Playground Grants for Schools - How to Get Started ‘Starting an uncertain journey’ is how many of our customers describe the beginning of a new school playground project. Do not fear! We are happy to share our experience and top tips to help get all or part of your playground 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 playground funding so ask yourselves the following questions: What do we want to achieve? What is the need/primary use for your playground and outdoor educational equipment? 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 Tackle Playground Funding Alone! We recommend building a team of at least 10 members to get the best spread of playground funding ideas and workload. Members can be made up from: School Staff PTA School Council Pupils Governors Playground Funding Options from School Activities Some of the most effective school fundraising for playgrounds is when a school has a goal set and has organised their own fundraising activities which have included: School Discos Quiz Nights Sponsor Challenges Fun Days Talent Shows Treasure Hunts Raffles Table Top Sales Car Washes Bake Sales Jumble/Nearly New Sales Mufti Days Auctions Christmas Bazaars Easter Egg Hunts A visual funding counter at the front of the school always helps as everyone involved can see the progress towards your common goal. Companies and local funders can also be more motivated to help out when they have a visual reference of how much hard work has been put into an existing project. Government Grants for School Playgrounds - 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) Lottery-related Playground Funding Options - Funding Links The National Lottery Community Fund National Lottery Funding can help you to make a difference in your community. National Lottery Awards for All, offers funding to support what matters to people and communities. Schools can apply directly without charitable status and offers a simple application form and quick turnaround with no deadlines. How Much? £300 – £20,000 Who can apply? Local authorities, registered charities, schools and community organisations. Home | The National Lottery Community Fund (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk)Heritage Lottery Fund The Heritage Lottery Fund provides a range of different grant programmes. In assessing applications, they take account of the outcomes for heritage, people and communities that projects will achieve. How Much? £3,000 – £5million Who can apply? Organisations in the public, private and third sectors. Welcome | The National Lottery Heritage FundSport England Did you know by playing the National Lottery, you’re helping people across England play sport and get physically active? That’s because two-thirds of Sport England’s funding comes from the lottery. It has many funding programmes, from small grants and those that fund the renovation of local sports facilities to funds that boost physical activity in primary play spaces. How much? £300-£15,000 Who can apply? Sports clubs, charities, community organisations, local authorities and schools. Home | Uniting | The | Movement | Sport EnglandSport Scotland Sport Facilities Fund (SFF) supports capital projects that create or improve places where people take part in sport and physical activity. How much? Up to £100,000 Who can apply? Community organisations and schools. sportscotland – sportscotland the national agency for sport in ScotlandSport Wales The Be Active Wales Fund offers grants to sports clubs and community organisations to support projects that promote equality, sustainability and innovation in sport. How much? £300 – £50,000 Who can apply? Community groups and non-profit organisations. Sport Wales | Sport Wales Playground Funding via Community and Foundation Links FCC Community Fund FCC Communities Foundation awards grants to community projects from funds donated by FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund and Scottish Landfill Communities Fund. How much? £2,000 – £100,000 Who can apply? Local authorities, registered charities and church councils. FCC (fcccommunitiesfoundation.org.uk)Veolia Community Grant The Veolia Community Grant Scheme is available for not-for-profit organisations and local authorities to create or improve buildings, outside spaces for the benefit of the community. How much? £10,000 – £75,000 Who can apply? Local authorities, registered charities and non-profit organisations. Funding (veoliatrust.org)Enovert Community Trust The trust supports community and environmental projects, such as improving or creating new children’s play areas, restoring green spaces and enhancing sports/recreation facilities. How much? Up to £50,000 Who can apply? Local authorities, registered charities and non-profit organisations. Enovert Community Trust FundingHS2 The Community and Environment Fund Community and Environment Fund (CEF) has been created to add benefit to communities along the route that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2 from London to West Midlands and Phase 2a from the West Midlands to Crewe. How much? £10,000 – £250,000 Who can apply? Schools, local authorities, community groups, registered charities and non-profit organisations. The Community and Environment Fund – HS2 Community and Business Funds (hs2funds.org.uk)Cambridgeshire Community Foundation The Amey Community Fund, managed by the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, offers grants to