I have never met a school that ran out of funding opportunities. I have met plenty that ran out of time to sort the useful ones from the rest.
That distinction matters more than it sounds. When a budget is tight and the project list is long, grant-hunting tends to land on someone who already has a full job — usually the school business leader, occasionally the head, sometimes a governor with good intentions and a spare evening. They open a funding newsletter, find fourteen things that look plausible, and lose a term to applications that were never going to succeed.
As Multi-Academy Trusts continue to grow and evolve, communicating a clear and consistent identity has never been more important. A well-managed brand helps MATs celebrate success, engage their communities, and demonstrate the value they bring to pupils, families, and staff in the education sector.
I've written about PTA fundraising for PTA+ magazine for a while now, and the same question comes up in almost every conversation: how do you keep the money coming in without relying on the same two or three volunteers, term after term, until they've had enough?
In the roundtable podcast episode Win-Win: Fundraising relationships for lasting impact we explored how community engagement can unlock additional funding for schools. With so many pressures on school, it’s essential that those involved in income generation use their limited time wisely. Our four guests help us unpick how analysis, understanding and listening first pay off in the long run.
Navigating the competitive landscape of school funding takes more than good intentions; it requires strategic skills to secure the resources schools need to thrive. This article explains how effective bid writing can unlock vital funding opportunities for schools and introduces our upcoming online masterclasses that equip education professionals with these essential skills.
In an educational landscape that is constantly evolving, the financial resilience of school trusts has become increasingly important. This article explores strategic approaches to income generation within academy trusts, focusing on sustainable ways to strengthen budgets, support pupils, and improve long-term financial stability.
Easter often arrives just as schools are catching their breath at the end of a long spring term and turning their attention to the summer and the next academic year.
Budgets are under pressure. Recruitment and retention feel harder than ever. Governors and trustees want assurance that the school is telling a clear, confident story to parents, staff and the wider community.
School budgets are under intense pressure. Most leaders have been told at some point to "find more income" or "do more fundraising" on top of everything else. It is tempting to jump straight to quick ideas – a new bid, a sponsored event, a hire agreement – without asking a more fundamental question: does our culture actually support this?
In practice, the biggest differences in income generation for schools are often not about who has the best idea or the most polished bid. They are about how people think, talk and make decisions together. Organisational culture – the unwritten rules of "how we do things here" – can quietly enable sustainable income generation or make school fundraising feel impossible.
This article explores what that culture looks like in a school setting, how it helps or hinders income generation, and what leaders can do to shape it.
School fundraising can feel like one more spinning plate in a term that’s already overflowing. Budgets are tighter. Staffing is stretched. Everyone is juggling competing priorities. Yet the expectation to “bring in a bit more income” hasn’t gone away – if anything, it’s grown.
This blog is for School Business Leaders, finance leads and fundraising/community leads who want realistic, sustainable school fundraising ideas that respect staff time and still raise meaningful income.
Grant applications require preparation, evidence and planning. Approach each bid as an opportunity to articulate your vision for improving your school.
With over 5,000 grant funders across the UK and up to £1.5 billion available each year, grant funding remains an attractive proposition for schools and PTAs to finance projects and longer-term initiatives. Securing this funding can transform your school environment and improve educational opportunities for pupils, but the application process often feels daunting.
In today's challenging economic climate, schools need more than just one-off funding injections. This blog explores how building genuine, long-term partnerships can unlock sustainable income streams, offering financial resilience and enhanced educational opportunities.
Another academic year is underway, and for many schools across the UK, it brings a familiar and unwelcome challenge: doing more with less. With a backdrop of high inflation, soaring energy costs, and stagnant funding streams, school leaders and their teams are once again being asked to be innovative, resilient, and resourceful. It's a time when every pound counts, and the pressure to stretch limited resources has never been greater.