idealist.org

About Digital Wish: Digital Wish is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization on a mission to modernize classrooms with technology and prepare students for tomorrow’s workforce. We administer a constant stream of small grants to K-12 schools and help educators find and acquire funding for technology. Like a gift registry, teachers craft a "wish list" of needed technology products. Visiting donors can grant wishes or donate money directly to a classroom. Digital Wish automatically matches every donation with an additional 2%-10% in cash back to schools. Behind the scenes Digital Wish strives to make teachers’ technology wishes come true by setting up corporate partnerships, applying for foundational grants, and fundraising privately.

Digital Wish’s Successes: The teacher network has been growing for 18 months, with over 14,000 registered educators from diverse geographical locations, income levels, and cultures. Robust social networking capabilities allow schools to collaborate and share best practices across their district and across the country. 5,000+ teachers have created technology wish lists and Digital Wish receives regular press coverage in nearly every educational trade journal.

In September 2008, Digital Wish received a high profile, 3-year operations grant from the Draper Richards Foundation for expansion. Digital Wish is ramping up to launch a new consumer marketing strategy, and we’re in final testing on a complete website overhaul. We anticipate these efforts will substantially increase the volume of online donations and product orders placed at www.digitalwish.org. As part of the launch, we just secured a 50% matching grant program for every teacher in America on Flip camcorders. In Vermont, Digital Wish has secured funding to implement a 1:1 computing initiative in 4 schools and we’ve just closed a partnership with the VT-NEA (teacher’s union).
Digital Wish is seeking to expand its volunteer board of directors with a diverse portfolio of experts who genuinely care about modernizing the American school system. We’re seeking board members who will take an active role in fundraising and can apply business-savvy skills to scale our school programs nationally. Successful applicants may elicit any of the following skills:

• Tech Sector Entrepreneurial Experience - A tech sector professional, who is deeply concerned about the state of American schools and our loss of global competitiveness, with experience bringing a small operation to scale, and would utilize their social network to fundraise, and guide our online strategy.

• Corporate Executive Experience – An executive with Fortune 500 experience, with vested interest in developing tomorrow’s science and technology workforce, and could involve peer corporations in our mission.

• Philanthropic Experience- A philanthropic executive with ties to other top non-profits, and could engage them to give serious consideration to scaling our school programs.

• Fundraising Event/Celebrity Coordination - Well connected individuals who would enjoy holding a series of fundraising dinner parties or events, or might have celebrity connections to help Digital Wish develop a high profile spokesperson with relevant ties to K-12 education and technology.

Our all-volunteer board will actively participate in fundraising activities for Digital Wish, and members can attend meetings via conference call.

Serious inquiries – please inquire:
Digital Wish
PO Box 1072, Manchester Center, VT 05255
Phone: (802)375-6721 x-202, Fax: (802)375-6860 www.digitalwish.org
A public charity on a mission to modernize schools.
Contact: Heather Chirtea, Founder, heather@digitalwish.org
Digital Wish is an equal opportunity employer.