organisations and groups within 10 miles of a landfill site in Cambridgeshire County Council’s boundaries. How much? £1,500 – £10,000 Who can apply? Community-focused not-for-profit organisations. Cambridgeshire Community Foundation | For a better county (cambscf.org.uk)Community Foundation Network The Community Foundation Network represents the movement of charities dedicated to strengthening local communities, creating opportunities and tackling issues of disadvantage and exclusion throughout the UK. Community Foundations have been active in the UK since the 1980s and a rapidly growing network of approximately 55 foundations is now established. You can search for your local community foundation on the website. How much? Depends on the local community. Who can apply? Registered charity groups, local community centres or community groups/organisations that aren’t registered as charities. UK Community FoundationsCorra Foundation Corra Foundation serves as a grant-maker, distributing funds throughout Scotland. A significant aspect of their funding approach involves aligning with specific themes or purposes. Notably, the foundation administers programs geared towards supporting community groups through smaller grants. Among these initiatives is the “Boost Small Grants” program. This program specifically targets grassroots organizations and charities with an annual income of up to £50,000, focusing on endeavours that benefit children and families. How much? £500 to £3,000 Who can apply? Community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Home – Corra FoundationErnest Cook Trust The Ernest Cook Trust is an educational charity and one of the UK’s foremost providers and funders of Outdoor Learning. Our funding focus is for grants for environmental engagement, nature connection, Outdoor Learning and learning from the land. The Trust’s criteria prioritise support for children, young people their families, especially those from underserved communities and residing in areas of high deprivation. How much? £500 Who can apply? Community groups and not-for-profit organisations. The Ernest Cook TrustAviva Community Fund Aviva Community Fund offers support and project funding. Aviva have recently opened their funding for 2017. The scheme supports projects related to health and wellbeing, activities for children and young people and support for family life. If your project will have positive effects on your community have a look at the guidelines on the Aviva site. How much? Up to £50,000 Who can apply? Community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Aviva Community Fund – Supporting Your Community – AvivaFootball Foundation The Football Foundation is the largest sports charity in the UK funded by the Premier League, The FA and Government (via Sport England). It funds the development of new and refurbished grassroots sports facilities improving the quality and experience of playing sport at the grassroots level to sustain and increase participation and improve general skills levels. How much? Depends on the product. Who can apply? Community groups and not-for-profit organisations. What we fund | Football FoundationGarfield Weston Foundation Garfield Weston Foundation is a grant-giving charity for UK registered charities. The Foundation will also consider applications from a limited number of exempt organisations – churches, educational establishments, hospitals and housing corporations. How much? Depends on the grant. Who can apply? UK Registered Charities Home – Garfield Weston FoundationGrants 4 Schools A comprehensive funding information service available to the UK Education sector. Updated daily, Grants 4 Schools is a directory of all the grants available for your project from a variety of different sources. How much? Up to £100,00 Who can apply? Schools Grants4SchoolsDaiwa Foundation The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation makes grants to individuals, institutions and organisations to promote links between the UK and Japan in all fields of activity. Under its Small Grants programme, grants are available for educational and grassroots exchanges, research travel, the organisation of conferences, exhibitions, and other projects and events. How much? £2,000-£9,000 Who can apply? Schools. Daiwa Foundation Small Grants – Daiwa foundation small grants and awards – 大和基金 (dajf.org.uk)Foyle Foundation The Foyle Foundation is an independent grant making trust that distributes grants to UK charities and not for profit organisations whose work is in the areas of Learning, the Arts and Health. Within its Learning remit funding is available to meet special educational needs and learning difficulties. How much? £2,000 – £10,000 Who can apply? UK Based registered charities and state funded schools. The Foyle FoundationGreggs Foundation Greggs Foundation Local Community Projects Fund helps organisations based in local communities to deliver projects or provide equipment to people in need. The Greggs Foundation tend to favour smaller groups and organisations and those who are disadvantaged. The local community projects fund is open in three stages throughout the year. How much? Up to £60,000 Who can apply? Registered charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Greggs Foundation | Community fundingLearning through Landscapes Learning Through Landscapes is the national school grounds charity. They believe school grounds play a vital role in