My very first experience with crowdfunding was with the site DonorsChoose.org. It’s an easy-to-use site where you can donate money to teachers and their classrooms.

My first year teaching high school English, I didn’t even have an overhead projector. So, I applied for a campaign on the site, and wouldn’t you know? Enough people backed that small potatoes drive, and I had me the newest out-of-date technology on the block.

It seems people do want to be philanthropic, but they are also concerned about what their money is being used for. They also want to see their dollars making an actual, tangible, immediate difference. Sites like Donors Choose or, what I’m here fave-ing today, Kickstarter, enable people to have that power.

Here are five of my favorite recent (9.15.15) Kickstarter campaigns:

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PhotoPop! Box: A one-time box with all of the tools you need to create drool-worthy images for your brand or shop. Images are the best way to show off your product, and this box makes sure you have the best.

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Preserve History: “We have the unique opportunity to be able to tell children what it was like to live without all this tech straight from the mouths of those that lived it.  This is a generation of children who play outside less than 1 hour / day, compared to the 3+ hours of our elders.  I believe the narratives of our elders are a critical step in ensuring an understanding of where we’ve been.”

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GoBox: “GoBox is a fun and easy way to learn programming through a build-your-own robot kit with monthly robotics missions that are delivered right to your door!”

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The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls Board Book: “The A to Z Guide to Jobs For Girls is an adorably illustrated ABC Board Book for children featuring young women in different career roles such as Firefighter, Heavy Metal Guitarist, Librarian, and Quarterback!”

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30 Days to Calm: You knew this was coming, right? Well, I wrote a book, and I need to raise $700 by October 3rd in order to have it published. Wontcha consider donating or sharing my campaign all over social media?

What are your crowdfunding campaigns? Tell me in the comments or link up your #5Faves (about anything!) below.  .