Increasingly, mainstream schools are accepting the need to take matters into their own hands when it comes to closing the gap between the funding they receive from the Government and the cost of delivering a high-quality educational experience for their children. The current administration is promising a significant uplift of the education budget but, as we’re all very much aware, we live in volatile times, uncertainty exists around Brexit and other world events.
It has become a necessity for schools to adopt a more proactive and innovative approach in the pursuit of securing new investment streams to support infrastructure, curriculum delivery and general operating costs. Schools in England raised over £1.8bn through income generation activity last year, much of the work driven by hard working PTA and Friends Associations. This is a commendable effort, one that has made a significant difference to the experiences of countless children in our schools. It’s worth comparing this to the c.£46bn donated to UK charities each year – engaging with an audience on an emotive level clearly brings results. Many of us working in education understand the power of building relationships with donors and this applies to grant funders and trustees too.
There is around £1.5bn available in grants and trust funds nationally for schools and charities to apply for. Locating and choosing suitable funds using grant finder websites is a fantastic way to narrow down the search for those most suitable for your needs. There are over 4,000 grant funders in the UK whilst many more, smaller, localised funders do not appear on national databases.
Some schools secure the services of a professional bid writer. This may be a useful option as you begin to develop and hone your own bid writing skills. Remember though that most grant funders will not allow any grant awarded to pay for professional services, such as those provided by a bid writer. There are a few exceptions, such as the DfE Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) which, due to the size and complexity of capital projects, would expect a percentage of the grant to fund professional services (usually up to 10% max).
There is no silver bullet of course, almost all funds are oversubscribed and despite your best efforts often the response from that eagerly awaited grant application is, frustratingly, a negative one.
So, what can be done to load the dice in your favour, to shift the odds so that your application shines out above most of the others? Well, bid writing is an art, a process that takes time and, without doubt, experience is key – successful bid writers will admit they’ve endured just as many failures along the way as they have successes. But here are my 5 top tips to help you and your school assemble a successful grant application, and whilst I can’t guarantee success, I can guarantee you’ll narrow the odds.
#1. A Holistic Approach
It may seem odd but my first top tip on bid writing is, well, not to focus purely on bid writing. When it comes to attracting funding for your project, a holistic, rounded approach often proves the most fruitful. In practice this may include exploiting facility hire more effectively, introducing sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and refocusing your PTA to attract donations with Gift Aid.
Grant funders look more favourably on applications from schools who can demonstrate a co-ordinated and structured approach to their fundraising efforts. You can show that you’ve mobilised the local community, asked for their support for the project (survey monkey for example), received letters of support from the local councillor, your MP, Mayor and other dignitaries. Contact suppliers and local businesses to ask for their support, and you’ll be inviting them to your launch event and acknowledging their efforts on your “donations board”.
For example - your new artificial pitch may cost £25,000 but you’re requesting £18,000 from grants – the balance is being secured in other ways. Demonstrating this level of joined up thinking when it comes to funding aspirational projects is far more likely to pique the interest of the grant holder.
#2. Select the right grant and answer their questions!
Writing a grant application is hard work and time consuming. The last thing you want to do is select grants that cannot support your project – make sure you have carefully read and understood the grant funders stated priorities and that your project is eligible. There are some staggering figures from the Lottery and Sport England that highlight the numbers of applications received that are ineligible for the grant requested – this is an appalling waste of time and effort!
Invariably application forms contain fixed word counts and you must deliver concise and relevant content within these text boxes. Waffling on and not getting to the point is a waste of time and effort – develop your content on a Word document first, hone and fine tune it so every word has a purpose and supports your case. Think carefully about what you’re being asked and frame your answer so it clearly answers the question. Most applications allow for appendices and supporting information so you can evidence your claims in the document.
For example – subscribe to a grants database so you can filter and select appropriate grants easily.
#3 Give yourself time – take this seriously
According to a survey of School Business Managers around 93% of us agree that is it very important to have a fundraising plan, but only 6% actually have one (Pebble, 2016). Lack of time is cited as the reason, and yet thousands of schools take the time to submit grant applications each year. What’s really important is to build time and resources into strategic income generation at your school. Many schools are now incorporating this responsibility into SBM/SBL roles whilst others are introducing new “Development Officer” posts – whichever route you choose, you must allocate time to do this properly. Spending time on assembling a fundraising plan, identifying your strategic priorities and garnering support for your projects are worthwhile investments. Clear head space and thinking time will reap rewards.
For example – A sizeable proportion of Lottery Awards for All applications are rejected at the first stage due to incomplete or poorly thought out applications. Many are rejected not because their application isn’t for a worthwhile or just cause, but because the applicant hasn’t answered the question or has neglected to fill in all of the form. Grant applications take time and demand effort and resource.
#4 Tell the story – develop a strong project narrative
Ultimately, your grant application is a story – you’re telling the story of the project to a 3rd party. The grant trustees will almost certainly know nothing about your school or its context. Set the scene and explain clearly why their funds should be invested in your school. Take them on your fundraising journey. We work in a human-centered business, nurturing and growing young minds, so demonstrate clearly what impact your project will have on your children. Use pictures or video clips if you can. Include statements of support, testimonials, case studies, graphs and photos to bring your story to life. You need to win the battle of hearts and minds if you’re going to be successful.
For example – I secured Lottery funding for computers, furniture and the redecoration of a classroom. Of course, my application wasn’t about the desks and computers, it was focused on the need for a Basic Skills Beginners IT Club for local people. Focus on the outcomes not the resources.
#5 Clearly demonstrate the need and impact – a must have, not a nice to have
Sadly, there isn’t enough money to pay for all the nice things we would like to have. Your application needs to prove that this is a “must have” project, an initiative in which you’re pulling out all the stops to make happen. “Need” can often be brought to life with photos (physical condition) and with data (statistics to show progress or attainment). You’ll have to show that you’ve explored all other avenues and that their funding support is the only way to finally bring this project to life.
For example – a small pilot project could demonstrate impact on a small scale, so you can clearly demonstrate the initiative is valid and give a sense of what could be achieved on a grander scale, with their funding.
Writing successful funding applications can be a challenge but with a little insight and a coherent approach there’s no reason why grant and trusts shouldn’t form a significant part of your school income generation strategy.