An excellent and properly equipped school playground is essential, as it provides a place for kids to engage in unstructured play. When children are active, there is reduced childhood obesity, improved heart health and an increased chance of excelling in the classroom. For instance, children’s ability to learn can be enhanced with physical exercise, as the improved blood flow stimulates brain activity by delivering a greater flow of essential nutrients.
Having seen the importance of a school playground, one major issue often encountered is that it does not come cheap. There is a lot of money needed for not only purchasing equipment but also catering to other related expenses such as installation. For that reason, schools commonly hold fundraising events for playground equipment when there is no existing capital. Below are a few fundraising tips to help realize a quality playground.
1. Grants
Grant are a type of financing that does not involve repayment and usually made available courtesy of foundations and nonprofit organizations. There are grants meant for financing projects for both for-profit child care centers and nonprofit organizations supporting child care. It’s important to understand that the criteria for eligibility may differ from one grant source to another.
Potential sources of grants may include Carol M. White Physical Education Program, which is a state program. Corporations offering grants include Walmart and Aetna Foundation.
2. Talent Shows
Kids enjoy getting involved in talent shows personally. Having a talent event is one sure way of getting the attention of parents, volunteers and other community members for the financing of your project.
To generate more interest, the talent show should ideally happen in the same location where the school’s playground will be built. As well, ensure that any event to be held is properly marketed especially through leaflets and social media platforms to generate enough buzz.
3. Local Businesses
Local and nationwide business owners alike can be a great source of help when it comes to raising money for playground equipment. Some businesses may also provide you with other financing ideas and even provide prizes for the games and events held as part of your fundraiser efforts.
In exchange for any type of help, a business may be given a space for promotion—particularly if the playground is exposed to a lot of foot traffic.
4. Communication Media
The only way to have a high chance of attracting donations for your school playground equipment fund is to spread awareness. Make sure that as many people know about the project as possible by using as many communication channels as you can. Promote the fundraiser on your school’s website as well as through emails, social media, and even print media such as ads in local newspapers.
5. Sporting Events
It’s also a good idea to hold a sporting event like racing or cycling to help raise money for a school playground fund. While a sporting event offers an opportunity to raise the needed money, it also encourages children and parents alike to be physically and mentally active. There should be a requirement for paying registration fees, and the sporting event should always be child-friendly.
In conclusion, it is challenging to raise enough funds to buy quality playground equipment if you only stick to a single fundraising method. Instead, try to combine an array of ideas and hold more than a single type of fundraiser to get the amount of money required. All the hard work will be worth it once the new playground is installed and ready to use!
