Does Your Head Spin When It Comes To Sourcing School Grant Funding?
This is the page where usually everyone lists a plethora of websites. A sea of weblink connections literally swims in front of your eyes and it must be a daunting task just to shift through this lot. We should know because we did it ourselves as a point of exercise. So we have researched and compiled our own list of grant providers and from the information we gleaned on their websites, they are still relevant and active*. The good news is that there are quite a few grants which are specifically related to promoting sustainability and safeguarding the environment.
E-mail info@hideouthouse.com for a copy of our funding guide and we will send it to you straightaway
Approach Local Companies for Sponsorship or Donations – Set up A Crowdfunding WebSite
This is always a good way of getting funding for our products. We have tried to help out in this instance and have put together a template you can use to send to local companies but you still have to fill in the gaps! We have also put together an advice and tips sheet on how best to approach companies when sourcing donations or sponsorship.
E-mail info@hideouthouse.com for a copy of our product sponsorship proposal, crowdfunding information sheet/advice form and we will send it to you straightaway
However in our view the single most important factor for a successful school application is to aptly demonstrate imagination and innovation. You really do need to stand out from the crowd. Be different. Devise high quality project ideas which will attract attention.
What About My Time Commitment?
Know how you feel! No-one said this was going to be easy so you will have to commit some time to this but where there is a will, there is a way. Or we can help out.
Read our Blog!
We have a Funding section on our blog on school funding which we regularly update with news on funding issues and any grants which have come to our attention which are applicable to our range of products.
The Funding Mix
But we believe that seeking school grant funding should maybe just be part of your overall funding strategy. Here are some of our ideas to wet your appetite:
- Take a leaf out of Richard Branson’s book and be entrepreneurial. Make money through your site and school – such as hiring out rooms and making the most of extended services.
- Look at applying for community based grants which will support your project and we can advise on some of these too
- Generate income from recycling schemes. Some of our products are designed to help you do just this – the Revenue Recycling Bin where you can collect disused mobile phones, CDs and DVDs etc from parents and then get the children to sell them onto companies who pay good money for these items. Also our School Shop which the school can use to sell goods to parents and the local community.
- Our loyalty programme offers discounts for repeat purchases and if you recommend us and this referral turns into an order, we can offer you credit notes against future purchases. You scratch our back, we’ll scratch yours!
- Look at renewable energy and income generation. Through its revolutionary glazing technology, our Solar PV Greenhouse for example allows you to generate an income via the Feed-in-Tariffs. So whilst you watch the tomatoes grow, you are earning money at the same time.
- Work creatively with your PTA for new and innovative fundraising ideas. We are currently researching an idea where share a commission with you for us placing bookings on behalf of parents of the school for selected holidays in the UK. So to raise money for the school, you simply go on holiday or enjoy a week-end break!
- Local Authority Support – talk to the environment and planning divisions within your LEA. As part of their programmes, they may even offer grants for renewable energy schemes including wind and solar power. Or at least offer you advice on your eligibility for grants. The E.ON Sustainability Energy Fund, which used to be open to direct school applications, is now operated through LAs.
- Involve the local community as a lot of grants available are community based. What about starting a local community gardening club and use our greenhouses. An eco club and use our eco classroom or garden area.
- Talk to your local supermarkets as a lot of them have school support schemes e.g. Morrisons Let’s Grow programme and Tesco Bags of Help grant. As well as asking for grant funds, why not get these companies to sponsor some of our products? We can work with you on this. For example, we could put their logo on the canvas roof of our eco centres – click for example here. (go to Additional Images when you click through to this page)
* At the time of writing
Please download our document on how to successfully raise £10000 >
