Home > Funding for Schools > Grants for Schools

Grants for Schools

Author: Sarah O'Hara BA (hons) - Updated: 3 April 2013 |

Schools in the UK are mainly funded through LEA funding. Schools are usually able to spend the majority of their funding as they see fit and as best meets their needs and those of the students.

Additional to this funding, however, there are a variety of grants available. These grants for schools are often for a specific purpose and they are offered by a wide range of organisations.

School grant applications will usually need to demonstrate that resources are not available within the school’s current funding.

What Can Schools Get Grants For?

Grants are available for schools so that they can develop and improve in various ways. For example:

Schools can apply for grants for equipment such as books, stationery and resources.
Grants are available for schools to stage events or organise trips.
Grant money is available to develop certain subject areas such as music, art or science.
Schools may apply for grants to develop, improve or expand their building, grounds and facilities.
Sports grants are available to promote exercise and sporting activities for young people.
Environmental school grants are on offer to promote the use of green technologies and renewable energy in schools.
ICT grants to develop schools’ IT resources.
Some grants provide money for childcare and health and social care facilities within schools.

Who Provides Grants for School?

Grants for schools are on offer from both large and small organisations. Some of the main school grants on offer are available from:

Lottery Funding – This includes funds from National Heritage, the Arts Council and the Sports Council.
European Funding – This includes funding from Structural Funds, Community Initiatives and Community Action Programmes.
Single Regeneration Budget – These funds are intended to support regeneration initiatives, for example schemes which create employment, develop skills or have a positive environmental impact.
Trust Funds – There are a number of UK trust funds which give out small or local awards to fund various school equipment and resource needs.
Private company and charity grants – A number of private and commercial companies and charities offer grants for schools. Examples are the Foyle Foundation and the Tree Council.

Some school grants are offered ‘in kind’ rather than through funding, for example in the form of land, buildings or capital.

Finding out about Grants for Schools

Finding out about grants for schools is not always easy. One way to find out about the latest grant opportunities is to compile a list of resources – places which annually or regularly offer school grants – and check them regularly. Use the sources listed above as a good starting point for your research.

There are sites such as the Grants4schools website which provide a central resource for school grant information. These sites do charge a fee but offer a centralised information resource which many schools find valuable. Searchable grant databases, calls for proposal alerts and deadline reminders can save schools time and money.

Information on trusts which offer school grants and funding opportunities is available from the Charities Aid Foundation Directory of Grant Making Trusts.

Leave a Comment...

[Add a Comment]

It is a sweet time for me to find out what you're doing! helping out Children and those who wish to move forward in life full of purpose, please thank you. I am in East Africa, country Uganda, in the southern part of Uganda where HIV and AIDS killer disease started from in Uganda early 1980s. it has left many many orphans crying, and being in a third world country, lots of needy children are suffering too. please keep us in prayers as we give care to some of these children, we are struggling, loving to give to them schooling, food, clothing, medical, shelter, etc...I have a drown plan in Heart and on paper, this is the plan, to build up goodschool structuresand after i invite in students who can afford paying school fees from with in and out side the country, this will help to fund a big number of our orphaned and needy children. LANDwhere to build is available, but lucking funds to buildschool structures. please, please, please, be partners in this ministry.may the lord bless you as we work with you beloveds. please i invite you to come first and see what am talking about. please come. thank you again for what you are doing friends.

white - 3-Apr-13 @ 6:46 AM

I am currently applying for funding towards a 'Boys hut/den' which would be situated in the quad of our school. The boys project initially focusses on improving boys underachievement in reading and writing. I have made attempts towards funding i.e the national lottery but unfortunately have heard nothing. Could you advice where I can apply

ped - 20-Nov-12 @ 6:45 PM

Am the coordinator of NGO, Buikwe Childcare Foundations, which give support to Orphans in terms of school fees, clothing, feeding and the later apply to widows and elderly. We base in Uganda where so many victims of HIV/AIDS are marginalized and are under the poverty line level. We have no enough funds to cater for 50 children so far under our care, identifying more, carrying out baseline survey. We need to our own school where we will educate these children. Any well wisher and sympathizer please contact the above emails. thanks so much. Mushahanda Abdul-Nasser

