Frequently Asked Questions

iLoveSchools.com works with teachers, schools and districts, encouraging kids to stay in school while helping them gain a lifelong love for learning. We match America's school teachers with individual, group and corporate donors of new, used or in-kind classroom resources. Donors select the classrooms receiving their donation as well as tell us how much we can use to cover our administrative costs. We're working with America's teachers and classroom supporters to put our schoolchildren first.

View All - Hide AllDonor FAQs

Donor Registration View All - Hide All

How do I register?

Click the Sign up/Sign in button at the top of the page to complete your registration form. Once your registration is complete, you will be able to locate teachers, schools and districts, add WishList donations to your shopping cart, post a DonorOffer and create a ClassroomFriend group to start supporting kids in the classroom.

How do I update my personal information?

Login to your Donor Dashboard. From the left hand column, select My Account, then Profile to edit your personal information.

Donating View All - Hide All

Who does iLoveSchools.com help?

iLoveSchools.com is dedicated to helping all teachers, no matter where they teach kids. Click here to read more about Who We help.

Can I donate the materials themselves rather than make a cash donation?

YES! This is called a DonorOffer. Login to your Donor Dashboard to post an offer now. We're giving individuals and companies a convenient tool to donate used classroom materials, as well as new items they already own.

Can I partially fund a WishList? What happens if the remainder is not funded by other donors?

You can donate as little or as much as you'd like toward a single WishList or many. The choice is yours! If any WishList you donate toward does not reach full funding, your donation will be returned to you in the form of credits to be reallocated by you to another WishList. You can view and give these credits through your Donor Dashboard.

What percentage of a donation goes back to the school?

100% of the value, minus a 3% charge card fee, goes directly to the classroom, less a 3% charge card fee. That means 97% of the financial value of a donation is reaching the classroom.

97% is HUGE! How can iLoveSchools.com afford to operate?

When WishLists are funded we permit donors to offer an additional 10% toward our administrative operations. We also receive a variable percentage on the items that are funded through new item WishLists.

Are donations made through iLoveSchools.com tax deductible?

Yes. I Love Schools, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity incorporated in the state of California. When you donate to iLoveSchools.com you will receive a gift receipt via email that can be used for your tax records.

Is my online donation secure?

iLoveSchools.com uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt all of your personal information, including credit card number and contact information. iLoveSchools.com does not store your payment information after it has been transmitted for transaction processing.

Is there a minimum donation?

Donors may give any amount to the WishList of their choice. Give a few dollars to several WishLists or a larger donation toward a single one, it's up to you.

Can my donation be refunded?

Your decision to donate to iLoveSchools.com is greatly appreciated, and like any tax-deductible charitable contribution, donations made to iLoveSchools.com cannot be cancelled or returned once they are processed. In the event that a teacher no longer requires the materials you helped fund, or another extenuating circumstance prevents the WishList from funding, your donation will be used to help another teacher in need.

Where should I send my check?

Please send your check donations to:

iLoveSchools.com
4306 Cass St.
San Diego, CA 92109

Please note we can only accept donations made by check for iLoveSchools.com unrestricted fund. All WishList donations must be made through the website at this time.

Will I receive feedback for my donation? When?

We encourage all teachers, schools and districts to send thank you emails acknowledging the generosity of their donors. All donors will receive a thank you from iLoveSchools.com. Please allow sufficient time for educators to respond with their thank you messages. Teachers work a 10 hour average workday - sometimes longer, so please be patient and understand that your gift is always valued.

DonorOffer View All - Hide All

Should I offer to ship or deliver my DonorOffer?

Teachers, schools and districts often do not have the funds to transport donations to their facility. You will have better success in donating your item if you are able to transport the item to the school. However, an educator can create a Custom WishList for shipping/transportation expenses for a DonorOffer that is otherwise unaffordable to transport. It is up to the educator or school to determine if they want to create a WishList for this purpose.

How do I create a DonorOffer?

In order to post a DonorOffer you must first create a donor account. Just click Sign Up/Sign In at the top of any page. Once signed in to your Donor Dashboard you will be able to post a DonorOffer by clicking New DonorOffer. You can create as many DonorOffer posts as you'd like.

Who can view my offer?

