On Feb. 5, AdoptAClassroom.org — the national nonprofit that raises funds for teachers to purchase classroom supplies — launched their new School Program, giving principals and school administrators across the country the opportunity to use the proven platform to raise funds for school-wide initiatives. It also announced updates to its ownership of materials policy related to its Teacher Program to comply with school districts’ changing guidelines regarding crowdfunding by teachers.
New School Program
Continued budget cuts require school principals, administrators and teachers to fill the education gap by using alternative means of fundraising to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to learn and succeed. AdoptAClassroom.org’s new School Program was developed in direct response to the growing demands on schools.
The program enables school principals to use AdoptAClassroom.org’s proprietary fundraising platform to raise discretionary funds for their schools. Once they are registered with AdoptAClassroom.org, school principals will also be eligible for other funding opportunities through the nonprofit’s grant programs and corporate sponsors. To align with school district objectives and crowdfunding policies, AdoptAClassroom.org requires each principal or administrator who registers to use their platform for public-facing fundraising to submit a letter from their district office indicating that they are authorized to do so.
AdoptAClassroom.org has partnered with school districts for many years, deferring to their leadership to identify the schools in their community most in need of support. New York City Department of Education played an instrumental role when three of their public schools, P.S. 111, P.S. 34, and Renaissance School of Arts, MS 377, each received a $10,000 donation from AdoptAClassroom.org to purchase school supplies for their classrooms and students.
“We worked closely with AdoptAClassroom.org to find schools that would benefit most from this program. AdoptAClassroom.org was a trusted partner, committed to carefully considering where their funds would do the most good for our students,” said Mariano Guzmán, senior advisor, Office of the Chancellor, NYC Department of Education. “We thank AdoptAClassroom.org for their invaluable support of our schools and students.”
Update to Ownership of Materials Policy for Teacher Program
AdoptAClassroom.org wants to be a trusted fundraising partner for all teachers, schools and school districts. That is why, effective Feb. 1, AdoptAClassroom.org has updated their ownership of materials policy to comply with American Association of School Administrators guidelines, and with the changing policies of school districts across the country.
The new policy states that when a teacher places an order using a donation from AdoptAClassroom.org, it is the school listed on the teacher’s AdoptAClassroom.org classroom page that will be the ultimate owner of the materials purchased. Upon request, AdoptAClassroom.org will also provide schools and districts a full list of the items ordered — listed by individual teachers — to ensure complete transparency and compliance with many school districts’ policies regarding permitted crowdfunding by teachers.
While AdoptAClassroom.org is making these changes in response to the growing needs of schools and to evolving district policies, support for teachers and students remains the ultimate focus for the nonprofit. Teachers are encouraged to fundraise using the organization’s proprietary fundraising platform, and to apply for grants through their Spotlight Fund program that funds specific subject areas or unique area of needs. AdoptAClassroom.org’s Spotlight Funds focus on STEM, the Arts, Inclusive Classrooms, Highest Need, First Year Teachers and Disaster Relief.
About AdoptAClassroom.org
We are a national, award-winning nonprofit that provides the most flexible and accountable funding for K-12 teachers and schools. Our proprietary, easy-to-use education fundraising platform helps teachers, principals, and administrators give every child the tools they deserve to succeed in school. Since 1998, we have raised more than $36 million and supported 4.5 million students. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we hold a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. For more information, or to make a donation, please visit www.adoptaclassroom.org.
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