Home Ed Group Funding

[lilyfire]

I'm involved in a local home ed group and we have been talking about applying for funding, to help us move to a bigger venue (really to cover rent until we get established there). I know some HE groups have been successful in getting grants, but a preliminary web search left me fairly dispirited. I wondered if anyone here had any experience of this/advice.

I wouldn't want any funding, personally - funding usually comes with strict conditions about how it's used and the need for stringent monitoring etc.

How much do you charge families to come along? We charge £3 per family and that covers venue hire for 3 hours + resources. We also raise money through yellow moon - that nets us about £60 per year, although you need a group bank account for that as they will only make cheques payable to your group name.

Hi LilyFire
We managed to get some funding for our teens through FLOSS in Worcestershire
It is aimed at 13-19 yr olds though.
I don't know whether you have something similar in your area.

We went for this type of funding as the teens themselves applied and the bid was assessed by other young people.

We didn't have to have to jump through masses of hoops to get it, as you have to with other community funding.

Our teens got £1500
They used it to pay for a years drama lessons and the materials for the costumes and props that they designed and made.
They used a portion for researching activities and some for music and filming of the live performance that they put on at Malvern Street Theatre and Hereford World Environment day.
(There is a picture of them with the 'Time Machine' and in costume at the bottom of the Local HE web page

However I do know of others in Sheffield who have got more funding, though they have had to jump through more hoops and fill in loads of paperwork to get it. Don't know if it would be available to fund room hire or not.
If you would like me to put me in touch with my friend in Sheffield, email me on the info@ link on the local HE web page

Sorry the link should be to this Local Worcs HE web page

Should have previewed my post before pressing 'publish'!

Thanks for the replies.
Julienoshoes - Having trawled through the various funding org websites it did seem to be that it would be easier to get funding for teens and our children are under 10. Also looked easier to get funding for specific projects, rather than on-going rental of premises.
Flamingobingo - we could probably charge £5 per family, but the venue we want is probably going to be at least £50 for the session and I just don't know if we'd definitely get 10 families a week, and that doesn't leave anything over for materials for craft or such like. Do you ask people to commit to a month and pay up front, or just pay if they turn up that week? If the latter, I just don't know how we'd manage if we didn't get enough people. I guess in the longer term it should even out, but it's really the problem getting going if there's no financial cushion.
Yellow Moon is a good idea - will look at that.
Thanks again.

Yes it is tough to get going when the cost of the room is high.

Now the weather is getting better, can you arrange for an outdoor meet up in a park somewhere and then when you have a bit of a crowd talk about making a permanent date at a group room, on a monthly basis to begin with maybe? Ask how much they would be prepared to pay etc.

We found council run places have been cheaper sometimes-and of course empty in the day during term time.

That's steep for a venue! Have you tried the scouts association? We have a huge scout hut with large, enclosed outside space for £7 ph! It's just £21 per session - we charge £3 a family, and they pay on the day. We usually get more than 7 families so we have a buffer-zone for families who can't afford teh £3 and for the odd session we have fewer than 7 families. Maybe looking for a cheaper venue would be easier than struggling to find funding? Then if you did find funding, you could use it to fund the actual activities rather than the space the activities are held in.

IME from being involved in getting grants for a local toddler group you might struggle to get funding for something like paying the rent. If you aren't breaking even for that they very few grant bodies would see the group as viable. It's relatively easy (assuming filling out HUGE complicated forms and speaking enthusiastically using terms granting bodies like is easy for you ) to get funding for specific projects or equipment, newsletters etc....but I would personally be trying to negotiate a discounted rent rate or look for an alternative venue if you aren't guaranteed to break even every week with the core families who attend.

The building we're looking at is a scout hut actually. Maybe it's just being in London, but perhaps we need to keep looking. Most things seem to be at least £15 ph round here though. If we could get somewhere for £7ph we'd be fine. We're trying to sort out something for September, when the weather gets colder. Terramum, I think you're right, grants don't seem to be available for rent, but for specific projects.

Also try local community centres through the council, we pay £6 per hour & £20 for a dance teacher.

its possible to get grants for rent, we have a nearby group that does. they also use funding to pay for a lot of other workshops, they basically take over a ymca and run about 10 activities in the day. Really impressive. All free to families using the centre. Lots of work was put into funding though, I think, also tie-in publicity.

however, and this may be the crux, they are in what is considered by funders to be a deprived area. Wonderif it is easier to get funding if you target your services at kids who have left school due to difficulties rather than those who have made a choice earlier? Just a thought.

Whats always put me off about applying for funding for our local group is the faff involved. I can't imagine you'd get a grant without being a registered charity, with audited books (you have to pay to get books audited btw), and thats a few hours work for someone a week. Writing grant applications is quite time consuming too.

I've always thought it is well worth it to run something huge, not sure about whether it is worth it just for room hire though.

and sympathy at £15 ph! We pay £5 ph for a scout hut.

Hi does anyone know of any HE groups round the Nantwich area cheshire my daughter is 12 Thanks