In these tight financial times, it can be difficult to know where to start if you need to find funding for larger-scale improvements to your school’s kitchen or dining room.
Making sure children have the best lunchtime experience we can give them is an investment in their future and a fundamental part of their education. Good school food, a decent dining environment and the experiences of eating with their friends play a vital role in their health and welfare as children grow up, and lead to better behaviour and concentration in class. All of this evidence can help you make the case to potential funders.
We’ve pulled together our top tips and sources of advice on raising funding for big capital projects. Not all of these will apply to every school, but they will give you a starting point for exploring different options. We’ll keep adding more from our research and work with partners as new options arise.
Don’t forget, we’re always here to help you to look at ways to get the best out of your current kitchen, dining room facilities or catering service. There are lots of small things that you can do – without breaking the bank – which can help you in the short-term whilst you plan further ahead.
Top tips:
- Talk to your local authority about loan schemes. This can be a way to secure funding for improvements or refurbishments you need to make urgently
- Look at funding opportunities for community spaces in your area. If your dining space will double up as a venue for local groups or activities, you may be able to apply for funding from community funding programmes to make improvements. Surrey Square Infant and Junior School in Southwark might give you some inspiration – read their story.
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/surreysquareschool - Local health or family welfare funding may also be a source of support; the ability to offer healthy school meals has an important part to play in reducing obesity and health inequalities in children
- Talk to local businesses – could your kitchen or dining room improvement plans offer a sponsorship opportunity as part of a local company’s local engagement or Corporate Social Responsibility work?
- Use your local media to tell your story. This can help you raise awareness of your plans and to attract the attention of local businesses who might be interested in sponsorship
- Make your new kitchen or dining room the school’s core fundraising project. Get pupils, parents and the wider community involved – like Ravensdale Junior School in Derby has (www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/news/ravensdale). Themed cooking events can be a great way to do this – visit our Let’s Get Cooking pages to find out how to set up a cookery club and plan fundraising activities in your community www.letsgetcooking.org.uk
- Keep an eye out for competitions offering funding for school projects, or new initiatives that might be looking for schools in which to pilot work that could be relevant. Beechen Cliffe Secondary School in Bath might offer some inspiration. www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/casestudies/beechencliffe
Food for thought….
Are you marketing your dining room and school food as effectively as possible? Try MADGe, our free marketing library or contact us for tailored support
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/madge
Could you make better use of your existing kitchen and dining room space?
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/mrd
Small changes can make a big difference
www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk/ssi
