FUNDING YOUR PLAYDAY EVENT
Playday event organisers are brilliant at getting
something for nothing – this doesn’t have to be money; it could be
time, food, or even furniture! Don’t forget, Playday events don’t
have to cost the earth.
These top tips have been devised by Playday event
organisers for Playday event organisers.
Apply to
local trusts and grant giving bodies, or your regional arts
council might have available funds.
Fundraise on
the day by having a raffle or one or two stalls.
Get
in touch with your local volunteer centre and get volunteers to
help with your event.
Identify who can
provide freebies and ask for them!
Invite local fire services to your
event. They could provide water for a water slide in return for
allowing them to run. demonstrations. Ask other services such as
Primary Care Trusts, Pre-School Learning Alliance etc how they
might be able to help, in return for giving them access to their
target audiences.
Join your local
Freecycle group and keep a lookout for resources you could use for
your event or post a request for something specific (go to:
www.uk.freecycle.org).
Local businesses can
provide lots of raw materials for playing with at your event.
Supermarkets can provide products, beyond food (and cornflour for
custard walking!), ask builders yards for natural materials, ask
scrap stores for free resources and borrow resources from toy
libraries.
Raise sponsorship
from local businesses or ask for donations in kind, for example
equipment or staff.
See if a local
printer will provide free printing or at cost price in return for
having their logo on your promotional materials.
Write individual letters
to local businesses outlining what you want from them and what you
can give in return.
Your local authority’s
website may have a free online search facility to explore a range
of local funding in your area.
For more information on funding, check out Funding your event or the relevant section
of the Get
organised! guide.
Add your top tips to these pages to support other Playday events
across the UK. To add your ideas, post them on the Playday forum or contact
us directly.
More top tips