recipe for success
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atpe.org
atpe news
by Heather O'Keefe Gardner
W
ith education funding decreasing every year, schools
and teachers are being asked to do more and more
with less money. In many schools, teachers use their
own money to decorate their classrooms, buy supplies
for their students, and purchase extras like magazine
subscriptions, books, and educational software. These
educators go above and beyond to ensure their students
have as enriching an educational experience as possible.
Now there's help.
ATPE has joined forces with
DonorsChoose.org to provide
money that teachers can use to
enhance their classrooms.
DonorsChoose.org's mission
is to allow the public to address
educational inequality by donating
money to individual projects.
To date, more than two million
people have donated more
than $400 million to projects
on DonorsChoose.org. These
donations have reached more
than 17 million students, providing
things like books, art supplies,
computers, and robots.
The process begins when a
teacher sets up a project that he
or she wants funded. Projects
can be just about anything:
subscriptions to magazines, books
for the classroom library, robotics
kits, computers, art supplies, new
educational software, or feld trips.
Once a project has been funded,
DonorsChoose.org purchases the
items requested and sends them to
the teacher. By negotiating directly
with suppliers, DonorsChoose.org
is able to ensure the best possible
prices. People who donate receive
a letter from the teacher, a cost
report detailing how their money
was spent, and pictures of the
items being used in the classroom.
Donors who give $50 or more also
receive notes from the students
who beneftted from the project.
ATPE Is a Matching Partner
DonorsChoose.org allows
companies and organizations
to create matching programs.
ATPE is now a matching partner
with DonorsChoose.org. When
a member creates a project
on DonorsChoose.org and lists
ATPE in either the project title or
description, ATPE will match 50
percent of the project cost once
the frst half of the funds have
been donated. The total for each
project cannot exceed $1,000,
including fees. Each eligible ATPE
member can seek matching funds
for one project per school year.
HOW IT WORKS
Getting funding for your
classroom project through
DonorsChoose.org and
ATPE is easy.
1
Go to DonorsChoose.
org and set up an
account. The site will walk
you through the whole
process.
2
Identify yourself as
an ATPE member by
including "ATPE" in your
project title or description.
3
Set your funding
request amount. To
qualify for this matching
program, the total cost
of your project cannot
exceed $1,000, including
fees.
4
Make sure your
project meets the
eligibility requirements set
by DonorsChoose.org.
5
Spread the word.
Once your project has
been approved, let people
know through emails and
social media.
Matching funds for your
project will be applied
once you have raised 50
percent of the total you
requested.
ATPE WILL CONTRIBUTE UP TO
$500 FOR YOUR CLASSROOM