North Carolina teachers spend an average of $1,632 of their own money on school supplies—a foundation just gave $2M so they won’t have to

During the past few months, numerous social media posts have circulated featuring links to teacher wishlists for classroom supplies, necessities, and decor. Most educators are compelled to purchase these items out of their own pockets. However, a non-profit organization known as Exponential Scholars stepped in to alleviate this financial burden.

On Monday, the group announced it had funded every open North Carolina project on the DonorsChoose platform, a website that bridges teachers in high-need communities with donors for essential classroom supplies. This generous $2.25 million donation will cover over 3,200 classroom projects spread across more than 1,000 schools in North Carolina.

Holly May, a self-described "quiet philanthropist" and the president and CEO of Exponential Scholars, founded the organization in 2025. Her personal experiences growing up in rural North Carolina and receiving scholarships to attend top-tier institutions instilled in her a sense of duty to give back. This significant contribution arrives at a time when teachers' spending on classroom supplies continues to rise.

According to a 2025 study by CouponBirds, teachers in North Carolina spend an average of $1,632 annually from their own funds to stock their classrooms. This figure represents a 22% year-over-year increase, ranking second-highest in the country after Pennsylvania and higher than the national average of $1,021. Despite this, only 5% of teachers reported not contributing their own money for classroom materials, and 82% of them stated that their classrooms would suffer without this support.

Teacher salaries in North Carolina have not kept pace with inflation. In the 2023–24 school year, the state's average teacher salary was $58,292, placing it 43rd nationally and approximately $14,000 below the national average. According to the Economic Policy Institute, teachers earn just 73 cents for every dollar made by similarly educated professionals in comparable fields.

Exponential Scholars' initiative to clear teacher supply wishlists, termed "flash-funding," is a notable example. A similar effort was made in 2015 when Stephen Colbert partnered with two organizations to cover around 1,000 South Carolina classroom projects with an $800,000 donation. Colbert has since served on DonorsChoose's board of directors.

Just three years later, cryptocurrency firm Ripple funded every open project on the site nationwide, totaling 35,647 campaigns, with a $29 million donation. DonorsChoose was established in 2000 by former teacher Charles Best and has since become one of the largest platforms for addressing classroom needs across the United States.

Over 6 million supporters have contributed nearly $2 billion to more than 3 million projects, benefiting over 92,000 schools. In North Carolina, more than 143,000 projects have been funded through the platform. This generous donation means that teachers no longer have to dip into their savings to cover necessary supplies for their jobs.

Holly May expressed her belief in the American Dream, stating, "Mine came true: work hard, use your gifts, and it pays off…and you leave your kids more room for ambition and optimism than you had."