Funding
Funding the future
Funding solutions for playground projects should try to be as inventive as possible. Some of the most successful playground projects have used several sources of funding; from section 106 payments to council match-funding and community-led fundraisers. The three funding sections below gather local and national funding streams as well as organisations that can advise on planning and running community projects.
Local Funding
Independent fundraising
Community-led events are a great way to raise funds for your playground project and by holding events at the proposed site you can both raise awareness and gather support for your project.
Local Partnerships
Community groups sometimes receive support from local businesses keen to support their community by offering financial support or in-kind resources, such as staff volunteers.
Local Authorities – funding guidance
Some councils have their own external funding team who can advise you on how to approach both local and national funding streams.
Big Society Network
An independent charity that provides a forum to get advice on raising funds or setting up a charitable group, as well as forging links between similar projects.
www.thebigsociety.co.uk
Community Infrastructure Levy/Section 106 payments
Developers often make agreements to contribute funds or payment in-kind toward local infrastructure in close proximity to the development, many playground or green space projects are supported by this kind of funding.
The systems are similar but the CIL is gradually being phased into councils and will take over the majority of local authority infrastructure charging. The levy will see a larger proportion of these funds earmarked for neighbourhoods to have a direct say on what infrastructure it will fund.
Section 106 information
Community Infrastructure Levy overview
New Homes Bonus
Similar to the Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy this is a payment toward development infrastructure raised from the construction of new homes.
National funding
Brand Trusts
Many of the major UK brands, banks and building societies have community grant funds which they will award to deserving projects.
Online grant databases
There are several websites where you can search for both local and national funding schemes. Two of the most popular are GRANTnet (which can be accessed through participating council website) and Funding Central.
BIG Lottery Fund
A national body that awards lottery funding to a variety of projects through several funding streams and organisations.
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
BIG advice line: 0845 4 10 20 30
Awards for All
A Lottery grant scheme for local communities. There are different schemes for each of the four countries of the UK and they are funded by organisations such as the Arts Council, Big Lottery Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund, Sport England, etc. Grants are awarded for sums between £300 and £10,000 for projects that promote education, the environment and health of the local community.
www.awardsforall.org.uk
Community Foundations
Community foundations are charitable trusts that support local community causes. Their role is to manage donor funds as well as make grants to charities and community groups, linking local donors with local needs. Created by and for local people they help donors express their long-term interest in an area and its needs. Community foundations have been active in the UK since the 1980s and a rapidly growing network of approximately 60 foundations is now established across the country. About 90% of the UK population has access to a community foundation.
www.communityfoundations.org.uk
Groundwork
A charitable group that awards funding for green/open spaces that benefit disadvantaged communities as well as providing opportunities to form corporate partnerships.
www.groundwork.org.uk
Greenspace
A registered charity which works to improve parks and green spaces by raising awareness, involving communities and creating skilled professionals.
www.green-space.org.uk
Landfill Tax Credit Funding
The aim of the LTCS is to encourage and make people aware of the benefits of sustainable waste management practices, such as recycling and the re-use of waste and to work with communities that live in the close proximity to landfill sites in order to improve their social and physical environments. The landfill tax credit scheme enables landfill site operators to donate up to 6.0 per cent of their landfill tax liability to environmental projects in return for a 90 per cent tax credit.
www.ltcs.org.uk
A register of landfill operators is maintained by HM Revenue & Customs at www.hmrc.gov.uk.
To locate the list enter "List of Registered Landfill Site Operators" (including the speech marks) in the search box on their website
WREN
Waste Recycling Environmental Limited is an example of an Environmental Body distributing the Landfill Tax credits of Waste Recycling Group plc (WRG) to projects throughout WRG’s operating areas.Project applications which demonstrate self help, viability, sustainability and offer benefits to large numbers of people receive priority for funding.
www.wren.org.uk
ENTRUST
The regulator that oversees the activity of all Environmental Bodies (EBs) across the UK and give final approval of grants.
www.entrust.org.uk
Biffaward
A multi-million pound environment fund managed by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, which utilises landfill tax credits donated by Biffa Waste Services. In less than nine years Biffaward has awarded £80 million to more than 1,000 environmental and community projects across the whole of the UK and this funding has enabled the creation and upgrading of numerous new children’s play areas.
www.biffaward.org
London Play
The London Play website lists major funding sources and website links for the London area.
www.londonplay.org.uk
Sport England
This website shows Sport England's national and community funding programmes and advises how to apply for funding.
www.sportengland.org
Sportsmatch
A government funded scheme set up to help fund grass roots and community sports in England. They do this by matching new sponsorship money with Sportsmatch funding, on a pound for pound basis. Applications to Sportsmatch for funding can be made from any not-for-profit organisation capable of delivering community sport.
www.sportsmatch.co.uk
Planning and project guidance
Locality
Service designed to provide advice for community groups through a network of organisers and training programmes.
www.locality.org.uk
National Association of Local Councils (in partnership with the Campaign to Protect Rural England)
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) represents the interests of town and parish councils in England - a total of around 8,500 councils.
www.nalc.gov.uk
The Royal Town Planning Institute (through Planning Aid)
Volunteers to help prepare and deliver community planning events for communities.
www.rtpi.org.uk
People Powered Change
BIG Lotto-supported platform to share project ideas and fundraising information.
www.peoplepoweredchange.org.uk
Play England
Play England is the national representative body for play, operating through the National Children’s bureau to promote strategies for free play and to create a lasting support structure for play providers in England. Play England's aim is for all children and young people in England to have regular access and opportunity for free, inclusive, local play provision and play space. Their objectives are to:
- promote local play strategies
- build partnerships for play
- research and demonstrate the benefits of play
- promote equality and diversity in play provision
- raise awareness and promote standards
www.playengland.org.uk
Funding guide
Local donations:
If members of the community are willing to make donations, no matter how small, it soon adds up.
Landfill schemes:
Local Businesses:
Many local firms can be approached either to make a donation or provide “in-kind” donations such as basic materials or labour for a day.
Fundraising ideas:
www.better-fundraising-ideas.com/inex.html