.
Getting some love from Stephen Colbert
Source: Fading Margins
Getting some love from Stephen Colbert, Part II
Source: Fading Margins
Education an issue (sort of) in Pennsylvania
Source: Education Election
Montana Link Share Project Education Highlight: DonorsChoose.org
Source: Montana Link Share Project (Education)
McKenney’s Blogging Area
Source: McKenney’s Blogging Area
Kooks Tales Loves DonorsChoose.org
Source: Kooks Tales

Thursday, April 10th
Blogs
Colbert and DonorsChoose.org
Source: A VC: Musings of a VC | Blogger: Fred Wilson
Education 2.0: 17 services related to schools
Source: Everything 2.0

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By Daphra Thursday, Apr 10, 2008 at 1:15pm

Stephen Colbert recently featured DonorsChoose.org again on his show The Colbert Report. Colbert reiterated his enthusiastic commitment to his DonorsChoose.org Pennsylvania Straw Poll Campaign and showed off some more of the fantastic student artwork that he received, which depicts some of the presidential candidates. As of today, Colbert’s campaign has helped us reach over 30,000 public school students in Pennsylvania. Check out this clip from his show last night…

Links:

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By Daphra Tuesday, Apr 8, 2008 at 2:00pm

In case you missed it, Stephen Colbert was featured on the “Today Show” this morning! He was interviewed by Matt Lauer in a segment titled “Politics, Pennsylvania & Philanthropy,” in which Stephen highlighted his DonorsChoose.org Pennsylvania Straw Poll Campaign and urged viewers to get involved in Pennsylvania by donating to public schools in honor of Clinton or Obama. While Stephen’s name may not be on the ballot box this fall, his emphatic philanthropic campaign has reached over 27,000 public school students through “DonorsChoose.org”. Check out a clip of Stephen’s appearance, as well as some of the awesome artwork, depicting the candidates, that we’ve received from students affected by his campaign…

Links:

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By Daphra Friday, Apr 4, 2008 at 6:00pm

Interested in reading what others are saying about DonorsChoose.org? The blog will now feature a weekly ’round up’ of neat articles and blog posts relating to our organization.

Enjoy!

Monday, March 31st

Articles
A Wikipedia of Hope
Source: New York Times, New York | Author: Nicholas Kristof

Obama wallops Stephen Colbert
Source: Washington Post, Washington DC | Author: Christina Bellatoni

Online service brings teachers, funds together
Source: Cherry Hill Courier Post Online, South Jersey | Matt Katz

Tuesday, April 1st

Articles
School Days
Source: Washington Times, Washington, DC | Author: Greg Pierce

Blogs
Daily Digest
Source: Personal Democracy Forum | Author: Joshua Levy

10 Sites to Keep you Thinking
Source: Ideas that Spread | Author Jon Cronin

DonorsChoose:Future of Philanthropy
Source: SS Trudeau

Wednesday, April 2nd

Blogs
NY Tech Meet up- April 2008
Source: WhitneyHess.com | Whitney Hess
(Highlights Oliver’s, CTO, recent presentation at the NY Tech Meet up)

DonorsChoose.org benefits from the Colbert Bump
Source: NoFactZone
(re-blog of Tatiana’s recent post on the Colbert bump phenomenon)

DonorsChoose.org Garden Blogger Challenge
Source: Garden Rant

Thursday, April 3rd

Blogs
Nonprofit Websites that Work- 3 of my Favorites
Source: Nonprofit Marketing- Getting Attention Blog

Friday, April 4th

Blogs
Senator Tom Torlakson’s DonorsChoose.org Challenge
Source: Mt Diablo Unified School District Blog

April Feature: DonorsChoose.org
Source: Design for a Cause

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