10: Funding

“I’m running a toddler group in a country area. We’ve got very little money to spend but need all sorts of equipment for our group ~ any ideas on where we can get funds?”

Maggie Barfield, editor for Tiddlywinks, answers:

• Ask your church! You may think they haven’t got any money to spare but if you don’t ask, they won’t know you need it. And if they can’t give you anything, you will still have the opportunity to promote the work you are doing. Go prepared: draw up a list of what you want to do in your group and where you could use an injection of cash. A vague ‘please give us some money for the group’ may be too open-ended but if you have specific ideas and details of costs, it will help others understand your needs.
• Work out a ‘shopping list’ and make specific requests on your group or church notice board. Only buy things you can’t acquire through donations – but check any second-hand items thoroughly.
• Consider fund raising events: your church may have guidelines about what is appropriate, so check out first.
• Invite members of the group or their friends who run sales parties or catalogues to hold events, either at your group or in members’ homes: the ‘host’ often receives commission on these so this can be a good way of gathering new books, storage, toys or whatever.
• Encourage everyone to gather useful odds and ends for junk modelling and craft. Again, have a list of exactly what you want so you don’t end up with unusable rubbish.
• Think about whether it is appropriate to charge for attendance or for refreshments. Most people will expect this, so don’t feel it may put people off coming. If you do want to offer a free service, remember you will need money to cover basic costs from somewhere! And you will need someone to take charge of the money and administer some sort of bank account: check with your church leadership about what is required.
• Does your church or organisation have a bulk purchase account which will help with buying coffee, biscuits, juice etc?
• Find out if there are any grants or funds available to your group locally. Enquire at your local government offices or library.

If you have further suggestions, please email us at info@scriptureunion.org.uk and we’ll add them to the list.