How did Building Tomorrow get started?
Founded in 2005 through the generous support of the William E. Simon Fellowship for Noble Purpose, BT is a continuation of Christmas in Kampala (CIK), a 2004 fund-raising campaign at the College of William & Mary that raised nearly $45,000 for the construction of a new school in Kampala. Meeting Point Kampala, the beneficiary of CIK, opened in April 2006 and currently serves 350 kids.  Visit our history page to learn more. »Why Uganda?
The simplest answer is because that’s where we got started.  Beyond that, Uganda is a country in a unique position: it is the youngest country in the world.  More than half of Uganda’s population is under the age of 15, making the demand for classroom space at a premium.  However, while we recognize that we could keep ourselves more than busy for the rest of our lives building schools in Uganda, our ultimate goal is to expand to other countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa.  BUT – we aren’t in a rush.  Rest assured we believe in quantity of quality and will be sure to have all of our ducks in a row before we cross the border…How are BT academies sustained after they are built?
Each and every Building Tomorrow academy is, ultimately, a public government school. Once an academy is open, under the Universal Primary Education Initiative and through a Memorandum of Understanding with Building Tomorrow, the Ugandan government pays for long-term operating costs and for the salaries of teachers and administrators at our schools. By working within Uganda’s education system in this way, Building Tomorrow academies are not reliant on funding from us as an organization to sustain their operations. Building Tomorrow is also currently looking into a variety of Income Generating Activities that would provide local job opportunities and, ultimately, a direct source of income for our academies that could be used to provide regular school meals, fund field trips or provide incentives and additional pay for teachers.We have problems in the US. Why work abroad rather than in our own backyards?
We get this question a lot and, after much discussion, we think the best way to answer it is for you to do a little research of your own…  We challenge you to try and find someone working with us (or working with any international development organization for that matter) who hasn’t also, at some time or another, volunteered in their own community.  Why can’t we do both?  AND – As our Honorary Chairperson Desmond Tutu says, “We are all members of one family…the human family.”  Why does it matter where we live? Plus – research shows that investing in global education is in your best interests, too. »What makes BT different?
Two things.  1.  We don’t give hand-outs.  We partner with communities in Uganda and make an investment in them.  Ultimately, we provide them with the tools they need to help themselves and then we take a backseat…    2. We aren’t trying to guilt-trip you into action.  Rather, our goal is to empower you and help you realize how big of an impact you can and do have on the world and how you can make a tangible difference simply by using the resources and tools already available to you.Who is involved with Building Tomorrow?
Everyone.  Really.  Check it out »Who constructs each academy? Can I help?
Aside from the 4 or 5 skilled masons that we typically have at each build-site, it is the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and friends of future BT students, along with local community members and local leaders who volunteer approximately 20,000 hours of their time to construct each academy.

As far as whether or not you can help – we do offer typically one or two trips to Uganda each year for our student chapters…to give them a chance to work side-by-side with the communities they have invested in.  If you go to a school with an active BT chapter–attend the next meeting to find out how you can get more involved and to learn about opportunities for travel.  HOWEVER – please know that these trips are not our focus and space is limited.  We strongly believe that we can much more effectively leverage our resources in the states to support our partners communities rather than invest our resources in a short trip abroad.Can I visit a BT academy?
While we’d love to have the means to facilitate every site visit request, given our limited staff and time/scheduling constraints, there are instances when we, or more specifically, our team in Uganda, will be unable to handle a site visit.

If you are headed to or already in Uganda and wish to visit with our staff and/or visit one of our sites, please contact us with the following information:

- Purpose of your visit
- Dates of your visit to Uganda and, specifically, when you will be in Kampala
- Are you able to furnish transportation in-country?

