Funding For Primary School Playground, Grants & Ideas

Awards for All (UK wide)

Awards for All provides grants of up to £10,000 for schools and charities for art, sport, heritage and community activities, and projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community. Schools can apply directly without charitable status and offers a simple application form and quick turnaround with no deadlines.
Your outdoor project is likely to be eligible and needs to meet one of the 4 funding outcomes below:

People have better chances in life – with better access to training and development to improve their life skills.
Stronger communities – with more active citizens working together to tackle their problems.
Improved rural and urban environments – which communities are better able to access and enjoy.
Healthier and more active people and communities.

Gainford C of E Primary School in Darlington was awarded £2,668 to clear an area and provide equipment for outdoor play, aimed at children from the pre-school and under fives from the wider community.
PLEASE NOTE: grants up to £10,000 for playgrounds and temporary buildings must have a TOTAL COST of £25,000 or less. For more information on funding opportunities through Awards for All visit: www.awardsforall.org.uk

Garfield Weston Foundation

Founded in 1958 the Garfield Weston Foundation is a UK based, general grant-giving charity endowed by the late W Garfield Weston and members of his family. Grant making budget over £30 million. The trustees focus their funding on:

The Arts
Community
Education
Environment
Health
Religion
Welfare
Youth

The Purcell School in Bushey received a grant of £100,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation towards its capital expansion.

Brackenbury Primary School received a grant of £10,000 from the Foundation to help with the renovation of a disused and derelict Victorian school building, with the aim to creating a new space for the arts and sport.
St Michael’s Primary School, Withyham received a grant of £5,000 to help in the completion of a new classroom for the “Early Years”, a new hall/library and IT suite.
Southend High Schools for Boys received a grant of £5,000 to help equip and complete a new Sports Hall and Music Centre.
For more information on funding opportunities through the Garfield Weston Foundation visit:

http://www.garfieldweston.org/

Ernest Cook Trust

The Ernest Cook Trust is a charitable body charged with the dual role of maintaining the estates given to it by Ernest Cook, and all that they stand for, and giving money to support educational and research projects. Many of the schemes it supports relate to the countryside and environmental and architectural conservation, and are all educational in emphasis. Grants range from £100 – £3,000 in the small grants category and £3,000 – £10,000 in the main grants category.
Tilney St Lawrence Community Primary School in Norfolk was awarded £2,000 by the Ernst Cook Trust to help with the cost of whiteboard and projector.
Morriston Primary School received a grant of £1,730 from the Trust small grants programme to purchase outdoor educational items such as a weather station.
St Mary’s Primary & Nursery School in Manchester was awarded £1,500 by the Ernst Cook Trust to help with the running costs of a study club.
For more information on funding opportunities from the Ernest Cook Trust visit:

http://www.ernestcooktrust.org.uk/

Foyle Foundation

The Foyle Foundation is an independent grantmaking trust that distributes grants to UK charities. The Foundation does not support applications from individuals. Since it became operational in November 2001, The Foundation has disbursed £41.4M in grants (to the year ending June 2010).

The Foundation now operates a Main Grants Scheme supporting charities whose core work covers Arts and Learning and a Small Grants Scheme covering small charities in all fields.
Kelling Primary School, Holt was awarded £35,000 through the Foyle Foundation Learning programme to enable it to replace a second of two mobile classrooms in a school serving a rural area. In addition it received a further grant of £15,000 for building 2 new classrooms and an open space link.
The Charles Dickens School in London received a grant of £40,000 from the Foyle Foundation to convert an old Assembly Hall into a Library.
Mulberry Bush School, Witney was awarded £25,000 towards a multi-purpose hall so that this special education needs school can provide a full curriculum.
For more information on funding opportunities through the Foyle Foundation visit:

www.foylefoundation.org.uk/

Biffaward

Biffaward, is a grant scheme funded by Biffa Waste Services, through the landfill tax credits scheme, which levies a tax on all Landfill operators in order to fund environment and community projects within a certain distance from the Landfill sites. They provide small grants and main grants to improve community facilities.
Mary and John Church of England Primary School PTA received a grant of £5,000 from the Biffaward small grants scheme to turn a desolate concrete playground into a wildflower meadow. For more information on funding opportunities visit:

http://www.biffa-award.org/

Co-operative Community Fund

Every Co-operative Group Dividend cardholder has the option to donate the ‘odd pence’ from their twice-yearly Dividend payments to the Co-operative Community Dividend programme. The programme uses the money raised to support a range of community projects.

Blackboys Pre-school in East Sussex received a grant of £1,350 from the Community Dividend to develop its garden and buy outdoor equipment for the children to use.

