With budgets becoming ever tighter, the need to source alternative means of school fundraising and implement successful school fundraising ideas is becoming ever more important. As we sell a whole host of products for the playground, we have worked with schools and their PTAs on successfully using tried and tested methods for raising extra money for our products. These include grant fundraising, crowdfunding, corporate sponsorship, revenue generating activities, novel school events and resources.

All of the above do take time but we can help in this aspect too as we are more than happy to work alongside you on your journey to raise these extra funds.

In this blog, you will see many articles and updates that we publish on the subject and we also have compiled a comprehensive School Fundraising Ideas Guide which you can have access to by emailing: info@hideouthouse.com.

You have to work at it though that is for sure but with so many variables now at a school’s disposal, the road to success has become infinitely straighter and shorter! There are grants coming available all the time (at the time of writing for example Tesco have just launched their plastic bag community fund which schools can apply for and which will fund capital items up to £12K as per link below)

http://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme

Aviva Community Trust Grant

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We have just been made aware of a new grant from the Aviva Community Trust which schools could be eligible to apply for.

You can apply for quite a bit of money (up to £25K) and having looked at how you enter (they have some very good and easy to use instructional videos on their website of how to apply, how best to apply, how to put an accompanying video together on a smart phone etc), it looks quite straightforward. It looks like it operates a little bit like Tesco’s Bags of Help award i.e. you apply, put your best foot forward as to why your project is important and backed up with photos and video etc and then get in as many votes as you can from the local community. Whoever gets the most votes seems to go before a final judging panel who decide as to who gets what.
It appears that schools with an income of £1m and below can apply (although like all grants they are wanting to support projects which benefit the wider community as well as your school). But this is something which your school could get its PTA behind as well to put forward your bid and drum up a lot of local support.
But there is a deadline date of 10th October to apply!
Worth doing though I think as these grants don’t come around that often but please undertake your own more detailed research on this as I have really only just looked at their website.
Here is the link:

Entrepreneurial Ways To Help Fund Your School

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There was a very interesting article published recently in the Guardian about how schools are having to find alternative – read entrepreneurial – ways of finding extra ways of generating money to help fund their schools and school projects in the face of increased budget cuts.

Of the 1,200 schools polled, a staggering 42% of them were renting out their buildings and facilities to raise extra money, 13% were busy making contacts with local industry and businesses in order to forge on-going partnerships and 10% were opening on-site nursery provisions.

The gist of the article was basically to say that schools now have to find their inner Richard Branson in order to find ways of meeting the financial gaps between what they want/need and what the Government will give them. Although this may sound a little daunting initially, there are some things you can do immediately but be prepared to think creatively and “out of the box”.

Easy ones first – chargeable and paid for before and after school clubs, rent out your school premises for birthday parties, language schools and weddings even. You have to hand an immediate target audience i.e. the parents and the local community who would all be prepared to support the school and fulfill a need or requirement at the same time.

But here’s where I would be a bit more creative. We supply a lot of Outdoor Classrooms to schools which actually we also sell to venues up and down the country to be used as wedding gazebos. The building is exactly the same – usually an octagonal 4m or 5m gazebo – so you could easily apply to your local registrar office for a license to conduct civil service ceremonies on your premises (a lot of private schools are already doing this) and once granted, you could promote yourself as an all encompassing wedding venue. Weddings are undoubtedly big business and we can certainly speak from experience here as we sell a lot of our buildings as wedding gazebos to venues such as hotels, golf clubs, holiday parks etc and they are all doing very well. You can then use the school building for the reception and as you probably have the grounds, you could hire in a marquee too for the better weather months. When you are not using the building as a wedding gazebo, it simply goes back to being an outdoor classroom. Win, win to use business parlance!

