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Is your school ready to expand but in need of extra funding? You have options to explore! Here’s how you can find the necessary resources to make your school’s expansion project a reality...

 

Funding for Special Schools and Colleges (UK)

Funding for Special Schools and Colleges

Grants of up to £75,000 are available to special schools and colleges for children and young people with special educational needs. Grants are awarded towards capital costs such as new buildings, refurbishing existing buildings, and equipment. The funding is available for projects focused on helping pupils develop skills that would help them gain employment or live independently after leaving school or college. The grants are made through the Wolfson Foundation’s Special Schools and Colleges grants programme. There is a 2-stage application process.  The closing date for Stage 1 applications is the 5th January 2025. Applications successful at this stage will have until the 1st March 2025 to complete the stage 2 application.

 

The Wolfston Foundation 

Government Grants

government grants

Government bodies at both local and national levels often provide grants specifically aimed at improving school infrastructure, expanding facilities, or promoting outdoor learning. Some options include:

Department for Education (DfE) Funding: In the UK, for instance, the DfE provides capital funding programs like the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), which helps academies and smaller schools improve their facilities.
Environmental Grants: If you’re planning to incorporate eco-friendly or sustainable designs into your expansion, there are environmental grants aimed at promoting green spaces and energy-efficient buildings.

Research and apply for these grants to cover part or all of the construction costs for your expansion.

Fundraising Campaigns

fundraising campaigns
Organising fundraising events is a tried-and-true method for raising money to support school projects. Some ideas to consider:
Community Events: Host events like charity auctions, school fairs, or sponsored walks/runs. These not only raise funds but also bring your community together.
Crowdfunding: Utilise online platforms like GoFundMe or JustGiving to reach a wider audience. Share the story of your school’s vision for expansion and ask for donations from alumni, parents, and the broader community.
Alumni Support: Reach out to former students and their families who may be willing to contribute to the school’s growth.
Fundraising campaigns allow you to involve the entire school community, and even small contributions can add up significantly over time.
Cutnall Green C of E School reached out to their community and the people came together to fund the school’s fantastic outdoor learning space expansion project. Staff at the school were blown away by the response they received. Their community made everything possible. 

Partnerships and Sponsorships

asfordby hill primary school outdoor eco classroom

Partnering with local businesses or larger corporations can be a highly effective way to secure funding for your expansion project. Here’s how:

Corporate Sponsorships: Businesses might be willing to sponsor parts of your project, especially if they gain positive publicity or fulfill corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. In exchange, you can offer to display their logos on your school’s website, newsletters, or at school events.
Local Business Partnerships: Establish relationships with businesses that have ties to education or the local community. They may be willing to donate materials, funds, or services, which can help reduce your costs.
Non-Profit and Charity Support: Some educational foundations and charities offer funding for specific projects like outdoor classrooms or facilities that promote inclusive learning.

Building strategic partnerships can provide long-term benefits beyond just funding, including mentorship opportunities and community engagement.

Capital Investment Funding

modular outdoor classroom

Many educational trusts and foundations offer capital investment programs to schools, particularly for projects that align with their missions, such as improving access to education or creating sustainable learning environments. Some options include:

Academy Trust Funds: If your school is part of an academy trust, there may be internal funding available for expanding facilities or improving infrastructure.
Educational Charities: Charities like The Wolfson Foundation in the UK provide grants for school building projects, particularly for science labs, libraries, and spaces that support the arts.

Capital investment programs are usually competitive, but they can provide substantial financial support if your project aligns with the criteria.

PTA Support

farlington school wellbeing centre

Your Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is a valuable resource for funding and organising community support. The PTA can

Help organise events such as bake sales, car boot sales, or school discos, which can raise money for the expansion.
Apply for local small-grant programs to cover minor costs, such as outdoor seating or landscaping for new outdoor classrooms.

The PTA’s ability to rally the parent community means they can play a key role in reaching your funding goals.