When you create your DonorOffer, you will have the ability to select criteria for who will receive notification about your offer. The teachers and schools within the search criteria you select will be notified through their Teacher Dashboard. If they choose to inquire about the item(s) you are offering, you will receive an email with that teacher's name and email address, and from there you will be able to contact them directly and coordinate the donation. Who you choose to ultimately offer your donation to is your decision, and iLoveSchools.com does not participate in the facilitation of that donation.

Do you make money on items offered through a DonorOffer?

No. iLoveSchools.com offers this as a convenient benefit to teachers and donors. Everything we do is dedicated to getting resources into the hands of teachers that teach America's kids. We do ask for a voluntary donation toward our administrative operations to help keep our organization serving kids.

How can I use the DonorOffer board?

The DonorOffer board is a useful tool for donating used and new classroom supplies, equipment and materials to America's teachers, schools and districts. Anyone can post a DonorOffer. Here are some suggestions on how to use the DonorOffer board:

  • Ask your employer to donate unused office supplies and equipment to local (or national) schools
  • Companies, donate your excess inventory, scratch-and-dents or overstock items
  • Parents and individuals, offer unused household items, out-grown school supplies, books and other useful items
  • School booster groups, give to other schools in your community that have a greater need
  • Teachers and schools, keep teaching resources circulating! You may not need the supplies any longer, but there are certainly other teachers that do!

What do the DonorOffer status indicators mean in my Donor Dashboard?

  • Pending = The DonorOffer is active and viewable on the DonorOffer board
  • Awarded = This DonorOffer has been awarded to an educator
  • Hold = This DonorOffer is not currently active or viewable, but can be reactivated
  • Closed = This DonorOffer is is not active and is no longer available for reposting

What are the DonorOffer guidelines?

All DonorOffers are reviewed by an iLoveSchools.com staff member for appropriateness. Any posts not meeting our standards are immediately deleted and are not viewable on the public board. Any post exihibiting the following characteristics will be deleted before posting.

  • Any solicitation, sales offer or request for money (outside of shared shipping costs)
  • Inappropriate or foul language
  • Offers created under false accounts

iLoveSchools.com reserves the right to revise these rules as necessary at any time.

ClassroomFriend View All - Hide All

What is a ClassroomFriend group and how do I use it?

A ClassroomFriend group is social tool that individuals, groups and companies use to generate excitement and support for teachers, schools or districts they want to help. You can choose to help one teacher or many. How about creating a ClassroomFriend group supporting teachers that share your passion? Do you love science, music, reading and literacy? You can create a different ClassroomFriend group for each subject or create just one.

Each ClassroomFriend group displays with its own unique URL (i.e. http://MyFriends.iloveschools.com). You create the custom subdomain (i.e. MyFriends) URL and send it on by including it on your website, in your email signature, on your social networking page (Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace) and Twitter it to all of your friends.

You can help as many or as few teachers, schools or districts as you like. Just add or delete them from your ClassroomFriend group at any time. The best thing is you can create as many ClassroomFriend groups as you wish.

Once your ClassroomFriend group is created, you can build a widget or banner to place on your social network site or website. This is a great way of driving traffic back to your ClassroomFriend group. Through the widget or banner you will be able to track the impact you've had on getting donations for your teachers.

Who should start a ClassroomFriend group?

Anyone can create a ClassroomFriend group page to support teachers, schools and districts. Companies, parents, school booster groups and foundations use ClassroomFriend groups to generate support for teachers they want to help.

How do I set up a ClassroomFriend group?

There are many ways to create a ClassroomFriend group. You can start a ClassroomFriend group, or add to an existing group, by clicking the Add to ClassroomFriend link at the bottom of any profile page or search results. To start a new ClassroomFriend group now, click here .

We're a school booster organization, how can we use a ClassroomFriend group?

If you want to target your fundraising, increase accountability and raise more funds for your school and teachers, then a ClassroomFriend group is the tool you need to reach your goals. We provide many promotional tools you can use to share your teacher and school WishLists with parents, community members and other supporters.

Can I track donations through my ClassroomFriend page?

Yes, ClassroomFriend groups provide accountability and impact reports you can use to encourage support for your teachers, schools and districts. You can increase traffic to your group page by using widgets, banners and email signatures on all of your electronic and Internet-related communications. Any donations resulting from click-throughs will be tallied in your ClassroomFriend group impact report on your group homepage. This way, you can see and share your results with all of your supporters!

Who can view my ClassroomFriend page?