every child’s learning and development. The charity aims to help schools and early years settings make the most of their outdoor spaces for play and learning. This scheme provides £500 worth of outdoor resources, and a 2 hour training session to selected schools in England, Scotland and Wales. How much? £500 worth of outdoor resources Who can apply? All schools including Early Years. Outdoor Learning and Play Charity | Learning through Landscapes (ltl.org.uk)London Marathon Charitable Trust The London Marathon Charitable Trust primarily provides capital funding for building or facilities projects that inspire increased participation in physical activity, sport or play. The trustees make decisions four times throughout the year. How much? Depends on the size of the project. Who can apply? Community groups. Home – London Marathon GroupMorrisons Foundation The Morrisons Foundation is funded by a number of revenue streams and is the chief recipient of the money generated through the sale of carrier bags in Morrisons stores in England. Their aims are to make a positive difference to people living in England, Scotland and Wales through community groups, charities and other bodies committed to creating a positive difference to people in their community. How much? Up to £10,000 Who can apply? UK registered charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Charitable Grant Policy | Morrisons FoundationOne Family Foundation The One Family Foundation helps fund community projects that matter to their customers. It also lends a financial helping hand to customers or their loved ones in times of need. School projects that have been successfully funded through the ‘Community Awards’ programme have included outdoor play spaces. How much? Up to £25,000 Who can apply? Schools and community groups. Young Persons Education Grants | Membership | OneFamilyPeople’s Postcode Trust Funding for good causes in England, Scotland and Wales, including those that advance public participation in sport. Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have funded good causes in every postcode area in Britain. There are different funding opportunities available for smaller, local charities and good causes through the community programme trusts. There are six community programme Trusts, each representing a different geographical area of Great Britain. How much? £500 – £2,500 Who can apply? UK registered charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations. People’s Postcode Trust | People’s Postcode TrustSITA Trust Support community improvement projects through the Landfill Communities Fund. Enhancing Communities – provides funding for community leisure projects within a three mile radius of qualifying waste process sites owned by SITA UK. Funding is available in 100 core zones throughout England, Scotland and Wales. How much? Up to £50,000 Who can apply? Not-for-profit organisations – community groups, parish councils, charities, community interest companies, sports clubs, community associations, local authorities and voluntary organisations. SITA Trust – Apply for FundingTesco Stronger Starts Schools and children’s groups will be able to apply via Groundwork for a grant of up to £1,500. Grants are for activities that focus on providing food to kids such as fruit for breakfast clubs or snacks to enjoy throughout the day, and for equipment for outdoor and indoor activities. Successful applications will go to a customer vote in their local Tesco store. Two out of the three blue token voting boxes by the checkout will be dedicated to local schools with the third given over to local community projects nominated by each store’s colleagues. Customers can then choose which of the three projects they’d like to support by voting with a blue token. Every three months the grant scheme will support 1350 schools with £1.35m worth of funding in 675 communities across the UK. How much? Up to £1,500 Who can apply? Schools and children’s groups. tescostrongerstarts.org.ukThe Robertson Trust The Robertson Trust aims to improve the quality of life and realise the potential of people and communities in Scotland. Our funds are aimed at constituted community groups and registered charities who are working to alleviate poverty and trauma in Scotland. How much? £2,000 – £15,000 Who can apply? UK registered charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Funding | The Robertson TrustWREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) Awards grants to community projects that are eligible under the Landfill Communities Fund. WREN received the majority of its funding from landfill tax. Community projects are eligible within a 10 mile radius of landfill sites in the WREN operating area. WREN will fund the internals of a pavilion or open community facilities such as a MUGA or play area. How much? £600 – £15,000 Who can apply? Registered charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Community Funds – WRENThe Johnson Foundation The Foundation supports UK registered charities working specifically within the Liverpool City Region in the areas of Welfare, Youth, Community, Arts, Education and Health. How much? Depends on the project. Who can apply? All Schools, UK registered charities (working in the Liverpool City Region) and Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO’s) Funding – Johnson Foundation (thejohnsonfoundation.co.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