Joining a playground committee is enjoyable and a valuable contribution to the local community. Playground committees are in charge of playground equipment funding and maintenance. Committees are made up of a chairperson, secretary and treasurer which are necessary for the committee to exist. Other members help in various ways without having a formal role – they do this voluntarily.
Playground committees have become more important due to the reduction in council funding. A lot of time and effort is put into making sure that the play area is safe and the equipment is in full working order. Playground funding grants and fundraising events are the two main ways committees finance the play area.
Sourcing playground funding grants is not as difficult as it sounds and there are often packs that inform you of the grants available. Playdale has a funding guide that offers useful advice on how to apply for grants.
The Association of Play Industries (API) advises committees to be inventive when it comes to playground fundraising. Luckily there are many organisations that are keen to provide grants to improve playgrounds. The different companies and charitable trusts see their contribution as an investment in children’s futures.
Playground funding can also come from local councils in the form of match funding or from community lead funding. At first looking into grants is overwhelming but there are plenty of people who can offer advice. The most difficult part of applying for a grant is writing the proposal. If you are lucky you may have a committee member who has grant writing experience. Don’t worry if this is not the case because you will become an expert at writing playground funding applications.
When you contact Playdale with your playground fundraising ideas we will send you an information pack. Each pack provides information on where you can apply for grants and how to complete them. There is also a step by step guide which helps you with your application every step of the way.
It is vitally important that you make your intentions clear when writing your application letter. It should demonstrate who will benefit from the project and how. Thoroughly read and answer all of the questions on the application form. You can discuss the project with the companies who issue the grants before completing your application form.
Completing application forms for playground funding grants becomes easier the more you get accustomed to them. Raising funds for playground equipment is hard work and requires persistence, dedication and a lot of hard work. Small fundraising events such as coffee mornings, parties, sponsored events etc are a good way to raise awareness of the project too. All of the hard work will be worth it when you see children playing happily on the new playground equipment.
If you would like some essental tips, hints and information about playground fundraising, take a look at our funding guide.
We at Playdale are very aware of the community focal point that a good playground can provide, and what a positive impact they can make. A playground can represent a hugely positive asset to a community or public space. How to Get Playground Funding Grants for playground equipment make quality play areas accessible to local […]
The advantages of metal playground equipment Within our industry, we get asked many questions regarding metal playground equipment. Some of our most frequently asked questions include: Is it vandal resistant? Is it suitable for a rural play area? If your product is not painted how do you provide colour? With these questions in mind, we […]
The Department for Education has recently confirmed that the Primary PE and Sport Premium funding stream will continue for academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25 with a total of over £600 million of funding across the two years. The PE and Sport Premium and School Games programme support the government’s commitment to ensuring children and young […]
