Donors Choose Communities--Giving Pages

If you are facebook friends with me, you know that I was all about my 3 Donors Choose projects this summer.  Before this summer, I had posted only 1 DC project that did "magically" become fully funded  without my promotion.  I think the only reason it funded without promotion by me was because is was a very small dollar amount.

In my school district, I am required to receive approval from my school board before posting to Donors Choose due to it being a type of "grant".  Due to this, I wrote 3 proposals for the summer months all at once.  It takes some planning to meet deadlines but my students are worth it.  I knew with 3 projects up at the same time, I would need a lot of help promoting them.

First promotion I did was to contact my family and friends via facebook and email.  A few donations trickled in from this attempt.  It was a good start, but not enough to fund even one of them.

One afternoon, I stumbled across a facebook page that was a "giving page".  I had no idea what a giving page was about so I liked the page and read up on the posts.  I discovered that Donors Choose has communities that some refer to giving pages.  Giving pages will promote projects via facebook and twitter to their members.  Most hold contests where the prizes may range from $5 on up when you simply donate a $1 to one of their projects listed on their page.  You become a member of the community when you donate at least $1 to a project.

Over the next several weeks I became obsessed with giving pages!  I stalked them and figured out how to get my projects listed onto their giving pages.  It took a little bit of effort, but I succeeded in having all 3 projects listed on at least 1 giving page by giving to other projects that were listed on their pages.  Two of the 3 projects have been fully funded thanks to exposure from these communities.  One more to go.  Yay!

You maybe saying to yourself, "Why would you give to someone else project?  Just put the money towards your own."  First of all, each $1 given through Donors Choose is a tax deduction due to its 501c status.  Second, I learned through my years in business that nothing can flow through a tight fist.  When you are willing to support others, that support comes back around to you.  Old saying...you reap what you sow.

I am posting the links to my favorite giving pages that have helped me fund my projects.  If you need a way to promote your DC project, seek these giving pages out on facebook and follow them.  Look for helpful tips in their file sections on facebook.  (Southern Hospitality has great files listed.)

Here are my favorite giving page communities:

Kindergarten Rocks
Send A Smile
Memories and Milestones
Hand in Hand
Southern Hospitality
Caring Classrooms
Northern Lights

Right now there is a Back To School Contest going on that is sponsored by many of the giving pages.  Follow this link to Send A Smile for details.  Over the next 11 days, there will be 4--$10 DC winners compliments of Donors Choose!