How to Get Started “Starting an uncertain journey” is how most customers of ours have described the beginning of a new Play Area Project. Do not fear! We are happy to share our experience and top tips to help get all or part of your project funding underway. Clarify the Project It is a good idea to get a clear vision of what you are looking to achieve before applying for funding so ask yourselves the following questions: What do we want to achieve? What is the need/primary use for your playground? Who will be using the play area? What benefits will the play area bring? What deadline are we working towards? Do we have enough space? Do we need planning permission? Don’t Do it Alone We recommend building a team of at least 10 members to get the best spread of ideas and workload. Members can be made up from: School Staff PTA School Council Pupils Governors TOP TEN Tried and Tested Grant Writing Tips TIP: 1 Bid Writing Basics Some people believe that good writing is the key to good proposals. To a large extent this is true. Funding bodies would agree to this point, as: Some applications are rejected because they contain poor ideas Most applications are rejected because they contain good ideas poorly presented Try to apply the good practice rules contained within this resource when you come to write a small grant application for your outdoor/playground project. TIP 2: Use Plain English Do not be tempted to go over board with jargo Write in clear, bold sentences rather than long difficult to read prose Example: “High quality learning environments are a necessary pre-condition for facilitation and enhancement of the on going learning process” OR WRITTEN IN PLAIN ENGLISH… “Children need good schools” See http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/free-guides.html TIP 3: Use Active Language Not Passive Language Active language engages the reader. It is persuasive and positive and convinces the funder that there is a project about to happen; How to write actively This project will… We expect to… This project is necessary because… DON’T write passively This project aims to… It is our hope that… If this project didn’t happen… TIP 4: Avoid Assumptions Never assume that a funding body, whether local, regional or national, is familiar with your community, your school, the geographical area, local issues or your educational track record/reputation. Always include a context for your project that demonstrates your expertise as a school and the need for the project. TIP 5: The Acronym “Children with SEN need additional learning opportunities beyond those provided through the NC. The newly adapted ICT facilities will enable pupils on the SENIMS register to compete on equal terms, and complete the transition between KS2 and KS3.” STOP!! TOO MANY ACRONYMS AND ASSUMPTIONS This sentence works just as well if you write: “Pupils with special educational needs will benefit from access to specialist computer software. Their progress and attainment will be monitored over a three year period.” If you are going to use acronyms within your application include a glossary. TIP 6: How to Sound Successful Fundraising success can have a domino effect. It is infectious. Success breeds success for a number of reasons. Schools that have been awarded grants from a range of sources automatically earn a reputation with other funders. Success also demonstrates that other funders have confidence in the school. And, funds can be ‘matched’ against other funds to increase your chances. Remember, success sells more than sympathy, so present a positive image of your school and your future plans to the funder. Demonstrate that funds will represent a shrewd investment for the funder State the impact of your work, who will benefit and how you will prove it Spell out the benefit of future work and refer to your track record of managing external funds Demonstrate and list past successes In more qualitative terms, be upbeat, self-confident, and creative Think about that crucial first impression – how can you provide a punchy first paragraph to give a strong impression of your project. If you can’t communicate a belief in what you do then how can you expect a funder to be enthused? TIP 7: Remember to Tell a Story We all relate to, and remember stories better than abstracted concepts. Good stories are about people – human interest grips us all. People are the best carriers of vision and ideas; and, ultimately, funds are made available for the benefit of people not organisations. Use personal examples. And ask yourself, does your application draw out benefits that will be made to people, whether parents, pupils, staff or the wider community? TIP 8: Tips for Layout and Presentation Assessors tend to adopt a critical reading style when appraising applications, helping them to skim and review a bid. The following writing techniques will improve the critical review of your application. Technique When to Use Why? Bold Type – To emphasise words It is easier to read than italics, underlining or capitals HEADINGS – Place them directly into your text to break up and identify the main ideas you will cover They act like a table of contents and draw the reader’s eye to the key ideas Numbered Lists When items need to be examined in a specific sequence, such as project objectives They give a sense of immediacy Bulleted lists Bulleted lists When all items are equally important, such as an evaluation plan. Different formats for bullets can be used ie “” to list benefits. Give an impression of a well planned project Ragged margins Throughout the narrative text of the application Easier to track from one line to the next if the right hand margin is left ragged and right justified Sans serif typeface Serif typeface There is a lot of debate amongst fundraisers over typeface preference! Arial is widely favoured for ease on the eye. Sans serif typefaces (Verdana, Arial, Tahoma) are clearer to read. Serif typefaces such as Times New Roman and Courier are more “traditional” and have small