£8 million in grants for technical college, a success story

Ashfield School in Kirkby-in-Ashfield in Nottinghamshire is a state funded secondary school with specialist Technology, Vocational and Language College and Training School status.

It has created a dedicated grant raising role that has paid dividends in excess of £1 million a year in additional funding over 7 years.

The process started with a strong vision on the schools role in the community and educational focus and what it needed to accomplish in terms of facilities and programs to achieve these long term goals. Once the goals were put in place, each project could be designed and budgeted. Then the grant team could apply for funding from multiple sources.

This funding has included:

Funding of £40,000 from Sport England and £30,000 from Nottinghamshire County Council towards the costs of refurbishing and repairing the Schools Swimming Pool.

Funding of £750,000 from Ashfield District Council towards the complete modernisation and resurfacing of the Schools Athletics Track.

Funding of £196,000 from the Football Foundation and £50,000 from Nottinghamshire County Council towards the installation of an all weather Football Pitch.

£110,000 from the Lottery and £20,000 from Wren to refurbish an old barn and transform it into a modern Sports hall.

£20,000 from the Lottery and £60,000 from the Coalfield Regeneration Trust towards the costs of building and equipping of a Fitness Suite and IT Centre.

£61,500 from the Neigbourhood Renewal Fund towards the 'Building Learning Communities' an adult education programme targeting young mums to be. The funding helps to cover staffing, tuition and examination costs.

£5,000 from the Awards for All and £500 from the Neigbourhood Renewal Fund for the purchase and installation a pool sling for use by a disabled swimmers club.

£9,000 from the Adult Community Learning Fund (Jobcentre Plus) to provide education provision for unemployed adults and those of incapacity benefit.

£98,000 through the Learning and Skills Council's European Social Fund towards the 'R u ready for Work' initiative which provides employability skills for Year 10 and 11 disaffected learners.

£15,000 from the Foundation for Sports and Arts towards the refurbishment of six Tennis / Netball / Basketball Courts.

£27,200 from the Lottery and £6,200 from the Children's Fund towards the refurbishment and running costs; as well as the equipment for an Afterschool Childcare Facility (Phoenix Club).

£1,164,375 from the European Regional Development Fund, £1.3 million from Nottinghamshire County Council, £1.3 million from the National Learning and Skills Council, £110,000 from the BAM Local Enterprise Growth Initiative and £13,000 from the Sector Skills Council for Textiles to fund Business Centre at the School. The Business Centre provides premises for 12 businesses on a rent free basis and in return provide skills training and work experience for pupils at the school as well as training for unemployed adults.

£29,000 from Nottinghamshire County Council to work with Contact / Call Centre operators to provide training for unemployed adults.

The advice on applying for grants. Each funding body has specific grant pre-requisites. Get to know the requirements and goals of each funding body. Network with other grant applicants. Speak to those organizations that have been successful in raising funds from your targeted funding body.