Oh -- and you can help fund parts of the project -- you don't have to pay
the whole thing
Also, many of these are *very* modest requests for help. One project wants
to buy a video on the history of the Arab/Israeli conflict -- 58 bucks (part
of which will help support the site)

58 bucks! (sure, there are things much more costly... but again, you don't
have to fund the whole thing)

that's just too cool for words, and it's exactly the sort of thing I can get
on board with.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kestrel" 
To: 
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 6:44 PM
Subject: [BR-2] DonorsChoose


>
> All,
>
> I saw this on Oprah today (the show was about outstanding teachers) and
> couldn't resist forwarding it on -- it's a spectacular idea, and a simple
> one at that! I've posted their words on "How it works"
below, but I urge
you
> all to go to their site:
>
> www.donorschoose.org
>
> And for you teacherly types out there (pointed looks at
> you-know-who-you-are) perhaps you can help get something like this started
> in your area -- this (so far!) only assists schools in NY
>
> Oprah doesn't endorse fly-by-night operations, so my bet is that they're
> every bit safe and true to their mission.
>
>
>  -------------
> DonorsChoose' model of citizen philanthropy begins with a teacher who
wants
> to provide his or her students with an activity that school funds would
not
> cover. At this website, the teacher can describe a student project and
list
> the materials needed to make it possible.
>
> DonorsChoose.org is not a bulletin board where teachers can directly post
> their proposals, however. Before accepting a proposal, DonorsChoose staff
> and volunteers verify the teacher's identity; confirm the existence of
> requested materials; negotiate discounts and attach a cost to the
proposal;
> and, finally, review the proposed student project. If anything is unclear,
> staff email follow-up questions to the teacher.
>
> Next, civic-minded individuals can browse teachers' submissions. A donor
can
> make a tax-deductible contribution that fully or partially funds a chosen
> proposal.
>
> When a proposal is funded, DonorsChoose purchases the materials and has
them
> delivered to the teacher's school. Staff also mails the teacher a
disposable
> camera and stamped envelope in which to enclose photographs of the project
> taking place, student thank-you notes, and a teacher letter. Upon
receiving
> this feedback, DonorsChoose attaches receipts, and forwards this package
to
> the donor.
>
> DonorsChoose presents a new business model for accomplishing good works.
> Typically, a nonprofit organization must pay itself to assess needs and
> design services for a particular group of people. At DonorsChoose,
motivated
> teachers--who know their kids better than anyone in the system--perform
this
> essential task for free. Correspondingly, a foundation pays itself to
> evaluate the programs designed by nonprofits and to channel funds to the
> most worthy programs. At DonorsChoose, citizen-philanthropists perform
this
> task.
>
>

--- Rachel's Little NET2FIDO Gate v 0.9.9.8 Alpha