Creating a Positive Whole School Impact...
Funding Guide for Schools Contents The Funding Ladder Funding Agencies Funded Awards
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Climb the Fund Raising Ladder, starting from number one, to ensure you cover all the necessary steps to becoming successful when applying for funding.
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Step 5: Start Your Project
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Step 4: Be Patient
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Congratulations! You have won your grant and are now able to continue with your project. Call ESP for a free consultation and playground design and let us complete the project for you. If you were unsuccessful, don’t give up. Simply start at the bottom of the ladder again, create a more impacting application and keep trying. You will get there.
Once you have sent off your application, it may take a while before you hear anything. Funding can sometimes take months to be processed. During this time, it may be a good idea to source other funding options just incase your application is not successful. You could even try hosting your own fund raising events in order to make a little bit extra. Step 3: Application Once you have all the background information regarding your project and what funding you are applying for, it is time to begin your application. Ensure you enclose all the relevant information the funder requires. Enclose photos, letters from students anything that will make your application stronger. Remember, to tailor your application to suit the criteria of the funding agency. If the information isn’t there, they will not process your application. Step 2: Research Which grant is for you? Once you have planned your playground project, you will have a better understanding of how much money you require. Take a look through the various funding opportunities available in this guide and decide who you are going to approach. Make sure you meet the funder’s criteria otherwise you will not be successful. You must also bear in mind time-scales. If the funder takes 6 months to process an application and you require funds immediately, then this may not be the best option for you. Step 1: Plan • How do you want your playground to look? • What do your students want? • How much money will you need? • When does the work need to be completed by? Questions such as these must be considered in order to help you with the next steps of your application.
Below are the most popular Funding Agencies. Many of the schools we have worked in partnership with have secured funding by applying to at least one of them. Good luck! Local Authority Funding - www.direct.gov.uk Why not try approaching your Local Authority and familiarise yourself with their funding entitlement. Speak to the Children’s Services Department who may be able to help you with your query. If you require contact details for your Local Authority, please visit the website above and search for ‘Local Authority’. Scarcroft Green Nursery in York and ABC Day Nursery in Todmorden both received funding from their Local Authority after seeing an ESP design for their outdoor resource.
Early Years Capital Grant – www.direct.gov.uk This grant will allow local authorities to invest money into various organisations in the Early Years sector to ensure they have appropriate funding in place to update and develop their outdoor provision and play equipment. Contact your Local Authority today to discuss funding entitlement. Contact details for your LA can be found at the above website. Carey Child Care Centre in Preston, ABC Nurseries in Cannock, Durham Uni Day Nursery in Durham and Tiny Turners in Stockton-on-Tees all worked with ESP after receiving funding from the Early Years Capital Grant.
Devolved Formula Capital (DFC) - www.teachernet.gov.uk This is an amount which is allocated to Primary and Secondary schools each year to be spent on the school buildings, ICT and other capital priorities. The money can also be used for school equipment, and to maintain and refurbish playgrounds too. To find out more on how and when to receive the money from your LEA, follow the link above.
School Travel Plan Grants - www.teachernet.gov.uk With the daily school run contributing to the busy traffic on the roads, it is now time for schools to implement a plan to dramatically reduce this. Extra funds can be awarded to schools who have implemented a travel plan. The website above explains more.
Fundraising for Schools - www.fundraisingschools.co.uk Why not sign up to this monthly magazine and be kept up to date with the most recent funding information for your sector. The subscription charge is only £177.65 per year. For more information, or to subscribe to this monthly publication, please visit the above web page.
Grants Online - www.grantsonline.org.uk This is an online grants information provider. Subscribe today to start receiving funding information that could be beneficial to you. For subscription costs or more information, please visit the above website.
CABE Education Grants - www.cabe.org.uk/education/grants CABE grants can be used to fully fund a project. They promote educational projects that explore architecture and the design of public spaces in an imaginative way. Your application must be submitted under one of their five prechosen categories. These are listed on their website above.
