Raising funds for a playground can be a daunting project for a school. Fortunately, a variety of funding sources are available to help, depending on your particular criteria. Seeking the support of these organizations also requires you to follow a few steps to maximize your chances of receiving funding for a playground.
Grant Funding Criteria
Groups usually provide funding only for projects that meet specific criteria. For example, they may only support community playgrounds, as opposed to school playgrounds. In other cases, a project may need to fit within a pre-defined financial bracket or geographic area. Always check a funding source’s criteria to ensure your project meets its qualification requirements.
Declare Your Intentions
Making a persuasive case for funding a playground requires you to present a clear vision for the project, including its beneficiaries. You should typically provide a map of the proposed structures, along with the ways children can use them to develop, learn, and play. Getting this vision across will increase the chances that funders will understand your point of view, but it requires details for them to determine the project’s value. Take a look at similar projects that have been successful to gain inspiration for performing this step.
Plan Carefully
Anticipate the concerns of funding organizations when you describe your projects and develop counterarguments for them. You should use effective communication to turn these problems into solutions. For example, funders may object to the cost of equipment, which you can counter by explaining the greater durability of quality materials. In addition, you need to clarify the budget and timeframe to provide funding groups with a comprehensive picture of the project. These details play a major role in obtaining funding for playgrounds.
Defining what you’re trying to achieve with a playground is also helpful. The development of a playground is usually part of an organization’s overall goal, which can determine its design. For example, a playground in an educational setting can be driven by play or development learning, usually both.
Seek Advice
Playground builders can often provide funding advice that’s specific to your location. They can also offer guidance on the best sites and equipment for your project. Look for experts with years of experience in developing playgrounds for a variety of settings.
Create Support Groups
A large group can help share the workload of a playground project, driving it from concept to completion. Team members should have skill sets like planning, building, and financing playgrounds, which will be crucial in delivering a project on time and within budget. They should also include key stakeholders like a senior school representative and the PTA to ensure buy-in from the entire community by making everyone feel they’re part of the process.
School staff members also belong on the project team, especially those who will have the greatest involvement with the playground. This will typically include kindergarten and elementary-grade teachers, whose students will use the playground on a daily basis. Additional project stakeholders include governors, members of the school council, and students.
Ensure this group understands and supports the project’s goal, as fundraising for a new playground should be an exciting opportunity to bring them together. It’s therefore essential for everyone to be onboard, so they can begin providing ideas to obtain financial backing.
About Churchich
Churchich Recreation is a playground equipment company serving clients in North and South Carolina. Our primary goal is to provide concepts for recreational design that are both safe and fun, while still keeping our products competitively priced. Contact us today for a free consultation for your playground!