blue - 29-Oct-12 @ 11:30 AM

sir we are maintaining a school with good infrastructure and quality education due to poor conditions of the parents they are unable to pay correct fee so we are not able to provide such kind of facilities like music ,sports ,art and cultural and quality faculty and so on if you are provide some grant to develop the education in all aspects it will helps our children

ramu - 18-Sep-12 @ 6:33 AM

hi am here to request for help for my two children. I would like them to start school.am looking for someone who sponsor thier education. Aged four years and three years. Thanks

shasha - 17-Sep-12 @ 12:59 PM

my name is carrecai am from eritrean and i am living in England. My status is asylum seeker. i need top apply for financial loan for my tuition fee unfortunatly i am not eligible for that becouse as i mentioned in above i am asylum. i have an offer from universities but i cant afford to pay for the tuition fees, however can you give me same advice in this regard

carreca - 13-Sep-12 @ 12:41 PM

This serves to update/correct my previous post. Sorry for the error. Hi! I am a retired corporate & marketing professional who has established with my wife, a retired educator, a mission school in a rural upland community in Indang, Cavite, Philippines. It's a small school whose aim is to help breach the intellectual and skills divide that separates rural students from their urban counterparts. We reach out to low-income rural families who normally find it difficult or impossible to send their children to private school. It is in this light that we offer extremely low school fees, just enough to fund a modest school operation. Results had been very encouraging since we started in 2009 as a tutorial center. Now we have 46 students from Preschool to Grade 4, with plans to offer classes up to Grade 6 as the years pass. We pray that someone out there with a big heart would help us build additional classrooms to accommodate more students next schoold year, as well as purchase Science and Computer facilities to help us bring the benefits of modern technology to these rural children. In all humility, we have a heart for service but our resources are limited. We could have opted to enjoy retirement in peace and by ourselves, but we chose to expend it in this advocacy. Our slogan: Quality Education need not be expensive. Please help.

Nito - 23-Aug-12 @ 12:55 AM

Hi! I am a retired corporate & marketing professional who have established with my wife, a retired educator, a mission school in a rural upland community in Indang, Cavite, Philippines. It's a small school whose aim is to help breach the intellectual and skills divide and separates rural students from their urban counterparts. We reach out to low-income rural families who normally find it difficult or impossible to send their children to private school. It is in this light that we offer extremely low school fees, just enough to fund a modest school operation. Results had been very encouraging since we started in 2009 as a tutorial center. Now we have 46 students from Preschool to Grade 4, with plans to offer classes up to Grade 6 as the years pass. We pray that someone out there with a big heart would help us build additional classrooms to accommodate more students next schoold year, as well as purchase Science and Computer facilities to help us bring the benefits of modern technology to these rural children. In all humility, we have a heart for service but our resources are limited. We could have opted to enjoy retirement in peace and by ourselves, but we chose to expend it in this advocacy. Our slogan: Quality Education need not be expensive. Please help.

Nito - 23-Aug-12 @ 12:48 AM

hello, i am currenty a university student going into second year. i used to work as an AP in a radiotherapy dept a NHS hospital and did a foundation degree. late in 2009 was diagnosed of cancer and went on chemotherapy. after chemotherapy, was diagnosed of heart failure(dilated cardiomyopathy) had two strokes i a pace of 6 months and am still on treatment and on a heart transplant waiting list. i had an ICD implanted to assist my heart rhythm whilst waiting for the transplant.i had to leave my job due to the illness but later decided that i could study something that can make me be able to change my career path that is not too physical and straining.i applied for funding with SFE for my tuition and at first they gave me the entitlement surprisingly later this year after i had done my first year exams, they withdrew the funding and claimed back the fees for my first year which left me in debt to the university. i have tried to find out why but this is to no avail but they only tell me that its because i had previous study so they can only fund me in my second and third year. so if anyone could help me with any information of where i can funding , would be very grateful because right neither can i access my results nor even progress to second year because i owe that money. thanx in advance louise

louise - 20-Aug-12 @ 1:28 PM

Am currently a University student and am in my second year but last year i lost my parents in a car Accident so leaving me a total orphan. i kindly request for help from well wishers to help me my studies.

