projects - if you know where to look for it. Caroline Voogd, editor of Fundraising for Schools, offers guidance.
Although the funding landscape has changed substantially over the past few years, with charities becoming more discerning about who they offer money to, a large number of organisations will consider funding projects benefiting children from birth to five years old.
Local funding streams
If you are not sure where to start, go local. Because the benefits of any grant will be felt in the community, you may stand a higher chance of success than when you apply for nationally allotted cash.
You could begin by seeing if you have a local community foundation. There are about 50 in the UK, all which are part of the umbrella charity UK Community Foundations, which works for positive social change by investing in local communities. It has teamed up with the likes of the Big Lottery Fund, The Evening Standard and Mars to allocate funds and provides about £61m in grants a year. See www.ukcommunityfoundations.org.
Another regional site is Funding Central, funded by the Cabinet Office and aimed at voluntary organisations. It offers information on more than 4,000 grants and loans and also provides a large list of local and regional funding opportunities. See www.fundingcentral.org.uk.
Many businesses with a national or regional presence also have foundations or charitable arms that make grants towards projects in the communities in which they operate. Supermarkets are keen to win local loyalty through projects such as Waitrose's Community Matters and ASDA's Chosen by You ... Given By Us.
If you need to expand to take more funded two-year-olds, don't forget your local authority has a pot of cash for two-year-old related capital projects, as well as trajectory and 1:1 funding. In Essex, the Capital Building Works Expansion Grant is open to good or outstanding childcare providers in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) and maintained sectors, including childminders. The fund offers between £10,000 and £100,000.
National grant-giving organisations
Subscription-only sites offer very comprehensive listings, but cost £300 and upwards annually. The website www.governmentfunding.org.uk has £2.3bn worth of local, regional, national and European sources of funding, while www.grantfinder.co.uk has details of about 8,000 grants at any one time.
Most grant-giving trusts and foundations have a specific area of interest. A selection of the best free-to-access programmes by theme is below.
Equipment and resources
When buying books, maintained nursery schools and primary schools can apply to the Foyle Foundation's Schools Library Programme (www.foylefoundation.org.uk). Grants generally range between £3,000 and £10,000.
Last year, an infant and nursery school in West Yorkshire was awarded a £7,500 grant from the Foyle Foundation towards the school library, £5,000 of which was to be spent on books.
Special needs
Providing high-quality care and education for children with special needs can involve expensive equipment. There are a number of organisations that provide grants for projects benefiting children with special needs, such as The Equitable Charitable Trust. Independent special needs nurseries and schools can apply for grants between £3,000 and £30,000. The deadline for applications is 28 November (www.equitablecharitabletrust.org.uk).
Variety, the Children's Charity, provides equipment grants of between £100 and £6,000 and The True Colours Trust provides up to £10,000 for programmes for disabled children. See www.variety.org.uk and www.truecolourstrust.org.uk.
There is no deadline for either.
Outdoor spaces
If you are raising funds for improvements or additions to community buildings or play facilities, consider applying to the Big Lottery Fund's Awards for All programme. Nurseries and schools from both the PVI and the maintained sectors can apply to the programme. Last year, a nursery and infant school in Norfolk secured more than £8,000 for outdoor classroom space and play equipment.
The programme covers the whole of the UK, although there are variations:
- Awards for All England offers grants between £300 and £10,000.
- Awards for All Wales offers grants between £500 and £5,000.
- Awards for All Northern Ireland offers grants between £500 and £10,000.
- Awards for All Scotland offers grants between £500 and £10,000 (state schools and nurseries fall within the programme's priorities for funding).
Some companies providing playground equipment also run occasional competitions for free playgrounds and provide details for relevant funding streams on their websites.
Education projects
If you want to fund topic-based projects, it can be useful to look for organisations with a special interest in the field. Livery companies, which include bakers, grocers, firefighters, and even makers of playing cards, might be willing to support you (a list is at www.liverycompanies.com).
For healthy eating projects, try the Food Education Trust. There are no deadlines for applications. Your nursery will be expected to show dedication to the project such as match funding or time commitment from parents. See www.foodeducationtrust.com.
Environmental issues
If you are looking to make your premises more energy efficient, to install renewable energy equipment or to fund environmental education and conservation, there are a range of schemes to help, including the Naturesave Trust's grant programme. There are no application deadlines and charities, companies and organisations in the UK can apply for environmental and conservation projects. Visit www.naturesave.co.uk. Or www.greengrantsmachine.co.uk is another.
Starting a nursery
The Government is offering a £500 grant to support start-up costs of setting up a nursery under its Childcare Business Grants Scheme. It is also offering £250 for new childminding businesses setting up in England and £500 for new childminding businesses that will provide care for disabled children (applicants will need to demonstrate that they have incurred additional expenditure in setting up their business as a result of this). Details on www.gov.uk.
For larger sums and more in-depth support, try the Start-Up Loans Company, which has £151.5m of Government money available for anyone over the age of 18, across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Average loan sizes are £6,000, while an expert mentor from your region and industry provides support. See www.startuploans.co.uk.
Getting applications right
While seeking funds, you will face a lot of competition, so your bids must meet all the criteria while also standing out.
Most grant-giving organisations are looking for projects that benefit the wider community. If you are applying for capital funding you may be asked to open up some of your premises for community access outside of normal hours.
Brin Best, education consultant, says, 'Joint bids are usually welcomed by funding bodies because they extend the benefits of their grants. There are also opportunities to work with schools and other organisations to address shared priorities, and this can also be an excellent way of pooling expertise. The key to success in such collaborative fundraising is never to lose sight of the changes that will make a genuine difference in a nursery'.
Joint bidding can also give you access to funding streams not usually available to individual nurseries. Rebecca Cheetham Nursery in Newham, London, teamed up with Ranelagh Primary School to win funding for new computer resources.
