Top 10: How College Football Playoff Foundation Has Supported Teachers Through the Years

Can we huddle real quick? Since a lot of us have just cheered on our favorite college teams, we wanted to spotlight one of our favorite dream teams: DonorsChoose and the College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation!

Year after year, the CFP Foundation has helped us ensure that classroom needs are met across the country through their Extra Yard for Teachers platform. Since this year marks our partnership’s 10 year anniversary, we couldn’t help but replay a few key achievements over the years. Let’s roll the tape back… or, you know, scroll down the page!

A Winning Lineup for Education

So how did this partnership come to be? The CFP Foundation elevates the teaching profession by implementing and supporting activities across four main areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. Its community outreach arm Extra Yard for Teachers has become the largest sports entity dedicated to supporting teachers. 

Classroom Impact: A Top 10 Highlight Reel

For everyone keeping score at home, that’s 10 strong years of partnership between the CFP Foundation and DonorsChoose — with CFPF investing $10.8 million, impacting tens of thousands of teachers and millions of students. And there are so many meaningful moments that got us here that’s worth a replay, including: 

10: A WINNING PLAY FOUR YEARS RUNNING
The annual Big Day for Teachers and Extra Yard for Teachers Week, both of which have built momentum across our nation’s college football community to celebrate teachers every September.

9: 2016 REPLAY FROM ARIZONA

In the lead up to the 2016 Championship Game in Phoenix, College Football Playoff Foundation and the Phoenix Host Committee fully funded all 734 live projects in Arizona in a single instant.

8: AN ANNUAL HIGHLIGHT
Each September, universities, conferences, bowl games, ESPN, and education supporters across the country honor and recognize great teachers during the 8-day celebration, Extra Yards for Teachers, with public recognition and DonorsChoose gift cards.

7: 2021 BIG 12 REPLAY
The Big 12 Conference and College Football Playoff Foundation instantly brought to life project requests across ten cities with schools in the Big 12 Conference.

6: BIG WINS FROM BIG ASSISTS

The CFP Foundation rallies their other corporate partners, including Dr Pepper, Eckrich, and Cheez-It to support the work of DonorsChoose teachers everywhere. 

5: 2023 REPLAY FROM THE MIDWEST
Cheez-It and CFP Foundation team up on the Big Day For Teachers to fund 253 DonorsChoose projects from 198 teachers across 103 schools in Illinois and Michigan — not to mention the 437 classroom dreams they brought to life in Orlando, Florida on Championship game day!

4: 2019 COTTON BOWL REPLAY
The Cotton Bowl Foundation and CFP Foundation surprised 200 teachers with $500 DonorsChoose gift codes to support schools impacted by tornadoes that hit Dallas that year. 

3: 2021 REPLAY FROM MIAMI

As part of the College Football Playoff Champ Week Funding, ESPN funded 126 Pe-K-12 projects in Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

2: 2022 REPLAY FROM LOS ANGELES

CFP Foundation fully funded 81 mental health projects from teachers at historically underfunded schools who’d never before received funding through DonorsChoose.

1: TODAY’S ON-FIELD HIGHLIGHT
The $1 Million Challenge for Teachers returned for the 2023-2024 college football season! 

College Football Playoff, with their sponsor Eckrich, is inviting nominated teachers onto the field at some of this season’s biggest matchups. These lucky teachers, randomly selected from the entries, had a chance to win up to $1 million dollars in grants to fund local schools. 

Teachers: The real MVPs 

Whether it’s football playoffs or funding projects, we all know one thing for sure: Our teachers and their bright learners are the real MVPs. Every day, educators are the ones making sure their classrooms have what they need to be a thriving playing field for ALL students — we’re just glad to have the community and partners to help them achieve it. 

Learn more about CFP Foundation and the Extra Yard for Teachers.