It doesn’t matter how much you want a new park or playground, without the funds, you won’t be getting anything. It’s that simple. Thankfully, there are ways to get help and they come in the form of grants and funding. Getting playground grants and funding require a certain undertaking. Thankfully, we have a few snippets of information to point you in the right direction and more importantly, the name of a company who can help if you’re still struggling.
First Thing’s First… Clarify The Project
It’s always a good idea to have a clear vision of what you’re looking to achieve before you apply for funding. Ask yourself what the primary need or use is going to be? Who’s going to be using the play area the most? What deadline do you have? Will you need planning permission? Having this information in front of you will help you establish a budget and give you a better idea of what needs to be done and how long it’s going to take.
Get Yourself A Team
From local school staff to the PTA group as well as school councils and even students; get people on board and start building a team around you. Not only will this help take a load off of your shoulders but it will help with gathering more ideas.
Time To Fundraise?
With the help of your team, it may be worth looking at effective fundraising methods as this will help you get started. From school discos to quiz nights and even school lotteries, there are numerous ways to help with funding. It may even be worth putting a visual counter at the front of the school entrance to give parents more incentive to donate.
Time To Apply For Funding
There are several bodies and associations that you can apply to for funding. These include but aren’t limited to…
Awards For All
Awards For All is a UK wide charity offering grants of up to £10,000 for schools and charities for arts, sports and community activities amongst other things. Schools can apply directly to Awards For All without charity status too.
Garfield Weston Foundation
The Garfield Weston Foundation is another UK based charity that can offer grants, in some cases of a much higher number when needed. This is a general grant giving charity that focuses on the arts, the community and even religion, welfare and youth.
Ernest Cook Trust
The Ernest Cook Trust is a charitable body that not only maintains estates given to it by Ernest Cook but also gives money to support educational and research based projects. While they predominantly focus on the countryside, their emphasis lay within education.
Ask For Help
When it comes to applying for funding, it always pays to have someone experienced in your corner, which is why we always advise asking for help. Sovereign are a company who do exactly that, helping clients win grant applications and even helping them source finance options elsewhere that allows them to provide their children, be it students or charity based, with the necessary play equipment to aid their development. They also offer a comprehensive guide, should you wish to tackle this task with the help of your local PTA or governing board.
Contact Sovereign Play Equipment Today
If you’d like more information on applying for grants or would like to take Sovereign, early years outdoor play equipment, up on their offer of help and guidance in your pursuit of funding, we suggest you contact them today on 01702 291129 or email them via [email protected].
