DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose: A specialized, managed fundraising platform for U.S. public-school classrooms. Ranked #10 of 22 in Nonprofit Crowdfunding Software by our editors (7.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for schools seeking managed classroom fundraising.
At a glance
- Editor score7.7 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSchools seeking managed classroom fundraising
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Recurring donationsYes
- Founded2000 · New York City, United States
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free teacher-created project requests
- Screening, purchasing, and direct fulfillment of resources
- Recurring donations, Giving Pages, and campaign statistics
Where it doesn't
- Limited to eligible public-school teachers in the United States
- All-or-nothing funding may delay partially funded projects
- Focused on education rather than broad nonprofit campaigns
Our verdict on DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is a nonprofit crowdfunding platform for public-school teachers in the United States. Eligible teachers create requests for classroom materials, experiences, and supplies, while donors fund projects directly or support teachers, schools, and thematic Giving Pages. It is designed for schools and education-focused fundraising teams that want project screening, resource purchasing, and delivery handled within the platform rather than managed independently.
Teacher project posting is free. Donations use a transaction-based model and incur project-related costs; donors may also choose an optional 15% allocation to DonorsChoose. The funding workflow is all-or-nothing, so a classroom project proceeds after its target is reached. Once funded, DonorsChoose purchases approved resources through an integrated catalog with more than 20 vendors and ships them to teachers. Monthly recurring donations, branded Giving Pages with custom URLs, donation tracking, and impact reporting support both individual projects and broader campaigns.
The platform’s strongest fit is education-specific fundraising where fulfillment and accountability matter as much as collecting donations. Giving Pages and the DonorsChoose API add campaign statistics and referral tracking for organizations coordinating donor outreach. The tradeoff is its narrow focus: it serves eligible U.S. public-school classroom projects rather than general nonprofit campaigns, and its all-or-nothing structure may not suit fundraisers that need flexible partial disbursements. Schools seeking managed classroom fundraising should consider DonorsChoose; organizations outside that model should choose a broader crowdfunding platform.
Your product? Our editors can test DonorsChoose in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
DonorsChoose pricing
DonorsChoose fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Pricing model | Transaction |
| Campaign templates | Not verified |
| Recurring donations | Yes |
| Custom domain | Not verified |
| Donor data export | Not verified |
| Campaign limit | Not verified |
| Payment methods | Cards+wallets |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Compliance & security | PCI DSS |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 2 integrations: Shopping portal vendors, DonorsChoose API |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | donorschoose.org |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
DonorsChoose integrations
DonorsChoose lists 2 integrations on its own site.
- Shopping portal vendors
- DonorsChoose API
Alternatives to DonorsChoose
- CauseVox CRMA fundraising platform that connects campaigns, donor records, and nonprofit workflows.9.4
- GoFundMe ProA broad fundraising platform for nonprofits running peer-to-peer and event campaigns.9.2
- ChuffedA free web platform with broad nonprofit crowdfunding and recurring-giving tools.9.0
See all DonorsChoose alternatives →
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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