Football Foundation – www.footballfoundation.org.uk This organisation provides grants for a number of different projects. Money can go towards enhancing existing facilities or for creating a community project. Large and small grants can be won from this organisation. Visit the above site for more detailed information.
Sport England – www.sportengland.org Sport England plans to create a world-leading community sport system. Due to this, they offer a number of different grants which are available to many organisations, local authorities, schools, colleges and universities nationwide. Why not apply today by visiting the above website.
Awards For All – www.awardsforall.org.uk Awards For All offers grants between £300 and £10,000 to help those in need and local communities. Money is available to schools and non-profit organisations. Your application must relate to at least one of four outcomes, details of which can be found at the above website.
Partnership and Matched Funding – www.lotteryfunding.org.uk This type of funding is supported by The National Lottery. Matched or Partnership Funding, as it is sometimes known, is where you are able to make a contribution to your grant. This sort of funding is available to all and more information can be found, by following the above link.
The National Lottery – www.lotteryfunding.org.uk The National Lottery gives money to the Big Lottery Fund every year which is split between different funding programmes. All the projects can be found on the above webpage.
Kids First Playground Partnerships – www.playgroundpartnerships.org This playground scheme has been running for over 6 years and has awarded over £2m to schools across the UK. They really understand the importance of play and so want to support this as much as possible. All schools in the UK working with children aged 4-11 are eligible to apply for funding. To apply, please follow the link above.
Healthy Schools Programme (PCT) – www.healthyschools.gov.uk Why not try approaching your local Primary Care Trust and see if they have available funding to support your project. They sometimes support projects that focus on education and schools. Follow the link above for more information.
Did you know there is not only funding available for schools, but lots of awards to be won too. These are listed below so remember to enter, as your school could be the next big winner! Gold Star Rewards 2010 - www.ncpta.org.uk The NCPTA Gold Star Rewards for 2010 are now open for application. 8 x £1,000 cash rewards will be given in recognition of your PTA’s achievement. To apply or for more information, please follow the link above.
LEAPP Awards 2009 - www.ncpta.org.uk There are a number of £1,000 cash awards to be awarded to those who try to engage parent participation in their child’s education. The above website explains more and also has a downloadable application form.
HINT: Find out more about ESP’s Parental Engagement Workshop by calling (01282) 43 44 45 and speaking to an Area Development Manager.
Supergrounds Awards - www.rbssupergrounds.com Run by the Royal Bank of Scotland, this programme allows RBS employees to nominate their local primary school for a Supergrounds Award. RBS staff then work with the school to help develop an amazing outdoor resource. Starting in the autumn term, the school then have nine months to plan, develop and implement their projects. Unfortunately schools can not apply to the bank directly for this award, they must be selected by RBS employees. Make yourself known and you could be in with a chance. Full details can be found at the above website.
The John Laing London School Grounds Awards – www.ltl.org.uk This award is run by the charity; Learning through Landscapes and offers awards of up to £5,000 for schools in the London area. Full details can be found at the website above.
Chance to Shine – www.chancetoshine.org Chance to Shine is now in its fourth year and is a programme that understands the importance of cricket to young people. Chance to Shine works with schools across England and Wales and provides a structured cricket programme. Equipment and playground markings (which ESP provide) can also be won from this award. For more information, please visit the Chance to Shine website.
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We hope this Funding Guide has been of use to you. We know that applying for funding can be a lengthy task, but if you stick at it, your hard work will be rewarded. We look forward to working in partnership with you in the future. Good luck with your applications. Remember, if you are successful, thank the funders and keep them informed of the progress of the project. Let us know if you need any help with your application and we will be happy to offer you support. Don’t forget to get back in touch when you receive confirmation of your funding so we can begin to work in partnership with you in order to Create a Positive Whole School Impact. Good Luck!
Our Contact Details (01282) 43 44 45 (01282) 43 48 88 info@espplay.co.uk www.espplay.co.uk