ClassroomFriend pages are public by default. One can be made private at any time by selecting Create/Edit a ClassroomFriend option from the Donor Dashboard, then changing the privacy option.

General Information View All - Hide All

Other than funding a WishList or posting a DonorOffer, are there other ways to support students at iLoveSchools.com?

There are lots of ways to get involved and support student needs! We hope you will:

  • Spread the word: Sharing your passion for helping students is infectious (in a good way!). Telling friends, family and colleagues about the needs of school kids, and how easy it is to help, has an energizing effect. Share iLoveSchools.com with others by using the "Tell A Friend" feature found on every page of the website. Or, you can print or email a flyer, forward our monthly newsletter, add a widget or banner to your website or social network site, and of course, start a ClassroomFriend group .
  • Make a video: If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth at least a million. Video is a creative and engaging form of involving students in supporting their schools. We also encourage teachers to post video messages from their classrooms and schools. Donors can create videos to show how they support iLoveSchools.com and why it is so vital for others to join them. iLoveSchools.com is partnered with SchoolTube.com where your videos will be hosted and shared with students around the country. YouTube.com is another website where you can post your videos in support of iLoveSchools.com students.
  • Help iLoveSchools.com develop new corporate relationships by recommending us to your employer: iLoveSchools.com welcomes the opportunity to work with many facets of your organization. You can help iLoveSchools.com develop new corporate relationships by:
    • Facilitating iLoveSchools.com coverage in a company newsletter.
    • Recommending iLoveSchools.com to your marketing and public relations department as a potential cause marketing partner
    • Organizing a volunteer group at your organization.
    • Recommending iLoveSchools.com to your sales department to donate all excess inventories, scratch-and-dents or overstock items.
    • Introducing iLoveSchools.com to the corporate giving arm of your organization for inclusion in workplace giving or grant opportunities.
  • Give toward iLoveSchools.com operations: Your financial generosity ensures that we are able to continue our work on behalf of all of America's schoolchildren. Click to make a contribution in support of our mission.

Where can I see iLoveSchools.com's Form 990 tax return?

You are welcome to view I Love Schools, Inc. Form 990 at www.guidestar.org.

Is my information secure on your site?

We do not collect any personal financial information on iLoveSchools.com. Your privacy is our highest priority. We will never sell or otherwise provide your information to any outside organization without your permission.

Can I use iLoveSchools.com for Supply Drive Donations?

School supporters conducting school supply drives can use iLoveSchools.com to learn of teacher, school and district's needs by conducting searches of local schools. Supporters can also use our site to distribute the donated items by creating a DonorOffer which local schools and teachers can request.

What is your privacy policy?

Our privacy policy is very simple. We will never make your email address available to anyone for any purpose at any price without your consent. We believe that to do differently without your permission would be a violation of your privacy and we would never be a part of it. We're concerned about privacy just like you. When you visit the iLoveSchools.com website or subscribe to our newsletter you've given us your trust. Honoring your trust is a simple matter of integrity. To view our full Privacy Policy, please click the link at the bottom of any page.

Why haven't I received an email confirmation?

You may have received our email. However, due to security settings on your server or your computer, our email may have been redirected to your SPAM box. Please check there first. Then add our email to your address book, so you will not continue to experience these problems.

If our email did not end up in your SPAM box, you may log in to your account in your Teacher Dashboard and make sure we're using your current e-mail address. Then, to ensure receipt of our email, add 'CustomerCare@iLoveSchools.com' to your address book and be sure to add this email to your safe list, as well. You don't want to miss out on member benefits, such as tips, alerts and donations!

View All - Hide AllEducator FAQs

Educator Registration View All - Hide All

Who is eligible to register as an educator?

iLoveSchools.com offers three levels of educator registrations: teacher, school and district. All teachers and schools that teach students between preK-12th grade within the Continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska are welcome to register and build WishLists.

(Table to be uploaded later)

Who should register at the District level?

Select one person to administer the iLoveSchools.com district Dashboard. This individual will be the central contact person that will post DonorOffers for used supplies, submit "asks" for offered items, build WishLists for needed resources and accept roll-up requests from schools and teachers.

Schools and districts are limited to one account. Therefore, there may be only one individual registered to represent a school or district on iLoveSchools.com. By registering for a school or district account you are representing that you have the authority to accept donations on behalf of your organization, to create new DonorOffer posts and communicate on behalf of your school or district.

