Common Cents Mission: Common Cents, creator of the Penny Harvest, nurtures a new generation of caring and capable young people between the ages of four and 24 by enabling them to strengthen their communities through philanthropy and service-learning.

Penny Harvest location: 

Join the Common Cents email list!
Donate to Common Cents and the Penny Harvest!
Tell A Friend about Common Cents and the Penny Harvest!

NYC / Metro NY
Penny Harvest Field

Search the Common Cents and Penny Harvest web site  

What's New at Common Cents and the Penny Harvest

COACH APPRECIATION & KICK-OFF PARTY: Check out the photos from our October 16th party at Cole Haan.

FAMILIES: Download your Penny Harvest Family Kit now and then be sure to mail your Family Bonus card to Common Cents.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO ENROLL: You can still sign up and join 858 other NYC schools!

Penny Harvest recognizes 26 New York City  schools as 07/08 Schools of Excellence!

 

Instant Poll
Who do you think should be responsible for teaching our children to be good citizens?
Families
Schools
Religious institutions
Educational programs (like the Penny Harvest!)
All of the above

Penny Harvest NYC / Metro NY
Schools|Coaches|Grantees|Families|Students|About Us|
Home > Penny Harvest > Location > NYC / Metro NY > Grantees > Get Involved > Reach Out
email this page | print this page

REACH OUT

This page details the three ways to connect with Penny Harvest schools: Register on The Organization Finder, reconnect with schools that have funded you before, and expand your organization's existing relationship with schools.

Register on The Organization Finder

Read below to find tips to help create an appealing profile on The Organization Finder. Students search this database to find organizations to fund. Your profile does not have to say everything about your organization; instead try to pique student interest enough to contact you to learn more in person.

The fields you will fill in are listed below with tips to make each section stand out. After reading through them, REGISTER or SIGN IN! 

Organization Overview

Keep this short. Don’t just copy and paste your mission statement. Focus on one or two  programs or services that students will identify with. Remember that your audience is aged 4-14, so you have to explain jargon or complex vocabulary. Our best advice: focus on issues of fairness and justice, as kids always say “That’s not fair!”

Take the mission of Common Cents as an example:

Before After
Common Cents, creator of the Penny Harvest, nurtures a new generation of caring and capable young people between the ages of four and 24 by enabling them to strengthen their communities through philanthropy and service-learning.
 It’s not fair that kids have so many ideas about how they would make the world a better place, but it’s hard for them to show it because they don’t have the chance. Common Cents believes that all kids can make a difference if given the chance. Each year, Common Cents helps students in 800 schools gather pennies, make grants to organizations that help people, places, and animals in need, and help out with their hands. Each student becomes a philanthropist – that is, giving of their time, talent, and treasure to help others!

Description of Cash Grants

Students want to know how to spend their Penny Harvest funds – down to the last penny. Each roundtable has a budget of $1000. Some split up their funds among many organizations, and some choose only one. Try to give a few examples of what different sums could purchase.

A children’s hospital may list:

  • $100: New art supplies for the waiting rooms, including crayons, markers, and construction paper. Every day, 500 kids come through these waiting rooms.
  • $500: Blankets for 100 children.
  • $1000: 10 birthday parties for kids in the hospital who can’t celebrate their birthday at home.

Service Opportunities

Students often prefer organizations that have service opportunities listed. Service doesn’t have to be complicated, doesn’t have to cost money, and can be done in addition to or in place of a cash grant. See the Preserve page for more ideas on service.

Notice how the above cash grant examples can easily be converted into service projects:

  • We need new art supplies for the waiting rooms. Since you know what art supplies kids like better than we do, you can buy whatever you think they would like.
  • Kids in the hospital are comforted by blankets just as you are. If you or someone you know knits, you can donate hand-made blankets.
  • Some kids have to celebrate their birthday in the hospital. Make cards for those kids to wish them a happy birthday like you would for your friends.

Personal Introduction

Students want to know about you and why you’re involved in your organization. Briefly explain what you do at your organization and what you like about your job.

Ready to get started with your profile? 

New user? REGISTER
Existing user? SIGN IN
Lost your username and password? Contact grantees@commoncents.org.

Reconnect with schools that have funded you before

Let students know that your organization still has needs! Keep a record of which schools have funded you in the past and continue your relationship with them. Call the Penny Harvest Coach or send a mailing to the roundtable. If you haven’t kept track of this information, contact grantees@commoncents.org.

EXPAND your organization’s existing relationship with schools

Many organizations, including hospitals, senior centers, and youth programs already have relationships with schools. If your organization has connections to an elementary or middle school in New York City, chances are they participate in the Penny Harvest. Try to find out who the Penny Harvest Coach is and offer to present to the roundtable.
 
Back to top
 

Home | Contact Us | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Web Credits


©2008 Common Cents New York, Inc.
Common Cents® and Penny Harvest® are trademarks of Common Cents New York, Inc.