Donate | Sunset Spark

♥ Support Sunset Spark ♥

Sunset Spark needs your help. As a 501(c)(3) org, your tax-deductible donation will help us teach creative technology and weird science to families at public schools. You can donate to us using the secure form below or through the PayPal Giving Fund. To donate using Apple Pay, head to Donor Box. We also accept checks via the mail by sending them to Sunset Spark, P.O. Box 320145, Brooklyn, NY 11232. Reach out if you'd like to give another way.

In 2023, school budgets were slashed further than before and schools could not afford to bring in programs like ours. Typically program revenue helps covers our operation costs, but partners don't have the funds this year.

Last year we taught over 3,000 students robotics, computer science, game design, and other creative technology and science subjects. Over 95% of our students are first and second generation immigrant families. We run free monthly teacher workshops and family events to help the whole community have fun with science and technology. Your donation helps us keep our doors open.

N.A.Q. (Never Asked Questions)

No one ever asks us any of these questions. We get it, we’re this offbeat hyperlocal non-profit and you might be wonder, who we are, what we do, who we do it with, and why should you donate. Let’s get to it.

What exactly is creative technology?

Creative technology is a broad area — game development, robotics, fashion tech, interactive art. Basically, anything where art and technology or science come together.

Do you teach kids that wouldn't get cool programs like these without your work?

Yes! Most of our students are from working class immigrant families from all around the world. Programs similar to ours at for-profit pay-to-play STEAM centers are unaffordable to the families we serve. We believe that everybody wins when educational opportunities are equitably provided. We have never charged families for our programs, with the exception of very recent one-off fundraising kids camps to help stabilize our finances.

Did you really teach 3,000 kids annually?

Yes! In previous years with more funding, we've even taught over 4,000 students! Last year we taught at P.S. 24, P.S. 516, P.S. 503, P.S. 169, P.S. 896, P.S. 131, P.S. 172, P.S. 971, P.S. 112, Brooklyn Rise School, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Muslim Community Center. At most of the schools, we taught multiple grades with 6-10 weeks of classes.

That seems like a lot for an organization with such a small team and budget?

Yes! That is a lot. We live and work in the community and are very dedicated. We design and teach our own curricula to scale across the neighborhood.

Robots, game design, creative tech, that all seems cool, but do you teach about culture too?

Yes! We infuse local and world culture into all of our lessons. Our programs are designed to highlight and enhance the many cultures of the families we teach. We have whole programs based around different culture’s influences in science and technology throughout history. Everyone learns better when they feel represented in the lessons and projects.

It sounds like your programs are for smart kids deemed gifted and talented. Do struggling learners and kids with special education needs get the programs too?

Yes! We teach every student in the a grade at a school — struggling learners, kids in special education classes, kids with physical disabilities, everyone! When we work with a school, we want to reach every student, including kids in special education classes like 12:1 classes. Struggling learners are often the most successful in our programs. Their classroom teachers are surprised to see them in a new light.

That’s all well and good, creative technology classes for immigrant families, but what they really need is access to technology to close the digital divide. Do you help with that?

We do that too! During the pandemic we held weekly outdoor tech support—setup right in front on schools on sidewalk. We helped over a 1,000 families fix their schools iPads. We even made home visits to fix WiFi and other device issues. Door to door bicycle tech support for the community.

That’s really cool. How many people are on your team again?

Just two of us plus or minus a high school student.

Two people! I know of educational non-profits with full teams and way bigger budgets that don’t reach 4,000 kids a year. How do you pull it all off?

We're do-ers. We don't have a lot of overhead. We live and work in our neighborhood and design all our own curricula. Most other organizations try to scale across the country and miss a lot of opportunity. We are scaling across a neighborhood and leave no stone unturned. We’ve worked with every school in our neighborhood and most of the community centers.

Are you a registered non-profit?

Absolutely! We have a gold star on Candid Guide Star. If you have a Candid account, you can check it out here.

Release your tax records!

Our tax records, and all non-profit tax records, are available here. Search for Sunset Spark in New York state.

I looked up your Form 990 tax records, and it looks like you really are in desperate need of funds. How much does it cost to run your programs?

Here’s the nitty gritty. One class per week for 30 kids costs us about $225 (about $7.50 per student). A 6-week Lego robotics program for a class of 30 kids costs about $1,350. A 6-week program that reaches all the classes (e.g. all five 3rd classes in a school) costs about $8,100. On the for-profit pay-to-play market, programs like ours cost at least 6 times as much!

Schools typically have at least half of this in their budget, and are happy to bring high quality, culturally relevant creative technology programs to their students. We subsidize whatever they can’t afford. We always work within schools’ budgets to bring our programs to their students, but this school year our mayor decided education was not a priority and decreased school budgets.

That sounds depressing, can you elaborate in a more boring way?

Sure. In 2022, school budgets were slashed and schools could not afford to bring in programs like ours. Typically program revenue helps cover our operation costs, but partners don't have the funds this year.

Wow, you all sound great. Where can I donate?

Thank you so much! 😍 You can donate securely right here! We also accept checks via the mail by sending them to Sunset Spark, P.O. Box 320145, Brooklyn, NY 11232. Reach out if you'd like to give another way.

♥ Support Sunset Spark ♥

Our Financial Supporters