FundEd is dedicated to supporting school fundraising, and new members often ask the grants team for leads as part of their initial funding review. We asked for their top ten recommendations to help you kickstart your grant fundraising.
1 Rotary or Lions Clubs
You can find branches across the country. Both are not-for-profit international service organisations dedicated to charitable projects. The Rotary Club notably funds an international polio vaccination campaign, but they also work at a local level. Ask if anyone in your extended school community has a contact.
Rotary Club and Lions Club.
2 Voluntary action organisations
The Council for Voluntary Service is a voluntary advocacy body that connects communities with resources. Action organisations take different forms across the UK, but start with the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
3 Local councils
Despite central government funding cuts, your local authority may well still have financial support available. Many areas have councils at town, district and county levels, so find out which ones cover your area and search their websites, using keywords, such as ‘funding’ or ‘grants’. You may be surprised to find the right opportunity for a small grant that makes a significant difference.
4 Businesses and retailers
National companies often set up funds for community projects. Approach their local branches and offices and ask if they have a fund or charitable foundation. Do you have a local B&Q? Is Greggs a big favourite? Are you a rural school with a Moto service station nearby? You could also try larger independent businesses – they may be interested in sponsorship opportunities or be able to connect you with other resources.
5 Supermarkets
So many people rely on supermarkets, and they make considerable profits. Tesco alone made £61.47 billion in 2024. So it’s fair that we should receive support from these giants through their charitable foundations. If a grant isn’t right for your project, explore token schemes by popping into your local branch.
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer.
6 Housebuilders and developers
These companies often have deep pockets and there’s a compelling case for them to support local schools. New residential developments bring in families, and with families come children who need schools. In addition to making a financial contribution through Section 106 agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which can be complicated to access, many house builders also have charitable foundations.
Barratt Homes, Persimmon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Vistry (formerly Bovis).
7 Police force
Every force has a special fund called the Police Property Act Fund, which generates money from the sale of found or confiscated items. This money often goes to police-related charities, but many forces also work with their local communities. For example, North Yorkshire Police has awarded £2,653,898 to support 340 community projects. Similarly, Norfolk Police has allocated £30,000 from this fund to assist local voluntary and community groups who are working to improve people’s lives.
8 Airports
Airports contribute to air and noise pollution, so it’s only right that they give something back to their local communities. For example, the Gatwick Airport Community Trust actively supports local initiatives, while The Manchester Airports Group, which manages Manchester, East Midlands and Stansted airports, contributes £100,000 annually to fund projects that positively impact the community and have a charitable focus..
9 Wind or solar farms
If developers are installing large wind or solar farms near your school, it’s worth contacting them. EDF Energy’s Community Benefit Fund clearly states its commitment to investing in local projects that contribute to the community, including ‘one-off investments (eg, a school gardening project)’. There’s an increasing number of localised and community-based renewable energy projects too, so approach them to see if you can work together.
10 Community foundations
Across the country, there’s a network of community foundations overseen by UK Community Foundations. This charity has been developing community philanthropy since the 1970s. In 2024, they awarded over 32,500 grants. If you’re looking to make an impact, reach out to them to explore opportunities for collaboration.
FundEd helps schools generate additional income streams. Find out more at funded.org.uk.
- Find more grants on our local PTAs pages.
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