Another area I would tap into is fitness or wellness as it is now called. One of our enclosed outdoor classrooms could easily double up as a fitness suite or studio for yoga and fitness classes which could take place outside of school hours. Or we all like to go on courses nowadays so you could hold classes or courses of all descriptions in this building too outside of school hours. And because it is an independent building from the main school, people can easily come and go. And you have the week-ends when there are no children around.

There are even companies who will help a school rent out their buildings and they undertake all of the marketing and handle the bookings in return for a commission. It certainly is the way forward and schools who do embrace this will undoubtedly do well financially – especially as the future does not hold any hope or promises for bigger Government expenditure in the education sector.

The article from the Guardian can be seen on the link below:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/mar/24/school-fundraising-budget-cuts-letting-buildings-survey

For further information on how we can work with your school on raising extra funds, please contact the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

outdoor classroom used as wedding gazebo

Funding and Grants for Outdoor Classrooms

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A question for you – and that is:

Does your school have sufficient funds in the school budget to pay for your playground/outdoor learning/outdoor classroom projects and if not, do you have enough time to try and source external funding to pay for it?

If the answer to the above is no, then you might want to have a chat with us.

We have invested a lot of our time and energy trying to understand how schools can successfully find alternative ways of paying for our products and it is working as we have helped a lot of schools recently get full funding for their project. We will work alongside you and tell you how we can help you with applying for grants and which grants are applicable to you; we will tell you how you can now potentially lease our products; we will tell you how you might be able to generate extra income by letting out your existing facilities; we will tell you about how to set up a crowdfunding website and approach local companies for sponsorship. And we have a unique PTA fundraising events night which is something no-one else is doing.

We are more than happy to provide testimonials or put you in contact with schools we have worked with on the above.

If you would like to talk further with us about how we can help your school with funding opportunities, then please contact us on 01865 858982 or email info@hideouthouse.com

solar panel and wind turbine system

eco outdoor classroom

 

Tesco Bags of Help Grant Scheme For Schools

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The Tesco Bags of Help programme has changed slightly as of this August. Applicants can now apply all year round and they will be making multiple grant awards each month. Application and decision times are therefore hopefully greatly reduced.

However, the amounts they will give out are reduced to either £1000, £2000, or £5000.

Applications are now open and you can apply whether you have been previously funded or not.

Programme Information

The new programme is very similar to the old one. Their aim is to support projects which will “promote community participation in the development and use of outdoor spaces”.

What do they mean by this?

They will fund projects that deliver either a physical environmental improvement or encourage the use and long term sustainability of outdoor spaces.

Any non-profits, including schools, are eligible to apply. Grants can be the full amount a project needs, or can just provide a contribution towards the costs.

As we specialise in supplying products to schools which meet their grant funding criteria, then please do visit our website www.hideouthouse.com to find out a bit more about what we as the Hideout House Company do or give us a call to discuss how we can help you with your application bid.

For further information on the Tesco Bags of Help grant please visit:

https://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme/pages/Category/apply-for-a-boh-grant-tes2

The Hideout House Company Ltd

Tel: 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

Successful Fundraising for Schools

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The-Secrets-to-Planning-a-Successful-Charity-Event-A-First-Timer’s-GuideI cannot think of one school I have worked with these past couple of years who have been able to pay for our products entirely out of the school budget. Sign of these still austere times I guess. So increasingly schools are having to look to alternative ways of finding the necessary funds for their playground projects…and this is where we come in.

I am convinced that in order to be successful, the expression “where there is a will, there is a way” is of paramount importance because I have seen so many schools fall by the wayside because they have simply given up or not put in the required effort. And the other thing I am convinced of is that you need to think outside of the box when implementing your campaign and maybe go outside of your traditional comfort zone – and be a bit more commercially minded. And school governors need to understand this too.

But we also understand that school staff are busy and sometimes do not simply have the time to devote to the cause. We therefore work with schools on how to implement a strategic plan on how to raise the necessary funds and this can involve a whole facet of initiatives which usually run concurrently to maximise the chances of success.

