Funding guide for Playgrounds, Multi Use Games Areas and Outdoor Gyms

There are a number of funding routes available for Playground Equipment & Outdoor Gym equipment offered by a host of organisations in England, Scotland and Wales. Below is a brief snapshot of potential funding and is by no means a definitive list.

PlayBuilder
Play England aims for all children and young people in England to have regular access to and opportunity for free, inclusive, local play provision and play space.   Play England offers grants to transform local areas into innovative and adventurous play spaces.
www.playengland.org.uk

Ground Work – Community Spaces
Large charitable organisation that distributes Lottery money to develop open spaces. 
www.community-spaces.org.uk further info on grants available

Big Lottery Fund – “reaching communities”
Community Based funding that is available 2009-2010 to respond to the needs of communities and focuses on the following changes as a result of the funding.
-people having better chances in life, including being able to get better access to training and development to improve their life skills
-strong communities, with more active citizens, working together to tackle their problems
-improved rural and urban environments, which communities are better able to access and enjoy
-healthier and more active people and communities.

About this funding programme
This programme is for community-driven projects which benefit those most in need, including communities with shared interests. Projects should complement or fill gaps in local strategies where appropriate. Communities should be involved throughout the life of the project. This is primarily a revenue programme, but can contribute up to £50,000 towards capital costs.

Groups Eligible
A registered charity
A voluntary or community group
A statutory body, (including schools), town, parish councils.
A charitable or not-for-profit company
A social enterprise – a business that is chiefly run for social objectives, whose profits are reinvested in the business rather than going to shareholders and owners.
Further information can be found at-
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Big Lottery Funding “awards for all”
Very similar to criteria to “reaching communities”, offers a small grant scheme ranging between £300 - £10,000. Projects cannot be over 25K.  The funding is easy and accessible to apply for.
The project must ensure that the outcome of the funding ensures - Healthier and more active people and communities which Work Out does.

Groups Eligible
-you are a not-for-profit group (including social enterprises), or you are a parish or town council, school or health body such as NHS Trust etc.
-you have a bank account that requires at least two unrelated people to sign each cheque or withdrawal.
-you have a governing body with at least three unrelated members
-you can spend the grant within one year.

Decisions for this funding is usually confirmed within 30 working days and is a simple procedure to apply.
Further information can be found at
www.awardsforall.org.uk/england/summary.html
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/app-wt-a4aengland.htm

Community Foundations Network (National Association)
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.  Each geographic area in the UK has a Community Foundation, Local charities themselves; they connect those with money to local organisations/groups. Community foundations fund a number of areas including Health.

Each community foundation has its own policy on who and what it founds: for a list of Community Foundations can be found at - www.communityfoundations.org.uk/finding_uk_community_foundations

Community Foundations Network distributes funding from the following organizations (Please note that this is only a brief guide)
Sport Relief and Comic Relief(available via Community Foundations Network)

Community foundations across the UK are inviting applications for grants up to £10,000.  One of the main criteria for the funding is
“Increase access to sport and exercise for people who face social exclusion and isolation”

Groups need to:
-Be working in a disadvantaged or deprived area
-Be small, locally based groups or organisations who have a clear understanding of the  needs of their community

The kinds of groups that can apply are:
-Community groups
-Resident associations
-Community centres
-Social enterprises / Community Interest Companies
-Credit Unions
-Further information can be found at www.communityfoundations.org.uk
* Community Foundations do not fund schools or statutory organisations i.e. Parish Councils etc.

Grass Routes Grants(available via Community Foundations Network)
Very easy to apply for and available until 2012.  Please note that grants are only available up to a maximum of £5000.

The Kinds of Groups That Can Apply are:
-Be a not-for-profit, third sector voluntary or community group, active in their local community for not less than 12 months prior to 31 December 2007
-Have an evidenced income of less than £20,000 per annum, taken as an average turnover for the last three financial years (or over the life of the group if it is less than three years old), and net of any grants received through the Grassroots Grants programme
-Be volunteer led (i.e. with largely volunteer based input)
-Be connected with and/or meeting the needs of the local community

* Grass Route Grants do not fund schools or statutory organisations i.e. Parish Councils etC

Sport England – “Sports Match”

The Sport England Sports Match program increases investment in community sport by matching new sponsorship money pound for pound. Sports Match will accept applications for projects that will be delivered in the 2010/11 financial year in December 2009.  The maximum grant available for Sports Match is £100,000 and the minimum award is £1000. Decisions on grants are usually made in 12 weeks.
Sponsorship can be either cash, or in-kind.
The kinds of groups that can apply are:
Sports clubs
Voluntary
Community organisations
Local authorities
Schools,
 Colleges
Universities.
For further information and an online application for please visit http://www.sportengland.org/funding/sportsmatch/want_to_apply.aspx

Sport England- “Small Grants”

The Sport England Small Grants Program has been set up to support local community sport projects which seek to increase participation, sustain participation or develop opportunities for people to excel at their chosen sport.
Awards are for amounts from £300 to £10,000
The total project cost should not exceed £50,000
Projects must be deliverable within 12 months and provide a monitoring report within 13 months of the date of the offer letter
Projects must seek to increase participation in sport, sustain participation in sport or provide opportunities to excel at a chosen sport.
The kinds of groups that can apply are
Sports clubs
Voluntary
Community organisations
Local authorities
Schools,
 Colleges
Universities.
For further information and an online application for please visit: http://www.sportengland.org/funding/small_grants/want_to_apply.aspx

Sport England – Rural Communities

Grants available to increase participation in sport in rural communities.  This grant requires an element of partnership funding.
The kinds of groups that can apply are
Sports clubs
 Voluntary or community organizations
Local authorities
Schools,
Colleges
Universities
For further information and an online application for please visit:
http://www.sportengland.org/funding/rural_communities.aspx