For more information on funding opportunities from the Co-operative Community Fund visit:

www.co-operative.coop/membership/local-communities/community-fund/

Football Foundation

The Football Foundation is a partnership funded by The F.A. Premier League, The FA and the Government. The Foundation is the largest sports charity in the UK and provides grants of between £100 and £1 million to revitalise grass roots sport, investing in parks, schools and playing fields and harnessing the power of the game within local communities and to promote education and social inclusion.

Ashfield School in Nottinghamshire received a grant of £196,000 from the Football Foundation towards the installation of an ‘all weather’ Football Pitch.

For more information on funding opportunities from the Football Foundation visit:

www.footballfoundation.org.uk/welcome/

Learning Through Landscapes

A national charity that works with school communities to improve their school grounds. Learning Through Landscapes manage a range of initiatives and programmes that seek to promote and enhance the development, use and value of school grounds in diverse and innovative ways.

The Charity works at both national and regional levels. Support is available in terms of advice and assistance and / or grants.

For more information visit:

www.ltl.org.uk/index.php

Clore Duffield Foundation

The Foundation is a grant-giving organisation which concentrates its support on education, the arts, museum and gallery education, cultural leadership training, health and social welfare, whilst placing a particular emphasis on supporting children, young people and society’s more vulnerable individuals.
The Foundation has two distinct grant-making strands: the Main Grants Programme and a Small Grants Programme which is currently under review. Worth visiting their criteria as they have supported schools to a large degree in the past.

For more information visit:

www.cloreduffield.org.uk/

Lottery

Small Grant Schemes Schools are eligible to apply individually or in partnership with other public, private or voluntary sector organisations for grants of up to £10,000.

In addition to the Awards for All scheme, other lottery distributors run small grant schemes too:

Big Lottery Fund Community Spaces is a £50 million grants programme. The programme provides grants of between £10,000 and £450,000 to help not-for profit community groups create or improve green and open spaces. Organisations that can apply include schools. The type of activities funded can include improvements to play areas, community gardens, parks, wildlife areas, ponds, courts and village greens, etc.

Arts Council England will provide small capital grants through their existing ‘Grants for the arts’ programme, supporting awards between £1,000 and £100,000.

Heritage Lottery Fund small grants will be provided through ‘Your Heritage’ (£3,000 to £50,000) programme for projects which either care for heritage or increase people’s understanding and enjoyment of it.

British Ecological Society – School Ground Development Grants

The Ecological Education Grants (EEGs) are to enable teachers to make their teaching of ecology more innovative, interesting and exciting. Grants of up to £750 are available to primary, secondary and tertiary schools to support initiatives to enhance school grounds as ideal places to teach practical ecology. Funding is available for initiatives such as for example building a school pond or developing a nature reserve, etc.
For more information visit:

www.britishecologicalsociety.org/grants/education/index.php

The Goldsmiths’ Charity

The Goldsmiths’ Charity’s policy is to give small grants: the average grant in 2004/2005 was approximately £3,000. Where a grant is exceptionally made payable in stages over a period of more than one year (a recurring grant), each annual payment will be considered on its own merit and repeat payments cannot be assumed.
Appeals are considered monthly except in August and September, and there is usually a three to four month delay between receipt of an appeal and a decision being made. Applications from any organisation, whether successful or not, are not normally considered more frequently than once every three years.
For more information visit:

www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/charity-education/

Lankelly Chase Foundation

The Chase Charity and the Lankelly Foundation were established through the generosity of two separate entrepreneurs. The Chase Charity was founded in 1962 and the Lankelly Foundation six years later. After many years of working together, in 2005 the two Trusts formed the LankellyChase Foundation.
Current small grant priorities include Young People and the Arts and Local People, Local Places.
For more information visit:

www.lankellychase.org.uk

The Sutton Trust

Financial assistance is available to improve educational opportunities for children and young people, particularly from under-privileged backgrounds. The Sutton Trust works primarily with organisations such as schools, universities, community groups, charities and research bodies. Grants of up to £50,000 available, but most fall within the £10,000 to £25,000 range.
The Trust is particularly interested in supporting innovative projects and pilot schemes that have the potential to benefit large numbers, and in new research. In addition the Trust sponsors 4 Specialist Schools per year.
For more information visit:

www.suttontrust.com/home/

The Robertson Trust (Scotland)

The Robertson Trust is an independent Scottish grant-making Trust which exists to provide financial support to registered charities operating in the areas of Care, Health, Education and Training and Community Art and Sport. Each year the Trust makes available approximately £6 million in funding and approves in the region of 400 new grants. These can range in size from £500 to large capital donations in excess of £100,000. Applications can be submitted at any time. This includes support for capital developments at education establishments particularly where community use is encouraged, projects for young people with special needs, informal community- based education activities including youth training and projects which encourage links between the family and school.
For more information visit

www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/

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