Writing your first DonorsChoose project is the hard part — the blank essay box, the fee math, the thank-you package nobody warned you about. This kit walks you through the whole thing on paper before you ever open the form.
What’s inside (14-page PDF):
- 3 fill-in-the-blank description templates (pp. 5–7): “My Students,” “My Project,” and the one-sitting assembly that stitches your draft together — each with a starter shape and writing prompts.
- Title formula worksheet (pp. 3–4): a fill-in formula, a 6-point title test, and a worked example.
- “Will it pass review?” checklist (p. 8): DonorsChoose’s essay rules translated into a pass/fail list.
- Project photo checklist (p. 9): the required classroom photo, the optional-but-powerful profile photo, and permission-slip rules.
- Budget planning sheet (p. 10): item-by-item planning with DonorsChoose’s real fee structure (shipping, sales tax, 1.5% processing fee, fulfillment fee).
- Thank-you note templates (p. 11): an impact-letter template and student thank-you starters for K–2, 3–5, and 6–8 writers.
- Thank-you photo guide (p. 12) and thank-you package timeline planner (p. 13) so the thank-you package beats its deadline.
Who it’s for: K–8 teachers writing their first (or next) DonorsChoose project — especially teachers in under-resourced schools. Built for real classrooms: prints cleanly in black and white, 11pt+ type throughout, generous margins.
License: Single-classroom use. Print and reuse with your own projects year after year. (Full terms on the last page of the PDF.)