(This is the second installment in a series of posts about classroom fundraising. Several of the topics can also be applied outside of the world of teaching, as well! So sit back, grab a hot [or iced] cup of coffee, and stay awhile!)
Hey, y'all! I really hope you enjoyed yesterday's post on Donors Choose! Even more than that, I hope that some of you were inspired to start your own projects! You and your students deserve the most fabulous classroom possible.
Now, let's keep going with Donors Choose! You created and submitted your project, it was approved, and now it's live.
YAY!
What comes next is, in my opinion, the really fun part! You get to advertise your project to your friends and family. They're the ones who are most likely to donate to your project, at least at first!
How can you share?
1. Facebook. Sharing your projects on Facebook is one of the quickest ways to get some attention on your project! I always make sure to write something to go along with the link. If you're worried about people being upset that you are asking for monetary donations, simply ask your Facebook friends to share your post. The more exposure it gets, the more likely it is that someone will help fund your project! Here are some example posts that I have done:
Here is an example of where a family member shared my post (thanks, Gretchen!):
I can tell you with absolute confidence that Facebook is my most effective method of sharing my projects.
As a quick note- I try very hard to not over-post my link! I don't want people to get tired of it. Typically, my posting schedule is something like:
Day 1: post in the morning, post in the evening
Day 2: post around noon
Day 3: post in the morning
Day 4: nothing
Day 5: post in the evening
Then, from there, I post about once a week. You can also turn on automatic Facebook updates, if that's easier for you.
2. Other social media sites. I have also posted projects on Twitter and Instagram, because I have a different audience on those sites than I do on Facebook. I've even Tweeted the link (with a short description, so it doesn't come across as spam) to businesses, local radio talkshow hosts, celebrities... basically, anyone and everyone with a bigger audience than I have! Just a note about this, though- don't be annoying. Only tweet the link to each person once a week, or even less often. You want them to notice (and potentially retweet!) it, but not to get annoyed with you and block you.
3. Share with your students' families. Most of your students' families would be thrilled to help you, especially since they will, in turn, be helping their own child! Here is an example of how I shared a project with my students' families via ClassDojo:
Again, please note that I made sure to ask my students' families to share the link. I didn't ask for monetary donations from them (though I have gotten donations from students' families before).
One of my colleagues sent out a Dojo message about her very first Donors Choose project to her students' parents. One parent came in the next day with a check large enough to finish the project, and then some! (She used the additional funds to purchase things to go along with her funded materials.) That's a very, very uncommon situation, but it has happened! It never hurts to share a project with families.
If you don't have ClassDojo or another way to electronically communicate with your students' families, you can type up a quick note with the link and send it home with your students.
4. Add the link to your email signature. You probably email a ton of people, right? Well, some of those people may be interested in donating to (or sharing) your cause! Try something like,
"Want to help support our classroom? Click here- [link]"
or
"Help us meet our goal of having [whatever] in our classroom! Click here- [link]"
There are so many options when it comes to sharing your Donors Choose project link with others! What methods have you used that are tried and true? Have you ever been flash-funded? Let me know in the comments!
Be sure to check back in tomorrow to discover how picking up your phone can help you secure donations for your school and classroom!
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