Had a quick search about and couldn’t see any glaring answers, so wanted to start a place where different grants or funding for the ATC would be available.
Currently trying to update the IT in the Sqn, because the ADJ says the computer is too slow for their needs, i also want to get some better computers or laptops for the cadets to do their exams on.
With most things now going online, IT is i would say a major costing for Sqns, so if anyone has any tips or grants for IT? let me know or grants in general. we can all help each other.
Awards for All has also been a very good funding source for us in the past, with grants up to £10 000, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to get any money out of them!
I’ve posted about it before (and got shouted down by some of the more moany/sceptical members of the forum), but the co-op does something similar to Tescos. Worth a look at your local store.
called awards for all today and they said IT equipment is on their list of equipment they will donate for, seems they might have had a rethink since its now 2017 and everything is a computer…my kettle has wifi ffs
Depends what you actually want the IT for and, with it, what specification you need to do that job. Several of our local squadrons have got free IT kit from local schools and businesses who routinely churn their kit every 2 years - some donate, some do it at very low cost. They’ve had laptop, low profile desktops, netbooks or thin clients. Others have got hold of a handful of sub- £100 tablets.
Using these methods i know a few squadrons who’ve refreshed their IT hardwear for £1000, with £500 for software and licences. That’s a weekend bag pack.
Grant wise, it’ll depend where you are in the country. Some LAs still have “youth opportunity funds”. Some parish councils do donations. Masonic lodges, roundtable, plus police “recovery of funds” (the actual name escapes me!!) are all ripe for tapping up too.
One of our local schools recently tapped up a fibre optic installation provider for a donation… They’ve got loads of IT kit out of it.
There was one for a Flight Simulator (£7,100) so that is certainly computer-linked. We were successful a few yrs ago - grant towards our air rifles / range.
I am slightly shocked to see how much has been given to VGS for PTT/Gliding Simulators by the RAF Charitable Trust:
£250,000 in 2015-2016
£250,000 in 2014-2015
£125,000 in 2013-2014
Surely HQAC should not have to rely on charitable grants in order to “provide” something tenuous for some areas that have been driven by 2FTS? £625K is a huge chunk of dosh.
The fact that HQAC needs to get donations for core syllabus activities/equipment, speaks volumes about the organisation and its relationship with the RAF. It makes you wonder what on earth our flying overlords are actually for.
Also the fact HQAC are going for donations like this, means that cadet units requests could be turned down, which isn’t really fair. After all I’m certain the RAF CT like all similar organisations, only has a finite amount of money it can dole out.
This is where HQAC really needs someone who is a bit savvy and knows how to and can plunder corporate coffers for sponsorship deals (rather than old RAF officer living the dream), I’m pretty certain there are some companies who wouldn’t mind having their names plastered all over the kit. A time to roll out Carol or Duchess of Cambridge for some small talk and photo ops with corporate big wigs? You have to use your assets.
It was my understanding that the Civcom is charged with raising and managing funds. So if you need new kit the first port of call is a discussion with them. I have been privileged to have had involvement with two Squadrons who have both benefited from £10k Awards for All grants - shame most of the kit now sits around unused because there are no staff too supervise.
Some of this discussion has centred on Charities helping other Charities, but any help potential has to be within scope of the Charity. However, each Squadron is merrily giving money to Wing fund, who are there as a Charity to support Cadets; they also access grants and donations, so why not apply for a grant to your Wing Civcom.
Certainly the HQAC General Purpose Fund, might be seen by some donors as the national charity, but considering the list of nominated Trustees, suggests that the grants etc therefrom, might not be easy to come by.
The ATC Charities, in many cases, lack experienced Trustees, people with experience in the sector. By comparison the Sea Cadet Corps actively recruit Trustees from outside the organisation, which must make a difference to funding and even compliance.
Meanwhile the ATC seems to be intent on ensuring that key Charity positons are filled with retired VRT, who have little understanding of how Charities work, or how Charity monies are supposed to be spent.
As an option bag pack is OK, bit most other organisations have jumped on that band wagon.
Well you know what to do, don’t you. What would you do as a civ com member, try and shake the tree and lose the deadwood? Unless you had a cabal to assist you in your coup de grace, you might well find it to be a lonely existence. I’ve seen people come in and try to take over the CWC. I had a chairman who (on speaking to me beforehand) came to the AGM, did his bit and finished with the line “if you think you can do better, it’s all yours”, walked out the door and that was it. We have remained firm friends since but he was tired of the sniping. The woman who took over lasted 18 months before finding it too much and I wasn’t sorry to she her and her mates depart. It left the sqn with a CWC of 4, but they got on with it.
Just be aware that the Civ Com like ‘blue side’ relies on people volunteering their time and the fact people stay on as post holders is because no one else wants to do it. Normally as per situation above someone comes in who thinks they can do better and just creates mayhem.
