About DonorsChoose
What is DonorsChoose?
DonorsChoose is "an education nonprofit ensuring every US public school student has the classroom resources they need to learn, grow, and thrive." Charles Best, a history teacher at a Bronx public high school, started it in 2000 after thinking about how much he and his colleagues were spending on books, art supplies and other materials for their students. Teachers post requests for the materials their students need, donors choose the classroom, community or cause they want to support, and DonorsChoose vets every request, buys each item and ships it straight to the teacher. Its team "has vetted and fulfilled over 2 million classroom project requests", and "Since our founding, donors have supported 90% of US public schools." The organisation focuses "first where needs are greatest": more than 70% of funded projects come from historically underfunded schools. Its efficiency and transparency have earned it the highest rating on Charity Navigator.
Where will I work?
Remotely, or hybrid from New York. DonorsChoose's postings offer "the option to work a flexible hybrid schedule in our NYC office, or to work fully remotely from CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NJ, NY, OR, PA, TN, TX, VA, WA, or WI." Remote staff travel to the NYC office about four to six times a year, and partnership staff eight to ten times, taking in all-staff gatherings, partner meetings and conferences; "All work-related travel expenses will be covered by the organization." The office itself is "sunny" and "open", "designed with collaboration in mind."
What is the DonorsChoose team like?
"Our team comes from education (many are former teachers), top startups, and big name brands," the careers page says, and the organisation describes its operation as "a cross between a tech company and a classroom." Chief Executive Officer Alix Guerrier has taught middle and high school mathematics, co-founded the edtech company LearnZillion and led the giving platform GlobalGiving. Theresia Gouw of Acrew Capital chairs the board, and Stephen Colbert sits on it. The NonProfit Times named DonorsChoose 2017's Best Nonprofit to Work For. "It's a well-oiled machine where we have systems and processes in place to set us up for success," one data scientist says on the careers page. The postings close on a value: "We begin and end with thanks. We take joy in our mission, our communities, and each other." The five roles open in September 2026 cover corporate and foundation partnerships, research and insights, strategic finance and marketplace growth, and each publishes a hiring salary range, with a higher band for high-cost cities.
Work-Life Balance
Full-time staff get "25 paid vacation days per year and 11 paid holidays", 36 days off a year; the careers page puts it as "5 Weeks paid vacation". The benefits list adds "Generous time off for new parents", and the postings promise a "casual and flexible work environment". "Making a difference through your job shouldn't come at a cost," the careers page says. "When it comes to perks and benefits, we pull out all the stops for our employees." Every current role can be done fully remotely, so for many staff the commute is a few trips to New York a year, and once hired, everyone is eligible for annual performance-based raises.
Perks and Benefits
- 25 paid vacation days and 11 paid holidays a year
- 100% paid health, dental and vision coverage, including an employer-paid individual and family health plan
- A matching 401(k) plan, up to 5% of base salary
- An annual professional development stipend
- Generous time off for new parents
- An annual three-day retreat
- Org-sponsored employee resource groups
- Fully remote work from 21 states and DC, or a flexible hybrid schedule in New York
- Hiring salary ranges on every posting, and annual performance-based raises
- Work-related travel expenses covered