Creating a fun and engaging outdoor space is really important for enhancing your pupil’s learning and enjoyment at school. Naturally, one concern that you’re likely to have is how you’re going to raise the money you need to build a safe play area that meets your goals and expectations. Luckily, there are a number of ways to raise funding for school playgrounds both within your school and with the help of external grants. These are just a few of the best ideas to consider:
Fundraise At School & Locally
A great place to start with gaining funding for school playgrounds is fundraising internally, and within the local community. With some good planning and creativity, you’ll be amazed at how much money you can raise. Turning it into a project for the school is a great way to bring everyone together whilst making your plans a reality in the process. There are a number of different fundraising events that you could run throughout the year, however these are just a few of our favourite ideas:
- Cake or Bake Sales
- Raffles or a School Lottery
- Auctions
- Tabletop Sales
- School Discos
- Quiz Nights
- Fun Days
- Non-Uniform Days
- Treasure or Easter Egg Hunts
- Talent Shows
- School Plays and Performances
- School Fairs
- Sponsored Sports Events (Runs, Walks, Cycling, etc.)
- Sports Days
Check Local & Government Funding For School Playgrounds
There are also a lot of charities and organisations within the UK that can help provide funding for school playgrounds, and so it’s worth getting in touch with a few to see how they can help. There are many different organisations across the country that may be able to provide school playground funding and so it will be valuable to do some research in your local area. These are some of the main big organisations that it’s worth checking out:
- Arts Council England
- BBC Children in Need
- Biffaward
- Big Lottery Fund (run by the National Lottery)
- Community Foundations
- Community Fund
- FCC Communities Foundation
- FundEd
- Grants4Schools
- OneFamily Foundation
- Sport England
- Tesco
Tips For Making Your Applications
When applying for funding for school playgrounds, it’s important to spend some time crafting the application itself, making sure it’s as detailed as possible and highlights all the key benefits of building this outdoor space. As such, it’s important to consider the following:
- Set out your goals clearly
- Explain why you need the school playground funding
- Obtain planning permission beforehand
- Demonstrate that parents, guardians and the school’s governing body are behind the project
- Detail any funds you’ve already raised
- Outline how the new outdoor area will benefit your pupils
Finding Your Outdoor Furniture & Play Equipment
Hopefully these tips for how to gain funding for school playgrounds will help you to raise the funds that you need to create the perfect space. When you’re ready to start putting your plans into action, Cost Cutters UK are here to help. We have a range of playground equipment and outdoor furniture for schools, including climbing frames, dens and shelters.We also supply playground markings, and our bulk buy discounts help you to keep costs down. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 03333 44 33 70 to discuss your requirements.