DonorsChoose vs PledgeCents

DonorsChoose connects donors with public school teachers requesting classroom resources. Teachers submit supply or project requests, donors contribute, and DonorsChoose orders and ships funded goods to verified teachers. Teachers can sign up and post projects for free. Classroom Essentials offers curated basic supplies with no minimum, shipping items as funding arrives. Classroom Projects use a catalog of more than 1 million products from over 20 teacher-favorite stores, including Lakeshore, Amazon, and Staples. These projects require a $100 minimum and can remain posted for up to four months; if the goal is missed, donors may redirect contributions to the teacher’s next project. Submissions are reviewed before posting, typically within five business days. Eligibility covers full-time educators at public or public charter schools working directly with students, subject to detailed rules. DonorsChoose says it vets requests, reviews student privacy, and requires permission for student photos. Teachers provide donors a thank-you package with two project photos.

PledgeCents is an online fundraising service for educational opportunities and other community needs. It provides fundraising pages for PreK–12 schools, nonprofits, youth sports teams, and faith-based needs. A campaign can receive the money raised even when it misses its target, with a backup plan for using those funds. There is no platform fee; payment processing is 3%, and the benefits information says organizations receive 97% of funds raised. Contributors can pay by card or bank account without opening a Stripe account, while Stripe handles transactions. Organization accounts are verified before approval, and checks go to the organization rather than the individual creator. The FAQ says a check is sent within 48 hours after a page is complete. Pages support social sharing and automatic email updates when creators post updates. Available fundraising incentives include contests, matching campaigns, Facebook matching campaigns, and referrals that can earn cash toward a fundraiser. The service offers web and API access, though the API is limited to partners.