  • We look at ways the school PTA can help fundraise but we like to come up with novel ideas which inject a breath of fresh air into somewhat fatigued traditional school fundraising events;
  • We advise on potential grants which could be available for your school project;
  • We tell you about renting or operating leasing possibilities for our products which now a lot of schools can take out on a typical 3-5 year lease period;
  • We tell you how to set up a crowdfunding website for your school to help spread the word and give your project a far wider audience;
  • We tell you how to approach local companies for financial support and donations;
  • We tell you how you can rent out your existing school facilities to earn a meaningful income (some schools we know who are doing this are getting approximately £30K a year for renting their premises and facilities);
  • We tell you about our own customer referral scheme whereby your school can earn commissions from the Hideout House Company for referring us to other schools;
  • We tell you about a scheme we have with the green energy supplier Ecotricity whereby your school can earn money each time someone switches to their tariffs

All we ask in return is that you are dedicated to the cause and are prepared to push the boundaries out a bit more than usual!

For further information about how we can help your school run a successful fundraising campaign, please contact Simon Fearnehough on 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

Our website is www.hideouthouse.com

 

 

An Alternative Way For Schools To Fund Outdoor Classrooms

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Enclosed octagonal and rectangular classrooms

Enclosed octagonal and rectangular classrooms

We sell a lot of outdoor classrooms to schools and ever more so those which are fully enclosed with solid wall panels and glazed panels. The reason being is that schools can use them all year round without worrying about the elements (we can also insulate them if they were going to be heated) plus they can use them as buildings which the wider community can utilise and benefit from too.

But the challenge is always funding or lack of it to be more precise. “Love them but we have no budget” is the usual response I hear from head teachers or school business managers. There are undoubtedly grants which you can apply for which will fund these type of buildings but let’s assume that there is no room in the school budget to afford these outdoor classrooms and you cannot get a grant. But you want and need an outdoor classroom for your school. So we have thought “outside of the box” on this issue and come up with following proposal.

Firstly, you can take out an operating lease on these type of buildings (this applies to your school whether it is an academy or within local authority control) over a typical period of 3 years where at the end of the lease period the school then has the option to return the equipment with no further payments or extend the agreement for one final year.

  • If the school extends for a final year the quarterly payments will be charged at ‘fair market value’, typically no more than 60% of the quarterly repayments on the original 3 year lease
  • At the end of the fourth year the equipment is then abandoned to the school with no more rentals to pay, no title is passed to the school

So you have the benefit of the asset now but can spread the payments over a period of time or school budget accounting periods. But we still haven’t got the money to pay for the lease payments I hear you cry.

By way of an example incidentally, a £12,000 enclosed outdoor classroom would cost £80 to rent per week over a three year period.

First question to ask yourself…..could the building be let out for before and after school clubs for example and if so, would you have any idea what a school could charge for this? Could the PTA use it or some of the money they raise each year be used to offset the lease payments?

or we have an association with a company who rent out school premises such as sports facilities or halls (for further information on this see my blog link given below). In terms of hiring halls for example they have on their books some smaller schools in a rural setting earning £10-15k per year but the larger halls in busier cities can attract up to £60k of revenue (obviously dependent on the types of activities allowed). They also have an IT system which does all of the administration for the bookings and they do all of the marketing as well – in return for this, they ask for a commission for all bookings taken. All the school has to do is obviously have someone on hand i.e. site manager, caretaker – to let people in and out.

So if a school were to utilise this service, this would hopefully generate enough extra income to pay for the outdoor classroom leasing payments. You already have the school asset so you need to put it out work. But I am well aware that this would have to be run past Governors and many questions would be asked! See therefore some testimonials below from schools who are already using this system.

But all I am trying to do is find a way of not just giving up and saying there is no money. That would be very un-British!

