This back-to-school season, our nation’s educators deserve the utmost support. They quickly adapted when COVID-19 hit this spring, implemented technology, came alongside parents who became at-home teachers, and are now launching into the unknowns of the school year ahead.

As part of our commitment to wholly serve Tyson Foods’ plant communities, we’ve dedicated $1.8M to support teacher project requests with DonorsChoose.org.

This investment supports 65 school districts across 60 Tyson plant communities, bringing much needed resources to teachers and students this back-to-learning season.

To date, the $1.8M in funding has been fully applied to 3,348 projects, supporting 2,447 teachers at 688 schools. Now that’s an A+ effort!

A summary overview of the DonorsChoose projects supported by the Tyson Foods grant can be viewed on our campaign page, which features thank-you notes from teachers like Mrs. Khani in Chicago, Illinois. She requested cleaning materials to keep her students safe and robotic kits to advance STEM learning.

Wow! I was so surprised this morning to get the news that this project was fully funded by Tyson. I’m so grateful for your generosity and kindness. These supplies will help keep our lab clean and keep my students healthy. The robots will let my students work independently building their own robot since we won’t be able to work in centers. Hopefully, we can return to in person learning soon. Thank you very much!

Mrs. Khani

If you are an educator interested in this opportunity, the following FAQs provide more information about how to qualify for funding.

• What is DonorsChoose?

DonorsChoose is a nonprofit leading the way to give to public schools. Since 2000, more than 4 million people and partners have contributed $950 million to support 1.5 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. As the most trusted platform for teachers, donors and district administrators alike, DonorsChoose vets each request, ships the funded resources directly to the classroom, and provides thank yous and reporting to donors and school leaders. Charity Navigator and GuideStar have awarded DonorsChoose their highest ratings for transparency and accountability. 

• Do I qualify for the Tyson Foods DonorsChoose match program?

To qualify for Tyson Foods funding, you must be an educator at a public or public charter school, employed full-time by the school or district, work directly with students at least 75% of the time, and teach in one of the school districts listed on this page.

• How do I sign up for an account?

Sign up for an account at DonorsChoose/teachers (it’s free). After you’ve registered, verify your teacher account by sharing your school email address.

• How long does it take to create a project?

The average project request takes about 14 minutes to create and submit. Once a project is funded, DonorsChoose will purchase all the resources and ship them directly to your selected shipping location, providing you and your school or district with complete transparency and accountability throughout the process.

• Are there any requirements or specifications my DonorsChoose project must have to qualify?

To start, create a project requesting the exact materials your classroom needs from any of the 20+ vendors used by DonorsChoose.

You can create a project requesting any materials your students might need to reach success, from basic school supplies like pencils and books to take-home items like clean clothes and hygiene products.

Keep your total project goal under $1,000 including taxes, shipping, fees, and the suggested donation to support DonorsChoose. When your project is posted, you’ll know you’ve met the requirements if you see the Tyson logo on your project page.

Only one project per teacher will be eligible for this funding opportunity. Professional development projects are not eligible.

• I’m in an eligible district and meet the program requirements. Why didn’t I get a match?

It’s likely that funding has run out in your local community. Check this page for the list of communities where funding is still available.

• How long will Tyson Foods fund this opportunity?

Starting August 3, 2020, Tyson will fully fund all eligible projects on a first-come, first served basis until January 29, 2021, or while funds last. Funding will occur on the first Monday of every month. Funds are limited, so we encourage you to post your project as soon as possible. For more information on Tyson Foods funding available through DonorsChoose, visit ​https://donorschoo.se/tyson​.