Caroline Voogd rounds up some places to look.
Underfunding, the 'national living wage', business rates, auto-enrolment: increased costs have never been more of a hot topic than currently. So why not try to get some money for free? There are many funding streams out there, if you only know where to look.
We won't lie: successful fundraising does take time, especially when you start. So don't waste your energy by choosing the wrong grants.
Before you start
- Be clear on what you are trying to achieve - this will help you ensure that you are looking for the right funding streams.
- Look in lots of places, so as not to miss opportunities. An appropriate grant is easier to apply for than one that is not a good fit, so research saves you time.
- Be selective. It is better to submit a handful of good-quality applications rather than trying to apply to many different schemes at once and risk not securing a single one.
- Check your eligibility. Applying for a grant which is not open to your type of setting is an obvious waste of time, yet many fall foul of this every year. You may, however, be able to extend the eligibility of some of these by partnering with other settings or organisations.
- Ensure that your objectives and those of the grant-giving organisation are the same. While the funding stream may seem just right at first glance, a closer examination of the terms of use may reveal that there are unwelcome restrictions attached to the grant or the funding would put unacceptable limitations to your project.
- Choose local grants. The advantage is that the funders understand your needs and competition for funding is likely to be smaller than for regional or national grants.
- For big projects you may require multiple funding streams, so check that the grant givers are willing to part-fund, and if so what percentage of the total cost. Some will require evidence that you have already secured some money for the project.
- It's not only about cash. It may be that the resources that you are looking to buy can be provided for free. The same goes for training and professional advice.
- Don't ignore competitions and awards. While these may not seem like the most obvious sources of successful fundraising, they can help provide some much-needed funding or resources, as well as celebrate your setting's achievements. There are often no restrictions placed on how the money is subsequently spent, giving you more flexibility. They can also encourage the children to take part in themed activities, for example the yearly Tesco Bank Art Competition in Scotland (www.nationalgalleries.org/education/ tesco-bank-art-competition-for-schools).
You can find a selection of relevant grant programmes, competitions and awards below.
Improving facilities
Capital funding is highly sought after, but can be difficult to access and you are more likely to secure this by going local. Councils may be able to provide grants to help improve your facilities. For example, Cornwall Council is running a Community Chest grant scheme (£100 to £1,000), which is open to nurseries. The deadline is February 2016.
Sometimes community support is built into planning consent, and it may be worth finding out if there are any businesses that have local sites which might fall under this category (for example, landfill sites).
In Northamptonshire, the East Northants Resource Management Facility Fund is open to pre-schools and nurseries.
Contact your local council to see what is available or your nearest community foundation (www.ukcommunityfoundations.org).
Alternatively, you can search for local grants via a grants database, such as Funding Central.
If you do decide to apply for national programmes, the Big Lottery Fund runs a number of relevant large funding schemes, such as Awards for All, available across the UK.
Although there are small variations, the award typically ranges between £500 and £10,000. see here
Nutrition
There are many organisations that have ongoing programmes to support the implementation or running of breakfast clubs through grants, training or food supplies, such as Magic Breakfast (www.magicbreakfast.com), the Mayor's Fund for London (www.mayorsfundforlondon.org.uk/programme/breakfast-clubs) and Kellogg's (www.kelloggs.co.uk/en_GB/whatwebelieve/helpgiveachildabreakfast.html), for example.
While most of these are targeting primary schools, a partnership with a local school might help you access some of these resources. A joint breakfast club can also help reduce costs.
If you are looking to run a healthy eating project, you could try applying to the Food Education Trust (www.foodeducationtrust.com). It is also worth checking whether any relevant healthy eating programmes are being run locally. Your local authority might be able to advise you on this.
Special needs
There are many relevant national grant schemes for this. The children's charity Variety provides grants (generally between £100 and £6,000) for equipment - for example, sensory play or mobility equipment.
Note that many of the funding streams - such as the ACT Foundation - require that settings are special needs only or that the funds solely benefit the children with special educational needs in your setting. The foundation has an ongoing grant programme.
Environment
The annual Royal Forestry Society's Excellence in Forestry Schools Awards aims to reward educational organisations that improve children's understanding and appreciation of trees. It is also open to nurseries and pre-schools.
The winner receives £1,000 and the runner up £500. The 2016 deadline has not yet been announced. Visit www.rfs.org.uk/awards/ rfs-excellence-in-forestry-awards/2015-winners/eif-schools-award.
Every year, the Tree Council provides grants of £100 to £700 to support schools and community groups to plant trees (www.treecouncil.org.uk).
The Ernest Cook Trust supports projects that encourage children's interest in the countryside and the environment. In 2013, a £2,610 grant supported a teacher from Sir John Barrow School and one from South Walney Infant and Nursery School in Cumbria to complete Level 3 training in forest school, and helped the schools buy equipment and hold a rural skills workshop. See http://ernestcooktrust.org.uk.
Some community support programmes will fund projects with an environmental link. See, for example, http://www.viridor-credits.co.uk/apply-for-funding/