Angela Mellish – Bursar School: St Bernards

QUOTE: “We wouldn’t be without BookingsPlus! It has saved us so much time with the speedy invoicing and online payments. We recently had the auditors in who commented that the system was an auditors dream. The audit trail is tight, and there is a good level of control within the system such as not being able to delete invoices and payments. The ability to add reasons to credit notes and voided invoices provides the perfect picture as to what is happening. From booking through to payment, it is easy to keep track of everything. The auditors said they would recommend the system to other schools, and so would I”

Steve Munday – Head Teacher William Edwards School

QUOTE: “The BookingsPlus system gives us a significant revenue boost, which we have been able to invest in ICT/ technology, sporting equipment and staffing to ensure that we can provide the best possible learning environments and opportunities for our students. Equally importantly it has helped us to become an integral part of the local community by giving local groups, charities and organisations the chance to use our exceptional facilities. Everybody wins!”

Blog on renting out premises

Generate Money for Your School – Rent Out Your Premises

For further information on the above or to explore opportunities how we can help  your school get funding for our outdoor classrooms, please call 01865 858982 or email: info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

4m x 3m enclosed outdoor classroom

4m x 3m enclosed outdoor classroom

Pop Up Outdoor Shelter or Classroom

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shelter with school branding

We regularly get asked by schools for a temporary shelter or outdoor classroom which they can either use for their forest school set-ups or for the summer term to provide for shelter from the sun and anything else the British weather can throw at us. So we have devised the concept of a “pop-up” outdoor shelter or classroom.

Manufactured from flame retardant and highly durable PU coated polyester and PVC onto a heavy duty concertina frame, these pop up outdoor shelter can either be supplied as just a white canopy or to make it more interesting and personalised, graphics can be printed onto walls, canopy roof and pelmets. They are available in two sizes – namely 3m x 3m or 4.5m x 3m.

They are ideal for:

  • Forest schools
  • Playground sun shade and shelter
  • PTA fundraising events and school events
  • Parent waiting shelters
  • Temporary outdoor classrooms
  • Pop up shops or market stalls which the children (or parents) can sell products from

And here’s an idea as to how you can pay for them. Write to local companies for a donation and we will print their logo on the product as a participating sponsor.

It is also very easy to assemble and comes with guy lines, pegs and a wheeled carry case.

For further information, please call the Hideout House Company on 01865 858982 or email info@hideouthouse.com

www.hideouthouse.com

3m x 3m personalised

3m x 3m personalised

 

Grants for Schools – Tesco’s Bags of Help Grant

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Tescos are currently offering a grant which schools are eligible to apply for and is a funding scheme which is giving grants of £8 – £12,000 for projects which improve green spaces in communities. These may include building new pocket parks, sports facilities, woodland walks, community gardens and school playgrounds.

Basically they want to fund schemes which will get people out and about and enjoying the great outdoors more, by making physical improvements to open spaces. School playgrounds fall therefore within their funding remits.

Outcomes Tesco wishes to achieve:

Projects must lead to: Physical Improvement of an Open Space

Plus at least one (and as many as possible) of the following outcomes:

  • Protecting or improving biodiversity
  • Promoting physical activity
  • Improving wellbeing
  • Increasing community safety
  • Mitigating or adapting to climate change
  • Improving access to open spaces by under-represented groups

They value any volunteering opportunities created by the project and are interested to know how the scheme will be promoted in the community. The scheme has to benefit the wider local community and not just be for the exclusive use of the school.

Things Tesco want applicants to provide: Organisational constitution, photograph of site as it is now, landowner permission form (this is downloadable, and is just signed off by the landowner).

Tesco look like they want to fund the projects mostly themselves. Match funding can be up to £4000. This means that a total project could cost up to £12,000 – 16,000. But no more.

Decisions on grants will be made at the beginning of September, and paid in Mid-November.

This is a great opportunity to get some funding towards this type of project. Approx. 1 in 4 applicants received a grant in the last open window.

How it works is that the applicant has to say how they would spend £8000, £10000, or £12000 to improve their local space. If the project is successful, then it goes into a Tesco store and customer’s votes decides which amount (of those three) it gets.