All requests must be sent to visits@buildingtomorrow.org and will be jointly coordinated with our US office.How does BT work with the government in Uganda?
Under the Universal Primary Education Initiative (UPE) and through a Memorandum of Understanding with Building Tomorrow, the Ugandan government pays for long-term operating costs and the salaries of the teachers at our schools. In total, the government’s annual contribution to Building Tomorrow academies equates to approximately $9,000.Does BT have staff in Uganda?
Yes!  Building Tomorrow has five full-time employees in Uganda.  Check out our ‘Meet the Staff‘ page for more information »What are community members’ impressions of BT? Are they supportive?
We are excited to say that they are very good…and constantly improving!  So good, in fact, that we have had multiple community members donate the land land for our academies, including: the BT Academy of Sentigi (Gerald Kasibante) and the BT Academy of Kyeyitabya (Emmanuel).  And since we’ve received so much support from our community partners, we’ve made the donation of land an integral part of our community partnerships.What does a BT academy look like?
It varies.  The first BT academy (Meeting Point Kampala) is a three story structure that was built in partnership with a number of other organizations.  BT essentially paid for the first level of classrooms.  BT’s second, third and fourth academies were constructed according to this blueprint.  BT’s fifth academy (The BT Academy of Gita) was designed by architecture and engineering students at the University of Virginia (the academy was also funded by students at U.Va.).  The BT Academy of Kyeitabya was designed by architecture students at the University of Notre Dame (ND students funded the school’s construction as well). And, in 2009, BT partnered with Architecture for Humanity for the 2009 Open Architecture Challenge: Classroom—an international design competition—and the design for our NA Barakat Academy of Nakaseeta is thanks to the folks at Gifford LLP in London, UK.

Is your school interested in taking part in a similar Design:Build? Contact us. We’d love to work with you.

That being said, while changes in location and topography dictate a need for modifications in the design and/or layout of each of our academies, we realize that having a new design for each is not a reasonable solution. We’re a young organization and we’re constantly learning and, with the help of a number of advisors, piecing together the “best” pieces of all of our designs to come up with, hopefully, the best overall design for our future academies.Are BT academies only for kids orphaned by the AIDS epidemic?
No. Children with AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are regularly ridiculed and stigmatized, so Building Tomorrow encourages all children in need of an education to attend our schools in order to prevent any further alienation. Not all of our students are orphans either. If a child is in need, it makes no difference if they have parents or not.Are donations tax deductible?
Absolutely! Building Tomorrow is a 501(c)(3), and with every donation we send you a letter of acknowledgment, which can be used for tax purposes.Where are BT’s headquarters?
Our headquarters are in downtown Indianapolis – check out directions to our offices if you are planning a visit. »Can I start a BT chapter?
Absolutely! Check out our current chapters to see if there is already a BT chapter near you.  If not, we’d encourage you to apply for either our Campus Leaders or HS Leaders Program to start a chapter at your school!  Questions? Email maggie@buildingtomorrow.orgHow much does my chapter have to raise to build a school?
A ten-room academy for 325 kids (complete with seven classrooms, an office, a library, toilets, & a soccer field) costs approximately $60,000.  Exactly how you raise it, and how quickly you raise it is up to you.  On that note though, we think one of the most exciting things about BT for students is that starting a chapter, fundraising and breaking ground on a new primary academy supported by your school, all before you graduate, is ENTIRELY possible!  We’re here to help.How is the money raised and what does it pay for?
BT has a wide variety of fundraising campaigns, “packaged” and ready-to-go!  Whether you want to lead your campus in a week-long bike ride to Uganda, sell paper bricks in your student center or challenge people to see how far they’re willing to walk for an education…we’ve got you covered!  Our staff has put together a WIDE variety of resources to make your job easier: fundraising guides, how-tos, flyers, posters, template letters, check-lists, t-shirt designs, hand-outs, and more!  AND -  As mentioned above, the money pays for the land, construction materials and a few skilled laborers.What percent of the money I raise will go towards a BT academy?
100 percent. We mean it.  We work hard to ensure that 100 percent of the funds raised by our student chapters goes directly towards program costs in Uganda.  All of BT’s administrative costs are covered by outside donations and grants.I’m not a student. Can I still be involved in Building Tomorrow?
Absolutely!  Young professionals can join BT’s Social Investment Council.  Teachers can Sit for Good.  Community members can volunteer and plan events.  Journalists can write stories about BT.  Everyone can spread the word.  AND, everyone can create their own fundraising page or make a donation, today—every dollar counts.  Check out our Get Involved & How are you Building Tomorrow pages for stories & more ideas. »I want to collect classroom resources & materials to send to BT academies. How should I do this?
In all honesty, we’d prefer that you didn’t. Reason being: for us, the cost of collecting and transporting materials (books, pens, pencils, paper, toys, etc.) to Uganda far exceeds the cost of simply purchasing all of these materials IN Uganda. Plus, we’re big on being “local” and that means investing in our partner communities by purchasing things locally, too.What is goodsearch.com?
Goodsearch.com is a search engine through Yahoo that donates one cent to Building Tomorrow for every search where Building Tomorrow is designated as the benefactor. Just go to www.goodsearch.com and type in Building Tomorrow as the organization you wish to support.