gisa - 15-Aug-12 @ 3:00 PM

I am a deputy head teacher in one of the biggest city of the UK. We privately deliver education to ethnic minority mostly from Somalia and other EU countries. We have enthusiasm and passion to spread education but no reliable financial resources. We want to have ICT lab, resources, books and many other things but unfortunately we cant even meet our expenses. Please tell me how to app ly for funding. Even many women want to do language course to be able to be employed. We dont know how to cater the need of such population. Thanx.

passionate - 8-Aug-12 @ 5:12 PM

I'm a father to a blind girl and have been inspired by the challenges of the blind persons. I'm keen to open up a Braille and Computer School / Learning Center for the blind here in Uganda in support of their endeavors in life. I have committed to offer personal land I'm willing to put to this use. I'm seeking for any support for this project. Thanks

Arrowboy - 1-Aug-12 @ 2:14 PM

I am the Senior Administration Clerk at Marburg Primary School In Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. Marburg Primary School has a role of 994 learners from mainly poor areas of Port Shepstone which is situated in Kwazulu Natal. We are presently in the process of startig the first phase for our construction of a school hall. The construction of the hall will assist us in providing a better education for our learners by generating income when hiring it out. The hall will also benefit the surrounding communities. We also intend to use it as an indoor sports facilitie.We urgently require about 250 000 pounds offunding to complete this project. Any amount of funding for this projecy will assist the community and he learners of our school YOURS IN EDUCATION & SPORTS

AJ - 27-Jul-12 @ 11:06 AM

I am the school president of Saint Joseph Academy of Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Philippines a small school with 71 population from kinder to grade 6.We are looking for grants to help the students study in our school next school year.we will be offering grade 7 next year but we need to built a classroom that would accommodate the students.we will be needing about $50,000.This will be a great help if some one will support us.

stan - 7-Jul-12 @ 2:52 PM

I am the school president of Aletheia Christian Academy of Ligao, Albay, Bicol Philippines. We have a school which we started 10 years ago serving the community in Ligao City. From a small number of 8 students we have now 250 students from Nursery to Grade 6. We are renting a small place about 400 sq.meter lot and there is not enough space for expansion while the rooms are also substandard because of the increasing population. Five years ago, a friend came and visit us and donated a1000 sq meter of lot near our place. But because we are running a class C and D community school, the low cost tuition fees is not enough to start a new building for the students We are looking for grants to help the students coming in for school next school year and we will be offering grade 7 next year as the parents of the students are expecting. Our school run as one of the best private school in the community. So with this, we need to build 12 classroom that would accommodate the students.We will be needing about $70,000 to start with.This will be a great start up fund as we move on to the next level of the school. Many thanks

Ness - 5-Jul-12 @ 3:00 AM

We have been offered 3 places on a football mentoring trip for 4 weeks next July to Australia.Can we apply for funding?We are bringing back the programme to the local community and our academy to offer opportunities the the local school children in our area.

filly - 27-Jun-12 @ 8:38 PM

Hi! am young lady from tanzania, i've always wanted to build a school in my country for the disadvantaged girls as the number of girls attending school n my country is very low due to low income of their parents and the wrong perseption among most parents in my region that educating girls is a wastage of money and their fate is marriage, I myself was among them but luckily for me a good samaritan offered to pay for my studies, I know alot of girls out here who wish to get atleast the secondary education but are being affected by the traditional beliefs and low incomes of their families so I want to start a project for school building where the girls can get their education the same way the boys do but to accomplish this I would need funds but unfortunately I come from a low income family so I was hoping you would help me on how to get the funds for the project, I know the project will change the lives of many girls who up to now have been denied the right to education,,thanks

mamsheb - 19-Jun-12 @ 8:58 PM

I am the school president of Saint Joseph Academy of Libmanan, Camarines Sur, Philippines a small school with 65 population from kinder to grade 6.We are looking for grants to help the students study in our school next school year.we will be offering grade 7 next year but we need to built a classroom that would accommodate the students.we will be needing about $50,000.This will be a great help if some one will support us.

