Project Ideas

Favorite

Animals

Reach out to your local animal shelter or have students identify a category of animal they are passionate about (i.e. wild animals, pets, ocean animals, reptiles, insects, etc.) and urge them to research nonprofit organizations in your area that exist to give them a better life. You can also reach out to your state wildlife federation for ideas as well!

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – Endangered, foster dog or cat, protect

Sea Otter Savvy

Arts & Culture

Connect with your local museum, community garden, symphony, theater or opera to see how you can help.

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – Art, music, public, museums

Disaster Relief

Organizations like the American Red Cross have local offices across the United States. You can also reach out to organizations like Missing Maps and Doctors Without Borders, both of which are global serving organizations. 

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – Natural disaster, wildfire, flood, hurricane, relief

Food Security

Many communities will have food banks or other resources available to help feed those in need in the community. Also look into organizations that are helping solve food insecurity in creative ways – local farmland used to grow food specifically to help feed the hungry.

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – Foodbank, pantry, soup or community kitchen, Community Supported Agriculture

Health, Community and Human Services

Organizations like the American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, March of Dimes, American Heart Association and more have offices across the United States. Reach out to your local city or county offices to see what needs are in your community that you can help with.

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – organizations that help people, medical nonprofits, medical research nonprofits

Housing and Homelessness

Reach out to your local rescue missions and organizations like Habitat for Humanity working to provide improved living conditions for community members. Many county or city offices partner with local nonprofits through their housing authority.

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – homelessness, housing solutions, rescue mission

Kiddos

Contact your school district office or foundation to identify needs of students in your own schools! Reach out to your community children's museum. Your local hospitals/children's hospitals appreciate goodie bags or games for kids receiving treatment. Just be sure to connect with them prior to sending anything to ensure you're following health guidelines. 

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – school supplies drives, community children's museum, youth support programs


Nature and the Environment

Connect with your local garden centers, recycling centers, parks and recreations departments and national organizations like American Rivers to see how you can make a difference!

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – Earth Day projects, environment, parks, river clean up, garden, planting, trees 

Seniors

Contact retirement centers or assisted living facilities to organize social visits or make crafts and cards for the residents! Your local VA hospital may be a great place to connect with as well.

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – helping the elderly, senior center, assistance for seniors

Skills-Based

Use Project Heart as a learning tool for your engineering classes or by using your 3D printers to create projects solving a need, focusing on philanthropy at the core. Virtually any skill you're passionate about can be used in a giving-back project!

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – STEM, engineering, design process, school programs

Support Troops & Veterans

Reach out to organizations like A Million Thanks, Any Soldier, Cell Phones for Soldiers, Hero Box, Knit 'N Style, Soldiers Angels, etc. to provide anything from thank you cards for soldiers to cell phones to call home. Get in touch with your local Reserve, Guard, JROTC offices for guest speakers!

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – Veteran projects, supporting our troops

Women and Girls

Seek out any local organizations that collect prom dresses/suits for high schoolers who can't afford them - or start your own closet at school, taking donations from local families. Many communities also have shelters for those seeking freedom from domestic violence.

  • KEYWORD SEARCH – women's assistance programs, women's shelters