If you do not have the authority to make these decisions, please forward an invitation to the appropriate individual in your organization. iLoveSchools.com reserves the right to suspend or remove any accounts and related WishLists or DonorOffer posts found to be in violation of iLoveSchools.com policies. Upon request, iLoveSchools.com may review a teacher, school or district account if it is claimed to be fraudulent, in error or otherwise incorrect.

Common school and district titles that manage their district or school iLoveSchools.com account are:

  • Business Manager
  • Superintendent
  • Assistant Superintendent
  • Principal
  • Assistant Principal
  • Office Manager
  • Secretary to Superintendent

What qualifies an educator as a teacher?

Teachers must be actively teaching students between preK-12th grade in a formal educational setting (homeschools that are part of a homeschool co-op or association are included). All teachers (excluding homeschoolers) must hold teaching credentials appropriate to their state or teaching situation. Home daycare centers or non-educational focused after-care programs are NOT qualified to receive donations through the iLoveSchools.com programs.

How do I register?

Click the Sign up/Sign in button at the top of the page to complete your registration form. Select from the three registration options: Teacher, School or District. Once your registration is complete, you will be able to start building WishLists through the online store.

What is the difference between a white and gold star?

Every school that enters our system receives a white or gold star. Gold Star Schools have been verified through one of several national databases of public, private and faith-based schools or manually verified by iLoveSchools.com staff. White star schools have not yet been verified or cannot be verified as an existing school by iLoveSchools.com staff. iLoveSchools.com will not ship any new item WishLists to white star, unverified schools.

If your school has a white star please allow iLoveSchools.com 4-6 weeks to complete the verification process. If you do not receive a gold star within this time, please Contact Us.

Donors are welcome to donate to any school on our site. However, we recommend that donors check to ensure a school exists before shipping a DonorOffer or funding a white star WishList.

Can a District or School edit a Teacher WishList?

Only the account owner can edit their own WishList or Account Profile. iLoveSchools.com offers the ability for teachers and schools to associate their accounts with their district (or teacher's with their school and district) in order to take full advantage of iLoveSchools.com's full accountability and reporting benefits. By associating teacher's WishLists with their schools and districts, the parent entity is able to see the overall impact donors are having on the education of the kids.

WishLists View All - Hide All

What can I place in my WishList?

You may add any resource that will enrich your students learning experience to a WishList. When requesting your items, we require that:

  1. All requested resources must be used by students or directly provide an educational experience among students.
  2. The items requested in a WishList cannot foster discrimination or favor a religious or political viewpoint.
  3. The request must be in accordance with your schools capabilities, rules and restrictions. Keep in mind that the materials will be delivered to your school office, not to your specific classroom. It will be your responsibility to arrange to receive the materials and move them to their final location.
  4. All requests for materials must be made using vendors offered through our website.
  5. Teachers who do activities outside their schools may not submit WishList requests for funding of outside activities that are not affiliated with the school (i.e. community/recreation centers).
  6. Costs of labor, capital improvements to the school or grounds, vehicle purchases, salaries/wages, or royalty/rental fees may not be requested through iLoveSchools.com.

Can I add or delete items on my WishList?

Yes, you may add, edit or delete items on a WishList at any time. You will receive a credit on your account for any remaining funds if you choose to remove items and close out a WishList prior to full funding.

Please keep in mind that donors have donated toward your WishList for a specific reason (often because they feel a connection with your needs). iLoveSchools.com recommends that you abstain from major changes within a single WishList. Rather, we suggest creating a new WishList containing your new project needs.

How long will it take for my WishList to fund?

The amount of time it will take for your WishList to receive full funding will depend primarily on the total cost of the items you are asking for. Typically, a less expensive WishList will fund faster. We recommend that you create several smaller, organized WishLists that are easy for donors to search, find, read and donate toward. This will usually result in faster funding than one long WishList. You may have up to 10 active WishLists at one time.

What happens when my WishList is funded?

When your WishList receives full funding you will receive an email notification letting you know that your order is being reviewed and processed. Orders will be shipped directly from our suppliers to the school address on your account. Please make sure all information in your Profile, including your address, is current so we can ensure you will receive your donation. Please allow 7-10 days for your donation to arrive. When your final order is purchased and shipped, the carrier and tracking information will be available through your Teacher Dashboard.

What happens if my order is returned, lost or stolen?

