In a country that can't agree on much, millions of strangers are quietly funding each other's kids' classrooms and it's working. The engine behind this movement? An organization Stephen Colbert calls "the simplest, best idea": DonorsChoose. The vision really is that straightforward — let teachers tell us what their students need, then we all help them get it.
A Bronx classroom and a big idea
Twenty-six years ago, Charles Best, a teacher at a Bronx public high school, was at Staples at 5 a.m., photocopying pages from a novel, because his high school couldn’t afford a class set. He and his fellow teachers would talk about the books, art supplies, and other materials they dreamed of for their students.
Years before ‘crowdfunding’ was even a word, Charles figured there were people who would want to help if they could see where their money was going. His instincts led him to build DonorsChoose, a website where teachers could post requests for classroom resources and supporters could give as little as one dollar to help. Charles’s colleagues posted the first 11 projects. Today, 3.5 million projects have been funded.
The most transparent way to give
Nationwide DonorsChoose has raised $1.95 billion for teachers and students since 2000. Each year, we mobilize more than $150 million, half from individual donors giving to students and teachers through our website, and half from companies, foundations, and states.
Here's how it works: a teacher identifies a specific need, like flexible seating for a classroom of wiggly second graders, microscopes for a Title I science lab, or novels for a first-generation college prep program, and creates a request on our site with a full breakdown of what the materials cost item by item. Donors browse those requests, choose the ones that move them, and give directly to the students and teachers they want to support. When a request is fully funded, we purchase the materials and ship them directly to the school.
83% of donations on DonorsChoose come from people who have never met the teacher they're funding. We’re built on the goodwill of strangers who care about students enough to pitch in and help.
A story to tell
Nationwide, we’ve delivered over 13 million books, and equipped students with 4.5 million art supplies. 90% of US public schools have at least one teacher who has posted a project. We love data but we love what the numbers represent even more: the millions of students who can focus on learning, instead of empty shelves.
Every funded request closes with a thank you note from the teacher to their supporters. Their voices are the DonorsChoose story:
“Your support goes far beyond supplies — you are helping create a positive, engaging classroom environment where students can thrive. We are truly grateful for your generosity and for investing in our students' success. Thank you for showing my students how to CHOOSE KIND!!! ❤️❤️❤️” — Mrs. Tunick, Oregon
“My students were in awe knowing that complete strangers cared about them and their success. My hope is that they will pay your generosity forward in the future.” — Dr. Asmus, Delaware
“For students to know that family and friends and sometimes, complete strangers, will donate to create a support system toward furthering their education, can be a life-long lesson which goes beyond the third grade.” — Ms. Edwards, California
Teachers lead the way
Between tightening school budgets, shifting federal priorities, and persistent inequity across zip codes, the gap between what teachers need and what school systems can provide isn't going to close on its own. The challenges are complex, but the answer is simple: trust teachers. Public school teachers are our front lines of education — they know what supplies their students need and they know how to put those supplies to real use. Teachers will continue to be the hands guiding students forward. We'll keep making sure there’s an entire community to support them.
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