Creative Strategies for Funding Your Next School Trip

Organising a school trip can be an exciting opportunity for students to learn outside the classroom, but the cost often presents a challenge. Finding ways to fund these trips requires creativity, planning, and community support. This post explores practical and effective strategies to raise money for your next school trip, helping make the experience accessible to all students.

Understanding what you need funding for

Clarity on your trip plans, when it will happen, the costs involved, the deadlines you need to meet, and the benefits it will offer to your school and it's students, is vital when seeking funding, in particular from grants and bursaries.

Working in partnership with a company like Theatre Workout can help you plan your trip details and have a clear understanding of how the trip will happen, and the deadlines you need to meet to secure the funds you need. Talk to us about planning your trip.

Understanding the Funding Landscape

Before diving into fundraising ideas, it’s important to understand the different sources of funding available. School trips can be supported through a mix of grants, bursaries, sponsorships, and community fundraising. Each source has its own application process and requirements, so knowing what’s out there helps you target your efforts efficiently.

Grants and Bursaries

Many organisations offer grants specifically for educational trips. These funds often come from charities, educational trusts, or government programmes. For example, some grants cover travel costs, accommodation, or entrance fees to educational sites. Bursaries are similar but usually target students who need financial assistance to participate.

Applying for grants requires a clear proposal explaining the trip’s educational value and how the funds will be used. It’s helpful to start early and gather all necessary documents, such as trip itineraries and cost breakdowns.

See our pick of school trip grants 

• Royal Borough of Greenwich makes School Trips Grants available for children in the area who are eligible for free school meals.

• Walton Charity Opportunities Fund supports Surrey-based children by funding enrichment activities.

• Southover Manor Trust offers educational grants and funding towards educational visits and overseas travel for pupils based in Brighton and Sussex.

• Theatre Works! is a charity dedicated to using donations to provide funding for disadvantaged children and young people access to the theatre. Their funding can cover theatre tickets, travel costs, tours, Q&As, and educational workshops, helping schools provide amazing theatre experiences for their students.

• Schools within the Sheffield City boundary can apply for a grant from Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation to support field trips. 

• Schools in North and West London can apply for the John Lyon’s Charity's Cultural Capital Fund which directly funds theatre trips and other cultural opportunities for state schools.

• Jack Petchey Foundation offers Educational Visits Grants to support schools with the cost of visits to museums, theatres and science shows in the UK.

• The Ogden Trust provides funding towards school trips to CERN. These are available to secondary schools that are members, or previous members, of their School Partnerships programme.

• The Hargreaves Foundation supports education projects that improve the well-being, self-esteem and independence of young people growing up in poverty.

• Schools visiting London can apply for a School Visit Fund grant of up to £300 from The City of London.

• The Great British School Trip offers bursaries to all UK schools, allocated on a first come, first served basis. Priority is given to those who have more than 40% of their pupils receiving free school meals.

• Arts Council Wales Go and See is a grant that can be used to fund visits to high-quality arts events in galleries, theatres, arts centres and other venues. Events could include visits to performances and exhibitions or visits to experience arts professionals developing and creating their work.

• BlueSpark Foundation offers grants up to £2,000 and £5,000. Its a registered charity which supports the education and development of children and young people by providing grants for educational, cultural, sporting and other projects.

• Happy Days Children’s Charity had year-round applications for day trips to a wide variety of destinations, for example the seaside, a theme park or the theatre, as well as to a wide variety of destinations such as outdoor activity centres, holiday camps and sailing breaks. You may also apply for a theatre performance or experience to visit your premises.

• National Lottery Awards For All - Social connections and community activities are at the heart of creating healthier, happier lives and a flourishing society. That’s why the National Lottery support amazing community-led projects. Schools can apply for funding between £300 and £10,000 as long as the project benefits and involves the communities around the school.

• Royal Collection Trust Travel Subsidy Scheme: One of Royal Collection Trust's Charitable Aims is to broaden and increase access for the nation. State schools can apply for help towards the cost of travelling to the Official Residences of The King and The Queen’s Galleries, in order to ensure visits are possible for schools working for, and with, economically disadvantaged pupils. 

• Houses of Parliament Travel Subsidy Scheme helps education groups visiting UK Parliament from outside London and the South East with their travel costs.

• FundEd can help you generate additional income streams, create an effective fundraising strategy and deliver successful campaigns, while also providing access to grant funding and additional support services.

• For a handy grant finder tool try the Grants4Schools website. 

Sponsorships from Local Businesses

Local businesses often want to support community initiatives, especially those involving education. Sponsorship can come in the form of direct financial support, or donations of goods and services. For example, a local restaurant might provide catering for a fundraising event, or a travel agency might offer discounted rates.

Approach businesses with a professional letter, or presentation, that outlines the benefits of sponsoring your trip, such as positive publicity or community goodwill.

Fundraising Ideas That Work

Raising money through fundraising events and activities can be both fun and effective. Here are some ideas that have proven successful for schools.

Organise a Sponsored Challenge

Sponsored challenges motivate students to raise money by completing a physical or creative task. Examples include:

• Sponsored walk or run

• Read-a-thon where students get pledges for books read

• Art or music performances with ticket sales

  
  

These events engage students and families while raising funds through sponsorship pledges.

Host Community Events

Community events bring people together and create opportunities to raise money. This can be through your PTA, and by engaging other local community groups. Consider:

• Bake sales with homemade treats or bought multi-packs from the local supermarket

• Ice-cream sales in summer months

• Car washes organised by students

• Quiz nights or talent shows with entry fees

• Craft fairs featuring student-made items

  
  

Promote these events through school newsletters and local community boards to attract a wider audience.

Schools can also consider venue hire in the evenings, weekends, and during school holidays, such as to holiday camp providers, local businesses for meetings, church groups, etc.

EASYfundraising

To help your school fund future trips for free, we have partnered with online fundraisers easyfundraising.

Easyfundraising is an online platform that turns online shopping into free funding your school can use to enable more learning outside of the classroom. They do this by partnering with over 6,000 retailers who want to give a little back, including John Lewis, eBay, Sainsbury’s, Currys, Just Eat, Argos, Etsy, and thousands more. Free and easy to use, easyfundraising democratises giving, enabling parents, regardless of their socio-economic background to help fund your school’s future trips through their everyday spending.

Involving Students and Parents

Engaging students and parents in fundraising efforts builds enthusiasm and shared responsibility. Here are ways to involve them effectively:

• Create a fundraising committee with student representatives

• Encourage students to come up with their own ideas and lead activities

• Communicate regularly with parents about fundraising goals and progress

• Offer incentives or recognition for top fundraisers

  
  

This involvement not only raises money but also teaches valuable skills like teamwork, planning, and communication.

Managing Funds Transparently

Clear management of funds is essential to maintain trust and ensure the money is used appropriately. Assign a responsible person or team to handle all transactions and keep detailed records. Regularly update the school community on how much has been raised and how it will be spent.

Transparency also helps when applying for grants or sponsorships, as funders want to see accountability.