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.
Fit for funding G
rants 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
38 SPRING 2025 School Fundraising
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
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
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
AS TOLD TO CAROL ROGERSON; IMAGES BY BROWNALEX/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
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