The PTA at Farlington School had a huge part to play in the making of their Wellbeing Centre. Find out more

 

Local Authority Support

log cabin for outdoor learning

Depending on your location, your local authority may provide support for school expansion projects. Some local governments allocate funds to help schools accommodate growing student populations or improve learning environments. Reach out to your local authority to inquire about potential financial support.

 

Further Funding Resources 

There is plenty of information online about grants and the funding available to help with school investments. Two regularly updated sources are:

Schools and Colleges - News - Grants Online

Schools, colleges and children's services : School and college funding and finance - detailed information - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Grants 4 Schools is a comprehensive funding information service available to the UK education sector. They highlight the latest grants available to primary, secondary, colleges, independent and free schools. Make sure to check it out to find grants specific to your project.

Pebble will help schools and colleges to acquire funding. They are considered the leaders in income generation for schools and academies.

 

By exploring a combination of these funding avenues, you can create a comprehensive strategy to secure the necessary resources for your school’s expansion. Whether through grants, fundraising, partnerships, or loans, you can make your vision a reality and ensure your school has the space and facilities needed to support its students effectively.

 

How to write a successful funding bid/grant bid

Research

The successful grant bids are the ones which have been considered in great detail. You should do your research into both your project to gather evidence and statistics to support your case, as well as into the funding organisation which you’re applying for a grant from. This will help you to better understand their goals and priorities when granting funds. Take the time to thoroughly assess your options and select the right grant to support your project. Make sure you understand the funding organisation’s priorities and that your project is eligible before you begin.

Planning

While there are things which would be lovely to have at your school, these lovely extras rarely get accepted for grant funding. Your project should aim to solve a current problem in your educational setting. Planning ahead can really help you to consider the issue you’re trying to solve and how receiving the grant to fund your project will provide the solution. Do remember to be specific and think about your institution, rather than about vague or generalised issues within the education sector as a whole.

One of the most essential things to remember is to highlight the positive impact that your project will have on your students, staff and the community. Your chosen funding organisation will want to know how their donation will make a difference to people’s lives, so really take the time to think about how the lives of those involved will be improved. What skills will your students develop? How will your project improve access to new experiences? What new opportunities will it create for your school?

Tell the Story

Don’t assume that the funding organisation already knows about your school/nursery! You should provide them with all of the necessary information about your institution and it’s context. It might help you to think about approaching it as ‘telling the story’ of your school and why their grant will help to solve the existing issue at your school. To support your story, you can include photos, statements of support, testimonials, graphs, case studies, etc.

Define your project & budget

Be concise and specific when outlining your project. State your objectives and expected outcomes and describe how your project aligns with the funding organisation’s overall mission. Remember to provide a clear and considered budget, as it will show funders that you have thought about all aspects of the project carefully. Be transparent about both income and expenditure with a breakdown of how the funding will be used.

Focus on the outcome

The successful funding bids focus on the outcomes, not on the resources their institutions need to achieve such outcomes. Essentially, you should write about the impact that your project will have and the difference it will make. If for example you are applying for funding for one of our log cabins, you might wish to detail how you can implement accessible forest school or outdoor learning experiences to improve access to opportunities for certain students, rather than just stating that your grant will provide funding for a new log cabin.

Talk about your successes

You want to establish credibility. You can do this by showcasing your school’s previous successful projects or initiatives, no matter how small scale they are! Use case studies or testimonials to show the funding organisation the positive impact that your previous projects have had. This will hopefully prove that you can deliver on your promises, which ultimately is something they will be looking to confirm before awarding a grant.

Show how you have involved your beneficiaries 

Demonstrate how you have involved the students and staff in the development of your project, such as consulting them in decisions throughout the process. Give your students a say and show this! We’ve heard from schools having class votes or brainstorming activities in the early stages of their projects. You want to improve your institution and solve an existing issue, so make your beneficiaries a part of the process. 

Links to the community

It’s a good idea to highlight the ways in which your project involves groups other than your pupils, such as the parents or local community organisations. Additionally, grant funders tend to look more favourably on applications from schools that can demonstrate a coordinated approach to fundraising. So, get involved with your community and try some fundraising activities or initiatives to garner part of the project costs. Show what you’re doing to make it possible!

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