Read on to find out more about funding/financing an Outdoor Classroom or Log Cabin.

 

Funding/Financing

 

Is your school ready to expand but in need of extra funding? You have options! Let’s explore them.

 

Funding Opportunities

The Foyle Library Scheme

UK state schools can apply for grants of £2,000 to £10,000 from the Foyle Foundation through its Schools Library Programme to improve or establish their libraries. Priority is given to primary schools up to Key Stage 2, but secondary schools that need books and reading resources for catch-up reading programs for Key Stage 3 pupils and/or transition reading programs for feeder/local primary schools will also be considered. The foundation can also consider applications from special schools for all SEN age groups. Applications can be submitted at any time, but it may take up to four months to receive a decision.

 

The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Grants Programme has re-opened for applications. The programme offers grants of up to £1,000 to schools in the UK to set up Breakfast clubs for those children in most need.  To qualify for the programme the breakfast club must be based in a school in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and priority will be given to schools that have 35% and above of children eligible for pupil premium funding and / or eligible for free school meals or that are based in an area which is classified as falling in the 10% of most deprived areas according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Only one grant per school in each academic year will be available.
The Department for Education has announced that the second round of the Trust Capacity Fund is now open for applications. This fund aims to support School Trusts in expanding their capacity and will provide a total of £86 million from 2022 to 2025. The focus is on assisting strong trusts and schools forming trusts to take on underperforming schools in education investment areas. Grants of up to £750,000 are available, depending on the funding strand applied for. Eligible applicants include academy trusts and local authority-maintained schools forming a multi-academy trust in England with good financial health and a track record of meeting or improving school standards. There will be five application rounds until October 2024, with the next deadline on the 1st February 2024.
Aviva, in partnership with the RSPB and WWF, is making £1 million available to support community groups and schools in deprived areas of the UK to protect and restore nature in their local area. The Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund is a crowdfunding initiative that will give £2 for every £1 raised by each project.  Community groups can apply for an initial £500 to kick-start their project and up to £15,000 in match funding. A wide range of nature projects can be supported.  This can include restoring and protecting local habitats, promoting pro-environmental behaviours at the community level and connecting local communities to nature and each other. Applications can be made at any time until all funding has been allocated.

 

 

CROWDFUNDING

 

Crowdfunding is a great way to source additional funding so your school can upgrade its learning space and expand!

How does crowdfunding for schools work? Well put simply, you ask the school’s community, its ‘crowd’, to each donate small amounts of money to finance inspirational projects. The platforms provide ready-made templates and social media buttons to help your school to reach out to your audience and beyond. People can give as much as they like and donate anonymously if they prefer.

 

Just Giving, Rocket Fund, and DonateMySchool are just some of the platforms established to help crowdfund projects like Cabins For Schools buildings.

This is a great way of rallying your local community to get involved with your school’s endeavours, and a chance to showcase your community spirit and ethos! You can increase your engagement with parents, alumni, the broader school community and local residents. Give your community the chance to help make a difference. Using crowdfunding really expands your network, people are encouraged not only to donate but also to share. This can really increase your reach.

In fact, that’s exactly what Cutnall Green C of E School did! They 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. Now, their students and teachers can enjoy their fantastic cabin and forest learning for years to come. 

Joint cabins in Cutnall Green school by Cabin For Schools for forest learning funded by crowdfunding

 

Financing

It’s simple, quick and easy to finance a new building from Cabins For Schools. We are pleased to partner with Time Finance Leasing to offer competitive finance. Time Finance has grown to become one of the UK’s leading providers. Importantly, payments are fixed throughout the term of the agreement, enabling accurate and simple budgeting and forecasting. Approval is made simple. Firstly, leasing may be classed as a revenue item for budget purposes which may make it easier for you to obtain authorisation for the expenditure. Secondly, our approval process only takes one phone call with approval usually being provided within 24 hours.

Get in touch and we will arrange for Time Finance Leasing to contact you and provide a bespoke finance quotation to suit your needs.

Grants

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)

 

cabins for schools outdoor classroom log cabin made into a reading nook

 

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.
grants4schools.info

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) is additional capital funding that academies and sixth-form colleges can apply for each year.
gov.uk/condition-improvement-fund

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

Ernest Cook Trust – Outdoor Essentials Grant (UK) 

The Outdoor Essentials Grant is a £500 award to UK state funded Primary and Secondary schools to enable them to get their pupils learning outdoors. 

Applicants can be any UK state funded Ofsted Registered Primary, Middle, Secondary or High school: Any UK state funded Ofsted Registered Primary, Middle, Secondary or High school may apply. The current round of funding is in support of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative and will cover the purchase of the necessary equipment required for the planting of trees and their ongoing care. Grants also can cover the purchase of Outdoor Learning resources that engage young people with the environment such as bug hotels, bird boxes and minibeast investigation kits. A grant of up to £500 is available under two schemes: Wellies & Waterproofs: Outdoor clothing to enable children and young people to learn outdoors. Nature and Nurture: Projects to create areas where young people can connect with nature within school grounds or the local community.

https://ernestcooktrust.org.uk/what-we-do/everything-outdoors/outdoor-essentials-grant/