Don't start that grant application yet! The best path to success is to take a step back and prepare, says grants specialist Claire Welburn
Grants come in all shapes and sizes. To apply, you might be asked to write a letter or fill in a detailed form. The questions are often very specific, and you must answer them properly, or you won’t get through. As well as having the right paperwork in place, you will need evidence that demonstrates how your project fits with the funder’s objectives and be able to show there’s a need for what you want to do.
If a school or PTA wants to explore grant funding, where would you suggest they start?
When an organisation such as a school or PTA comes to us, the first thing we would assess is whether they are ‘funding ready’. Being prepared means you will be able to act quickly and professionally when you identify a funding opportunity and will hugely increase your ability to raise funds.
We ask some initial questions: Do you know what type of PTA or school you are? Do you have copies of your governance documents? Do you have a bank account?
It’s essential that an organisation has a bank account they can accept money into and spend money out of, which might seem obvious but isn’t always straightforward. You will need at least three months’ worth of bank statements and a demonstrable good record of having managed funds before.
You may also need a safeguarding policy. A school should already have one and the PTA may be able to adopt a version of it too.
Another thing to consider is who you would accept money from. For example, I live quite near to the nuclear waste management plant at Sellafield, so there’s a big question locally around whether nuclear funds are acceptable. That’s a decision for your governing body to make.
For everything but the smallest projects, it usually takes about six months to get fully prepared. Once you are ready, we look at what you are trying to raise funds for and how to present this to funders in the best way.
Who is eligible to apply for grants?
With every grant, there is a list of who’s eligible, so check the criteria carefully. You are often more likely to be eligible if you’re a registered charity that’s been in existence for at least six months, but a funder may want to see accounts for up to two years. Think of it this way: who would you feel secure giving your own money to?
Some funders won’t fund educational establishments at all. Others won’t fund statutory provision – anything that’s part of the curriculum. But that’s not the whole story. A parish council, for example, cannot fund schools, but it may be prepared to fund a PTA for extra-curricular activities. So, it can’t give you money for textbooks for lessons, but it could fund something for a lunch club, which will ultimately belong to the school.
Grant providers increasingly require community use and won’t consider schools because only the children who attend can benefit. But they may fund you if you can demonstrate that your project is accessible to the wider community.
When a funder says it only gives to charities, it can get complicated when we’re talking about schools. Many schools have exempt charity status – academies are exempt charities and so are many state schools – and a lot of people, including some funders, don’t understand what that is. An exempt charity is one that doesn’t have to register with the Charity Commission, and for schools, this is because they are regulated by the Department for Education instead. Find out if you qualify and then ask the funder if they will fund exempt charities.
How can we demonstrate we align with a funder’s objectives?
You may have heard the term ‘case for support’. This is an internal document that pulls together all the information about your school and its situation. It’s where I tell people to dig deep into what’s special about their school. Every school has advantages and disadvantages that affect fundraising and it’s these differences that give people a reason to support you. Identify them and use them to strengthen your argument.
Find out information such as the deprivation ranking for your area, how many children qualify for free school meals compared to the UK average and the number of pupils who speak English as a second language. Record evidence of any community involvement the school has and any consultations you’ve done.
Alongside the school’s case for support, you will also need a project brief for each initiative where you hope to get funding. The scale of this brief will differ hugely based on the project in question. For example, a new piano would require only a short project brief, whereas the brief for a completely revamped playground would be much longer. Give your project a title that stands out and makes what you hope to achieve immediately clear. As a minimum, you should include a description of the project, quotes for goods or services and a budget. You will also need to identify and include evidence of need for your project and the desired outcomes for the children.
How can we demonstrate evidence of need?
Ask yourself why you have come to this idea for a project and what will change as a result. Consult with the community or the children early on. The more money you’re asking for, the more evidence funders will generally require.
Evidence can come from consultations, questionnaires, school council minutes or existing research. I recently worked with a school where the condition of the tennis courts was becoming a problem. Resurfacing them would cost tens of thousands of pounds and the school did not have the funds to do it. We asked the pupils how often they would use the courts if they were open after school, and we reviewed the Parish Community Plan. The plan didn’t mention tennis courts, but did record a need for more recreational facilities for residents, which gave us external evidence to support the need for this project.
Can working together help secure funding?
When the school and PTA work in partnership, it will almost always increase the total funds available. I see it as two heads of state coming to meet each other – they need to be respectful of each other’s territory, mission and purpose. Collaborating on a big project often brings the school and PTA together, because they see how it works from the other side.
A PTA can offer seed funding to the school to help strengthen a grant application. When a funder sees that another organisation has already contributed to a project, it demonstrates local support.
It’s also worth discussing who should apply for grants. If a funder only accepts applications from registered charities, then a PTA that is a registered charity could be the applicant. Similarly, the PTA may identify that an application needs the weight of the school behind it.
How can a PTA or school maximise its chance of success?
Make contact with the funder if you can and run your project by them. Clearly answer all the questions they ask and supply any additional documents requested on time. Follow up on any grants received promptly and complete all the necessary paperwork. A funder who has already supported you is more likely to do so again, so it’s essential to maintain strong relationships with them.
