Funding Opportunities for Schools

There are a number of funding opportunities available for schools and projects that support projects in schools. Below we list some that we're aware of.

Trees for Schools (UK)

The Tree Council has announced that their Trees for Schools Fund 2018 is now open to applications for grants to pay for trees to be planted during National Tree Week (24th November to 2nd December in 2018).

The Tree Council will award grants towards projects costing between £100 and £700 with successful applicants receiving up to 75% towards their planting costs. Schools must be able to provide the remaining 25% of the costs of the project. Children under 16 must be actively involved in the planting project or in a related educational activity i.e. in the design, planning and planting of the orchard or through curriculum related projects. Grants can cover the purchase of trees of appropriate species, size and numbers, of which up to 4 may be fruit trees on semi-vigorous, vigorous and very vigorous rootstocks. Schools wishing to plant more than 4 fruit trees should make a separate application for that part of the project to the Orchard Windfalls Fund.

The closing date for applications to both funds is 31st March 2018.

http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/Grants/Trees-for-Schools

Orchard Windfalls Fund Invites Applications from Community Groups (UK)

The Tree Council is inviting Charities and not-for-profit community organisations operating in the UK to apply for a grant to pay for fruit trees to be planted during National Tree Week (24th November to 2nd December in 2018).

The Tree Council is able to fund projects costing between £100 and £700 with successful applicants receiving up to 75% towards their planting costs. Grants can cover the cost of the trees, necessary supports and aids to establishment (stakes, ties and guards, plus fertiliser, mulch and soil amelioration where conditions make this appropriate). In 2016, Colonsay Community Garden was supported by The Tree Council through the Tree Futures Orchard Windfalls receiving a grant to extend their mini orchard, a garden created from waste land adjacent to the Village Hall. Apply by the 31st March 2018.

http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/Grants/Orchard-Windfalls

Nuffield Foundation - Research Placements Reopen for Applications (UK)

Application deadlines for the Nuffield Foundations Research Placements programme have just been announced.

Open to candidates on a regional basis, students in their first year of A-levels, AS-levels, BTEC, Scottish Highers, or the International Baccalaureate studying all areas of science, technology, engineering and maths, are eligible to apply. Nuffield Research Placements offer students participation

in authentic, hands-on research projects within host organisations. Students have a defined project to work on and are well supervised

but expected to work independently and use their own initiative. For example, William Dash had the opportunity to create computer simulations using Master Differential Equations over the summer at Plymouth University. Detailed guidance is available on the website and further information and support is available via Regional Nuffield Co-ordinators.

For information on the regional application deadlines, please click on the link below.

http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/application-deadlines

Royal Society of Chemistry - Outreach Fund Small Grants Scheme (UK)

Individuals and organisations such as researchers, museums, schools, community groups, not-for-profit organisations, arts groups and libraries can apply for grants of up to £10,000 to run chemistry-based events and activities for public audiences and in schools.

Priority will be given to projects that raise awareness of the place of chemistry in people's everyday lives, especially those not already interested in chemistry, and/or develop the science communication skills of people who are already highly trained in chemistry.

The Outreach Fund is split into two categories:

Small grants - up to £2,000

Large grants - between £2,000 and £10,000.

Previously funded projects include:

"Cool chemistry at the seaside" where the Society awarded a grant of £2,000 to volunteers in Ramsgate who transformed an empty town-centre shop into a makeshift theatre, delivering free chemistry demonstrations to anyone.

The closing date for small grants is 12 noon on the 15th January 2018

For large grants the closing date for applications is 12 noon on the 14th May 2018.

http://www.rsc.org/awards-funding/funding/outreach-fund/#about

Funding to Promote Leadership Equality and Diversity with Schools (England)

The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a new funding round through the Leadership Equality and Diversity Fund.

The aim of the Fund is to develop local solutions that help teachers covered by at least one of the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010 (age, disability, race, sexual orientation, etc) progress into leadership roles. The fund is open to schools graded as outstanding or good for overall effectiveness by Ofsted in their most recent inspection that are willing to act as Lead Schools within their region. The Department for Education invites lead schools to apply for grant funding in 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020. Funding will be awarded to one lead school in each of the regional school commissioner (RSC) regions.

A total of £820,000 is available to fund projects in the academic year 2018 to 2019 and up to £1 million in 2019 to 2020. The DfE anticipate this will fund a minimum of 1,800 participants at an average unit cost across each region of approximately £1,000.

The closing date for applications is midday on the 9th February 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-and-diversity-funding-for-school-led-projects#funding