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Move over, bake sales. It's a brand new year, and time to start thinking big about how to use the Web to fund new projects or get gear for your classroom.If, like many teachers, you have great ideas but no resources to carry them out, then this list will be a jackpot for you -- I've collected nine ideas for how to raise money online and follow those classroom dreams. The season of giving and generosity might not be over yet!
Watch the player below to see the whole playlist, or view it on YouTube.
Donors Choose has been helping educators raise money for more than a decade. Check out their "3 Tips for Teachers" video, or this Edutopia article, for tips on successful campaigns.
IncitED is a brand-new crowdfunding community built just for educators -- and you receive all funds raised for your project at completion of your campaign, whether you meet your goal or not. Check out their Elements of Successful Crowdfunding guide for tips.
Here's the bake sale of the new century -- this news story interviews the founder of Schoola, which allows parents or teachers to connect local merchants to the community with a daily deal-style platform -- and the proceeds benefit their neighborhood schools.
Digital Wish allows teachers to publish a wish list of their tech needs that anyone can donate to, either by giving money directly to a classroom, purchasing gift cards, or contributing to specific campaigns. This video is a few years old; they're up to 30,000 wishes granted now!
Out-of-pocket spending is astronomical for teachers. Adopt a Classroomaims to help teachers stop spending their own money by connecting them with donors who want to help get them the resources they need.
ClassWish produced this wonderful mashup of a Charlie Chaplin film to encourage people to support the teachers who post on their site. It functions like a wedding registry, so donors can see what's already been purchased.
Teacher Don Wettrick explains why he chose EdBacker, a teacher-founded company, for his crowdfunding campaign. Watch Don's campaign video here, and you can find tutorial videos on the EdBacker YouTube channel.
WeAreTeachers is an online teacher community where you can find PD resources, but did you know they also give grants and offer listings for contests? Teachers often submit videos on what they did with their winnings.
Do you have excellent lessons plans and resources that you've developed over the years? Some educators make big bucks over on Teachers Pay Teachers, an open marketplace for learning materials. Despite audio glitches, this video is helpful for understanding the basics.
I hope this list got you excited about the myriad ways you can use your network creatively and make the best of Web-based platforms to raise some funds for your projects. I wish every teacher had all the funding they needed, but the truth is that most could use some extra support, even in relatively affluent districts. I've added a few more articles and resources below for more ideas on raising money for your classroom. Good luck with your campaigns!
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