CFP Foundation and Bay Area Host Committee Come Together to Fund Innovative STEAM Projects through DonorsChoose.org

September 18, 2018

Joint Venture Will Fund Up to $500,000 Worth of Projects in Bay Area Schools

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation and the Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) today announced a joint venture to fund up to $500,000 for innovative science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) projects through DonorsChoose.org, a national nonprofit that makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom. Beginning in October and running through the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship set for Levi’s® Stadium on January 7, 2019, the CFP Foundation and the BAHC will fund up to $100,000 in projects each month.

“We are thrilled to partner with the BAHC through the DonorsChoose.org platform to fund worthwhile innovative projects focused on STEAM,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “Our focus is on teachers, and every one of these projects will directly support their classrooms.”

The DonorsChoose.org platform makes it possible for public school teachers from every corner of America to create classroom project requests. The focus in the Bay Area will be on projects originating from schools with the highest need.

The primary focus of the partnership between the CFP Foundation and the BAHC will support teachers in the Bay Area through STEAM resources. Professional development training will be offered to support the capacity for educators to teach STEAM lessons.

“Public school educators largely pay from their own pockets to fund in-classroom resources, so our joint partnership with the CFP Foundation and DonorsChoose.org is designed to provide in-need classrooms with the STEAM resources they need,” said Patricia Ernstrom, executive director of the Bay Area Host Committee. “The San Francisco Bay Area is the business epicenter of all things STEAM, so we’re proud to play a role in giving underserved students the opportunity to advance in these subjects.”

Full-time educators Bay Area schools where at least half of students receive free and reduced-price lunch are able to create an eligible project. Full criteria for qualifying projects can be found at donorschoose.org/bayarea2019. Projects will be selected from qualified applicants, and teachers will receive an email notification if their project is selected for funding.

“We’re honored to partner with the CFP Foundation and BAHC to support STEAM teachers in the Bay Area,” said Katie Bisbee, chief marketing officer at DonorsChoose.org. “Teachers go above and beyond for their students every day, and the support of the CFP Foundation and BAHC will go a long way towards bringing their classroom dreams to life.”

About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary cause platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, is dedicated to elevating the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit www.cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.

About the Bay Area Host Committee
The Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) works with the College Football Playoff (CFP) to promote, organize, and execute the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship and its related events throughout the Bay Area. The BAHC is committed to forming a seamless partnership with the CFP and all of its stakeholders to deliver an outstanding championship experience for the student-athletes, participating institutions, media and fans. For more information, visit BayArea2019.com.

About DonorsChoose.org
DonorsChoose.org is the leading platform for giving to public schools. Teachers across America use the site to create projects requesting resources their students need, and donors give to the projects that inspire them. Since its founding by a Bronx teacher in 2000, more than 3.4 million people and partners have given $735 million to projects reaching 30 million students. Unique among education funding platforms, the DonorsChoose.org team vets each project request and ships resources directly to the school. Every donor receives photos of their project in action, thank-yous from the classroom, and a cost report showing how every dollar was spent. DonorsChoose.org was the first charity to make the top 10 on Fast Company’s list of the Most Innovative Companies in the World.

Media Contacts:
Gina Lehe, College Football Playoff, P: 469-262-5200, glehe@collegefootballplayoff.com
Emily Lucas, Bay Area Host Committee, P: 408-986-4891, emily.lucas@49ers.com

Read on BayArea2019.com.