Information you’ve got to provide includes project information, pictures of the condition of the area currently and information on local community support.

The deadline for applications is June 3rd!

At the Hideout House Company, this is an area we specialise in as we are able to supply products for schools which meet and fulfill the criteria and outcomes of this particular grant.

For further information on our products please visit www.hideouthouse.com and if you would also like further information on this grant and how we can help, please contact us on 01865 858982 or send an email to info@hideouthouse.com

Generate Money for Your School – Rent Out Your Premises

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Nowadays many schools – because funds and budgets are becoming ever tighter – are beginning to realise that they need to find alternative means of raising money for their playground projects. And what better way to do this than raising much needed extra revenue by opening up their facilities for community use. If you’ll excuse the expression but it is basically “sweating the asset”!

Allowing sports halls and meeting rooms for example to be used outside of school hours can bring in an average of £30-40k per year. Think of a local football team for example who might want to use the school’s pitches and facilities for training in the evening or at the week-end, ditto local badminton or basketball teams, karate/yoga/drama/dance groups who might want to hire your hall or classrooms, culture events at the week-end if you have a staged area…the list can be quite comprehensive. Children’s parties as well and oddly enough you already have a pretty good target market already for this! I have a yoga teacher friend for example who for love nor money can find somewhere to rent out for her class of 30 at the week-end – she just needs a big room!

Classrooms can be used for adult education or week-end supplementary schools.

Of course your revenue generating opportunities are determined by your school’s location and what facilities you have (generally sports facilities such as sports halls and floodlit all-weather pitches, MUGAs are most sought after).

For many years though the time and costs involved in the administration (and not to mention the marketing) to let out a school’s facilities meant that the profit for additional revenue has only been minimal. And of course that scarce resource called time needs to be factored into the equation!

However we have come across an excellent company called the Kajima Community who are changing all of this by making the whole process simple and profitable – whether schools are looking for an effective booking system or a more comprehensive marketing service, they are able to help and take all of the hassle out of the above. They have seen an uptake in their service more than double in the past year as schools need to adapt to maximise profitability of their premises…which will happen more and more in the years to come.

They offer two schemes as per below:

  1. BookingsPlus – where they provide an online system for you to market your facility, administer bookings and collect online payments. A video has just been added to the website which gives a flavour of how the system works.

     2. SchoolBookings –  where they carry out the whole marketing and administration function on behalf of the school to ease the administerial burden. After a site survey they are confident that they will be able to guarantee you that we will be able to cover our fee with new bookings and offer you a free service.

Their website is

http://www.kajima.co.uk

A good way too to earn additional rental income once we have installed and supplied our extensive range of classroom and multi-amenity buildings which can be found at http://www.hideouthouse.com

Tesco’s Bags of Help Grant Initiative for Green Spaces

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The supermarket chain Tesco has launched a community grant initiative which will fund capital projects for school playgrounds.

The emphasis of the grant is on providing green spaces and because Tesco is expecting there to be a major demand for grants, the charity Groundwork will assess all of the applications received and then provide a shortlist of the applications received for a Tesco Shortlisting panel who will agree three successful projects to forward to a vote in Tesco stores.

Tesco customers will vote over two weekends in their store for their favourite shortlisted local project.  Grants will then be awarded as follows:

  • 1st place in Tesco customer vote:  £12,000 grant
  • 2nd place in Tesco customer vote: £10,000 grant
  • 3rd place in Tesco customer vote:  £8,000 grant

Round one of funding is now complete but the second round of funding is to open again on Monday 18th April. You don’t need to have any match funding but if you do, this must not be higher than 25% of the overall budget cost.

The lucky winners will need to complete their projects within 12 months of receiving the funding. For further information on this grant and how to apply, please visit:

http://www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme/pages/large-grants-tes

For further information on our products, please visit www.hideouthouse.com or email info@hideouthouse.com