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 couple of months as you’ve scrolled through social media, you’ve likely come across posts with links to teacher wishlists for items for their classroom.

That’s because most teachers have to pay for supplies, decor, and other classroom necessities out of their own pocket.

But one nonprofit foundation stepped in to help ease that burden.

Exponential Scholars announced Monday it funded every open North Carolina project on the DonorsChoose website, which connects teachers in high-need communities to donors for the supplies kids need.

The group’s $2.25 million donation will cover more than 3,200 classroom projects across more than 1,000 schools in North Carolina.

Exponential Scholars was founded in 2025 by self-proclaimed “quiet philanthropist” Holly May, who serves as its president and CEO.

She grew up in rural North Carolina in the 1990s, where her hometown had a population of just 2,000 and only one elementary school.

A full financial-aid scholarship to an independent school, followed by a full ride to Harvard College, and a business career in San Francisco, shaped May’s belief that “good fortune comes with a duty to pay it forward.” She and her husband, Travis, returned to North Carolina to raise their family and launched the foundation to support gifted students in overlooked communities across her home state.

This gift comes at a time when the amount teachers spend continues to grow.

According to a 2025 study by consumer platform CouponBirds, teachers in the state spend an average of $1,632 of their own money each year to stock their classrooms.

That’s a 22% year-over-year jump, and the second-highest figure in the country.

Pennsylvania beats that total by $5, and the national average was $1,021.

In that same survey, 95% of teachers reported dipping into their own wallets for classroom materials, and 82% said their classrooms would suffer without it.

Meanwhile, teacher pay hasn’t kept up.