strokes that finish off the main stroke of the letter. TIP 9: Provide Evidence The evidence you can use within grant applications falls into main two categories; school and community. You can use evidence to present a picture of your school to a funding body and to support your case for funding. Never assume that anyone knows about your school’s reputation (good or bad), or details about the local area and its needs. As a minimum you should have the following information, statistics and data to hand about your school: Free school meal data – the percentage of FSM pupils Absenteeism and exclusions – the absentee rate/level as compared to national average League tables – to show fall/rise in educational attainment OFSTED reports –use direct quotes from recent reports on attainment, building inspections and facilities to support your argument Anti-bullying, behaviour management strategies in place Building capacity and age of school building – may indicate overcrowding See https://www.raiseonline.org As a minimum you should have the following information, statistics and data to hand about your local community: Census data Labour market data – is there a high level of unemployment in your area? Index of Multiple deprivation – see box below For rural schools, the Countryside Agency’s Ward Level Definition of Rural Areas Population statistics – in particular ethnicity profile Neighbourhood statistics – e.g. household/car ownership Household/resident surveys – contact local organisations to find out what consultations have been carried out in your area See www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/ TIP 10: How to Demonstrate the Difference you will make Most grant application forms you’ll come across will ask you the following question; What difference will the grant make? To answer this question effectively let’s assume you are applying for a small grant to start an after school dance club. Try to adopt the writing style used in example 3. 4. or 5. Answer 5. Gives the best evidence! The pleading and ineffectual answer X Q. What difference do you hope the grant will make? A. The project would not be possible without your support. We would not be able to meet the needs of pupils interested in contemporary dance. The jargon heavy answer X Q. What difference do you hope the grant will make? A. The contemporary dance scene is a great way to show young people diversity in action. This project will promote cultural diversity through group discussion and participation in world music. The concise and creative answer Q. What difference do you hope the grant will make? A. The idea came from pupils who spend time listening to R & B and watching music videos. Pupils will get the chance to be fit, have fun, and learn about new dance forms from a trained dancer. The personal and local relevance answer Q. What difference do you hope the grant will make? A. A dance group of up to 20 pupils will perform at a Community festival in mid-2012. They will choreograph moves, design costumes and choose a name for the group. It is hoped that the group will go on to perform at other community venues. The evaluation based answer Q. What difference do you hope the grant will make? A. We will arrange peer group auditions at the end of the project to increase pupil confidence and performance ability. • 20 pupils attended • 1 artist in residence • 1 new after school club • 3 performancesHelping you to Research More Funding Bodies FREE (or cheap) online resources include: www.grantnet.com (clunky to use but good coverage. Free) www.j4b.co.uk (regular updates on new funding streams. Basic alerts are free) www.fit4funding.co.uk (monthly e-newsletter covering new funding streams £25 for annual subscription) Subscription resources include: www.grantsonline.org.uk (£175+VAT annual subscription for 1 user only. FREE trial available) www.grants4schools.org.uk (£99+VAT annual subscription. FREE trial available) Both cover EU funders, UK government, UK grant-making trusts and lottery funders Your local Community Foundation will be knowledgeable about funders in your area. There are over 60 CFs in the UK www.communityfoundations.org.uk Let us know how you get on and feel free to get in touch at any stage! Call: 0808 168 2032 Email: info@educationalplayenvironments.com Visit Us: www.educationalplayenvironments.com Government Funding Links England & Wales – Central Government Gov.uk provides opportunities to apply for community-based funding and grants which can be used for projects like activities for young people and development of community facilities. Apply for funding for community projects – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Scotland The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) offers advice on fundraising on its website, which includes details on legal funding. Funding – SCVO The Scottish Government website provides information about funds available for the voluntary sector. Wales The Welsh Assembly offers several grant schemes dedicated to supporting the voluntary sector. Detailed information about these opportunities can be found on the official Welsh Assembly website at www.wales.gov.uk. Additionally, the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) produces a variety of information sheets covering funding sources in Wales. These encompass funding from the National Assembly, WCVA’s initiatives, and grants from charitable trusts. www.wcva.org.uk Northern Ireland The primary department overseeing the Voluntary sector is the Voluntary and Community Unit within the Department for Social Development. For detailed information, you can visit www.communities-ni.gov.uk. GrantTracker, Northern Ireland’s premier funding toolkit, plays a crucial role in assisting the voluntary and community sectors in identifying relevant funding schemes for their projects and streamlining funding applications. Developed by NICVA 15 years ago, GrantTracker is accessible online through a subscription fee. Home | GrantTracker (grant-tracker.org)