Just a general question to find out ways of raising funds for our Sqn, bag packs are a nightmare as you get the same handful of new recruits and less of the elder NCO’s. Now if it was a free weekend at an amusement park I’m sure we’d get the hands raised. We cant emphasise enough to the parents and cadets how vital funds are needed for our growing Sqn. It’s going to get to the point where we say there is an activity next weekend but we as staff can’t be arsed to take you…which kinda defeats the reason you give up spare time.
We do have an easy-fundraising page but getting 8p from a shop at Argos is gonna take a while to build up the funds with not many parents signing up.
Pimp the cadets at local events and get them seen, then although the money doesn’t quite roll in, we’ve had a steady income of c.£2½k over a few years as the grateful recipients of the help donate money. We initially ended up doing 6/7 events a year which although tiring at times, the cadets enjoyed them as they knew they would get something at the end of it. We’ve had BBQs and last month did bowling and pizza night, which will be repeated with maybe Chinese or Indian. You may get little or nothing to start with but as time goes on, this can change. These have dropped to a more manageable 4 who give us between £350 and £500 each.
I’ve been approached by Lions, Roundtable and Rotary members and community forum people suitably admiring of the cadets, and we got money from them and we still get money from Rotary’s annual distribution of funds.
Also mention to the CWC about doing something and help maximise the effort from the day, this gives somewhere for the cadets to congregate and it can be used for recruiting. I found that the organisers feed the cadets, which tends to assist with attendance, teenagers and free food is always a good mix.
We haven’t got a supermarket large enough to use as a potential bag pack, although we did pitch in with another squadron to help out a few years ago. But never again, it was boring (packing shopping and maybe taking it to a car) and while we made money, you need some stimulation. Put me off ever working in a supermarket.
Grants are always good, but check their T&Cs and expect more declined that accepted. I applied to 2 for IT kit years ago and got knocked back as they didn’t give money for IT equipment. Changed it to AT and sports and got the money from one of them and sought the IT money from other places. Some are iffy about national organisations as well, although the open door and education sides of the Corps are good for the ‘what you do’ justifcations.
I’ve been approached by Lions, Roundtable and Rotary members and community forum people suitably admiring of the cadets, and we got money from them and we still get money from Rotary’s annual distribution of funds.
This^^^^^
My boss just so happens to be in the local mason’s lodge and asked why they had been approached by our local Army Cadets and not Air cadets. I think with the lodge though, you need to approach them - they aren’t in the habit of advertising the fact they have money to give away.
Another idea - our Sqn recently “made” some woodland footpaths on a local country estate and as well as gaining much needed funds, it was an opportunity to give some leadership experience etc. Once again though, the estate approached us but if the profile of the ATC is high enough then who knows what may come your way?
We’d have simply events, societies holding rallies that scale of event marshalling traffic and “humping and dumping” – nothing strenuous or demanding but enough to be “really useful” to those groups who don’t have the members or members fit enough to do all that is required. A dozen cadets are worth a lot to these groups.
Ok so it would be £200 for a day’s work which is never going to pay for a SOV (although goes towards the running costs once you have one) but the Cadets get something out of it too. Critically it I chance to give the Cpls and SNCOs chance to lead. Everyone knows the format on a Parade night so there is little leadership required, it is the off Squadron stuff where they learn the leadership and teambuilding so these events are invaluable in that regard.
As mentioned once out there and a you build a name other requests will come in, some will not be as desirable and some may not even be as generous, but it gives you chance to pick and choose
am the new chairman of 2518 Flint Squadron and we are just about to start applying for grants to update the equipment in the Squadron, looking at your post you were successful in gaining £12500, can you point me in the directions of where I should be applying ? and also would you care to help us in looking at our applications and giving us feed back.
ACTO 77 which sets out the procedures for grant applications remains extant. However, until further notice, applications will not be forwarded to the Trust: they will be held at RAFAC HQ pending any change the situation.
Would be nice to know what the “situation” is & why.
We’ve had £10000 from the National Lottery “Awards for All”, £1000 from the local council “Ward Pot” scheme every year, and another £500 from the city trust for our local area.
This website covers our area, you may be able to find a similar website for your area: http://www.syfab.org.uk/