If your order is shipped and you don't receive it for any reason, please email us at: CustomerCare@iLoveSchools.com. We will get in touch with our vendors and re-ship your order to you as soon as possible. Please allow 2 weeks for re-processing and shipping. In addition, some vendors do not ship to schools in the summer season. Please be sure to include your summer email address in your Profile, so we can communicate with you over the summer break.

If I'm certain that the materials I need are not offered by an iLoveSchools.com vendor, what should I do?

We add thousands of products every month, so if an item was not previously available, it may be now. For specialty items, you can create a Custom WishList from your Dashboard. Click on Create a WishList to begin.

Do you charge for shipping and sales tax?

Shipping charges are applied to every order. Shipping is calculated based on that order's weight and final destination at a very competitive rate. CA sales tax (8.75%) applies to orders shipping within CA.

When can I expect to receive my WishList items once they are ordered? Can I track my shipment?

Once we receive confirmation that your WishList has been fully funded, we verify and process your order within 48 hours. After your WishList order has been placed, the carrier and tracking information will be available on your Teacher Dashboard. Our vendors require 1-3 days to process and ship your order, in addition to the standard 7-10 business days to ship.

DonorOffer View All - Hide All

What is a DonorOffer?

A DonorOffer is an offer for new or used goods made by an individual or corporate donor. Two type of DonorOffers can be found on the site: National or Regional. National offers are viewable to anyone that visits the site. Regional offers are only viewable to those that fit the donor's offer criteria.

How do I "ask" for a DonorOffer?

Fill in the form under the offer with a description of why you would like the offer and how it will be used in your classroom, school or district. Then click "Submit" and login to your account or create a new one. Your request will be emailed to the donor. You can review your requested DonorOffers from your Dashboard. Once your request has been approved, the status of your offer will update in your Dashboard. iLoveSchools.com respects the privacy of our educators and donors. We never provide emails directly. However, to help facilitate transportation you may choose to share your contact information with the donor.

Should I meet a donor to pick up a donation?

We always recommend using caution if you plan to meet a donor in person. If you plan to meet in person, we recommend that you meet at the school during school hours and notify the school office of the visitor. If the donor will be shipping the items, we recommend that they ship the donation to the school's address and the teacher's attention. You can also request that the donor drop off the donation at the front desk of the school with a note to your attention.

General Information View All - Hide All

I received a donation. Now what?

Congratulations! It's time to send your thank yous. Click on the Thanks link from your Dashboard to create an email thank you. From here you can draft your thank you message and upload photos, videos and PDFs of your classroom thank you cards. Then, just click Submit. We will deliver your thank you to all of the donors that contributed to that WishList or DonorOffer.

If you choose, you may send a thank you package via snail mail and we will distribute your thank yous among your donors. Don't forget to include your WishList ID# on your envelope.

Send to:

iLoveSchools.com
c/o WishList #
4306 Cass St.
San Diego, CA 92109

Can I use iLoveSchools.com for Supply Drive Donations?

School supporters conducting school supply drives can use iLoveSchools.com to learn of teacher, school and district's needs by conducting searches of local schools. Supporters can also use our site to distribute the donated items by creating a DonorOffer which local schools and teachers can request the items.

Is my information secure on your site?

We do not collect any personal financial information on iLoveSchools.com. Your privacy is our highest priority. We will never sell or otherwise provide your information to any outside organization without your permission. We do not care to spam our supporters, so you will only receive correspondence from our organization if you choose to hear from us.

What is your privacy policy?

Our privacy policy is very simple. We will never make your email address available to anyone for any purpose at any price without your consent. We believe that to do differently without your permission would be a violation of your privacy and we would never be a part of it. We're concerned about privacy just like you. When you visit the iLoveSchools.com website or subscribe to our newsletter you've given us your trust. Honoring your trust is a simple matter of integrity. Click here to view our full Privacy Policy.

Why haven't I received an email confirmation?

You may have received our email. However, due to security settings on your server or your computer, our email may have been redirected to your SPAM box. Please check there first. Then add our email to your address book, so you will not continue to experience these problems.

If our email did not end up in your SPAM box, you may log in to your account in your Teacher Dashboard and make sure we're using your current e-mail address. Then, to ensure receipt of our e-mail, add "CustomerCare@iLoveSchools.com' to your address book and be sure to add this email to your safe list, as well. You don't want to miss out on member benefits, such as tips, alerts and donations!