stan - 4-Jun-12 @ 4:11 PM

I am a ICT subject leader and I would like to apply for a grant for our nursery as we have not got many ICT resources e.g. equipment, White board for our children to access

Farhana - 28-May-12 @ 11:55 AM

I am a young Tanzanian, I am a teacher by profession. Me with my friend we have established a project of a school building in our area thruogh our own small income. So far we have done the following; - We have bought the site of about 14 hector. - We have afforded to pay for surveying cost and got a land ownership document from the government. - We have got building permit from the governmet. - We have built four classrooms and roofed them. So by then we have failed to meet requiments in order to register our school, fro example we don't have administration building, laboratory rooms, and a meeting/digning hall. We are looking on some one who in one way and another can either assist us in whatever a loan or grant us some amount of money of about $ 70,000. The purpose is to finish building and register the school so that we can qualify to be loaned by banks. Please, may you support us for this? Thanks in advance.

Nic - 25-May-12 @ 11:09 AM

If funding will be available, some of us will not be too worried for over head expences

Bundu - 13-Apr-12 @ 12:11 PM

I am a Cover Supervisor in a secondary school in Colchester which is in a very low income/housing area. We are struggling this year to encourage students to participate in our annual school prom due to the heavy costings involved. Have you any idea as to who to approach for some help with hiring dresses/suits please.

Debs - 23-Feb-12 @ 2:13 PM

I am the assistant site manager of the Harwich & Dovercourt High School. We are seeking to source funding for a lift to enable 2 disabled pupils to gain easier access to part of the School site. Help?! Regards, Steven.

Steven - 22-Feb-12 @ 10:40 AM

Hi Jo I work with the PTA at our school which is situated in a small village in Warwickshire, we are only a small school with approx 130 pupils.This year we have set ourselves a target of raising £10,000 for much need playground equipment.We are also looking into funding and grant applications.Is there any help / guidance you could give me on this. Thanks

Sally - 12-Jan-12 @ 10:49 AM

Hi Jo - have you seen the Foyle Foundation grant? it specifically covers Library books and Library Refurbishment projects. Hope this is of use

Bowlsfreak - 16-Dec-11 @ 1:47 PM

Hello,My son attends a very small primary school in a very small village.The school is in the process of having its own library built (aprox 10x10 in size, again, very small!) and are looking for any form of funding to fill it with books for the children.Is there any form of help or advice that I should know of as I dont know where to start.I am enquiring on behalf of the school because a group of mums have agreed to help out with the research.Anything will be gratefully received.Many thanks in advance.Jo

Jo - 4-Nov-11 @ 1:38 PM

Hello i am a Drama Teacher at a Special Needs School in Kempston. I am trying to book a celebrity for the day, who can work with my drama group to enhance their learning.The students at my school have physical and learning disabilities and very rarely receive such a great opportunity! My students will be studying television and i thought this would be a great opportunity for them and to also help them in their exam. However i am in great need of help to fund this event. The agency has lowered the price of an actor considerably to £1000 but i do need some more help. If there's any advice you can give me, that would be great! Thank you.

Shell - 25-Jul-11 @ 1:37 PM

I am the Chair of an out of school/holiday club who has recently put a design scheme together to extend our facilities into another building.This comprises of an open disused and very dilapidated grade 2 Victorian canteen on the school grounds.We need funding from all areas to pay for all works, equipment and contractors. I am carrying out the design work voluntarily, but areas such as asbestos surveys and other investigative works need to be carried out prior to any works. Please advise us on our next steps to seeing this much needed building brought back and serving the community.Many thanks.

Red - 7-Jun-11 @ 11:36 AM

Title:

(never shown)

Firstname:

(never shown)

Surname:

(never shown)

Email:

(never shown)

Nickname:

(shown)

Comment: