Lego Foundation: International Day of Play Community Fund UK
Overview
Play is critical for children’s well-being and skills development and we can all play a role in building more playful communities. Supported by the LEGO Foundation, this £80,000 fund is dedicated to helping you create more playful experiences for children in your community, school or neighbourhood across the UK.
How it works
- Visit the website and register to get your project page
- Apply to start one of the ideas listed or submit your own International Day of Play event for funding
- If approved, use your project page to complete the 30 Day Challenge to receive the initial 80% of your grant funding
- Host your event or start your project for International Day of Play
- Report back on impact by August 15th and receive the remaining 20% of your grant funding
If you apply for one of the ideas listed, the steps to complete the 30 Day Challenge and receive funding include:
- Scheduling a 15 min call with one of the ChangeX team
- Recruiting 4 people to join your team
- Hosting a casual kick-off meeting
- Sharing a team photo & a short action plan
Who can apply
- You want to create a safe time and space for children to play
- You are interested in hosting an event or project for International Day of Play around June 11, 2024
- Your event or project will take place in the United Kingdom
- You are able to provide a clean criminal record if applying as an individual or official registration documentation if applying as an organization
This funding is open to existing groups and individuals in the United Kingdom (once they form a team) to start events or projects in their community to celebrate the power of play!
Examples of eligible groups include schools, universities, colleges, daycares, churches or other faith-based organizations, hospitals and hospital rehabilitation centres, mental health facilities, community gardens, neighbourhood groups, senior centres, and community centres.
What you get
- Seed funding to host your event or start your project
- Free resources and support along with a project page on ChangeX
- Additional impact funding, once you report back on the social impact of your project before August 15, 2024
n addition to being awarded funding, every approved applicant will receive a range of supports including:
- A 5 step guide for your chosen project
- Free tech tools & website to help get your project started and manage your group
- Advice & support via email and Zoom
Detailed Notes
What is the aim of the UK Community Play Fund?
he aim of the International Day of Play Community Fund, sponsored by the LEGO Foundation, is to celebrate the power of play by supporting existing groups and individuals (once they form a team) based in Ukraine, South Africa, Mexico, Denmark, United States, and United Kingdom, to host an event around International Day of Play to provide children with more time and opportunities to play.
Applicants can choose to replicate a play project from a portfolio of ideas on the ChangeX site, or alternatively submit a grant request with their own event or project that creates safe and accessible places to play in their community.
Once the applicant has demonstrated their commitment and ability to start the chosen community event or project by successfully completing a 30 Day Challenge on the ChangeX website, ChangeX will provide funding, information guides and support to give the applicant the best chance of success. In addition, once the applicant has reported back on the impact the event or project had in their community, they will receive a further instalment of funding to support ongoing play activities.
All projects should be managed in an inclusive and welcoming manner and any events organised should comply with any relevant public health guidance.
Criteria
The following criteria must be met by all applicants:
- The purpose of the event or project must be to celebrate International Day of Play by giving children the time, space and opportunity to play. (Note: the portfolio ideas on the ChangeX site all have been chosen to celebrate International Day of Play)
- Events/projects must take place within one of the eligible countries: Ukraine, South Africa, Mexico, Denmark, United Kingdom, and United States
- Events must take place within one month of International Day of Play on June 11, 2024
- Grant recipients must be able and willing to report back on the impact of their event/project by August 15, 2024
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old or have the permission of a guardian to apply for funding.
- Applicants must not be political figures or political organisations. Religious figures and/or religious organisations are eligible to apply as long as projects are inclusive of all community members regardless of religious beliefs or lack thereof.
- Applicants must provide a certificate of clean criminal record or equivalent or in the case of organizations, registration of the legal entity.
- Applicants must not have any other open project with ChangeX. All previous projects have been finished by completing impact reporting.
Opening date
The fund opens for applications on May 13, 2024. Registrations for all projects will close on June 11, 2024.
Open grant applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. All open grant applicants will be notified as soon as possible after submissions of your application and at the latest by June 18, 2024 whether they have been allocated funding and can progress with the 30 Day Challenge or whether they have been unsuccessful.
What can the funding be used for?
Funds can be used to cover direct costs relating to the the set-up or organising of an event or project to celebrate International Day of Play. For example, funds can be used for space rental, insurance fees, toys; pretty much any materials you might need for an event or project to celebrate International Day of Play.
ChangeX shall not be held liable to reimburse any costs that are incurred by applicants, prior to the release of funds by ChangeX. In exceptional circumstances, applicants may seek written approval from ChangeX to incur costs ahead of the release of funds. Written approval will be granted at the sole discretion of ChangeX. Payments will only be made if ChangeX finds that all relevant requirements are met.
Any potential tax consequences, reporting requirements, and consents from third parties are solely the responsibility and liability of the recipient of the funding.
Reporting Requirements and Funding
In return for any funding you may receive, you are required to share the outcomes of the event or project with ChangeX and LEGO Foundation
The funding allocated is divided into two stages. The first payment (80% of total funding amount) can be accessed upon successful completion of a 30 Day Challenge on the ChangeX website. For individuals or organizations who choose to replicate one of the available projects on ChangeX, during the 30 Day Challenge, several steps that demonstrate the commitment and ability of you or your community group to start project are taken. These include scheduling a support call with a ChangeX team member; setting up a team meeting; sharing a photo of your team meeting and providing a narrative on what you will spend the funding on, your next steps as a group, and how you hope the project will ultimately benefit your community. For individuals or organizations who are selected to receive funding to expand an existing project, the 30 Day Challenge only requires that you confirm that you have read a document about the impact reporting requirements after being notified of their successful grant application and before receiving the first payment.
The second payment (20% of total funding amount) will be issued to you after you have completed an impact survey demonstrating the outcomes of your project. The impact survey must be submitted before August 15, 2024. You will be asked to answer questions such as the number of beneficiaries impacted by your project, as well as specific questions related to the idea you have started. At this stage, you will also be asked to share photos that should show your group in action and include as many of your organizing group and beneficiaries as possible.
It is very important that you keep all receipts and records of how any funding you might receive is spent as ChangeX will collect and review these receipts before releasing the second installment of funding. If receipts cannot be shown, if the funds are found to have been spent on costs other than those relating to the set-up or maintenance of the community project, or if the project has not met the requirements of the initial project plan, no further funds will be allocated to this project and ChangeX reserves the right to retrieve the funds that have already been distributed. The applicant will be indefinitely ineligible to apply for any subsequent grants through ChangeX.
Multiple applications
Each applicant is only eligible to submit one replication application or one open grant application to receive funding.
Application Process
Once you have ensured that you meet all the criteria above, you can choose one of two routes; either select your preferred idea from the portfolio of proven ideas and register to start it; or alternatively, if you have your own idea to celebrate Interational Day of Play, select the option to submit your own project. The amount of funding available for your project depends on which idea you chose to start. Funding amounts generally range from £400 to £1,600 for the proven portfolio ideas (the amount of funding available per idea can be found on the webpage of each idea; funding amounts align with the cost of starting each project). For your own, existing community project, there are three available price points, of £400, £800 and £1,600, depending on need. Once you have completed the application form, if your project is selected to receive funding, you will be allocated funding and assigned your own page on the ChangeX platform, where you can complete a number of simple steps to access the allocated funding. You will be able to access the funding in 2 payments; the first payment (80% of your total funding) is unlocked upon completion of the 30 Day Challenge, and the second (20% of your total funding) once your project outcomes have been demonstrated. If you do not complete the 30 Day Challenge within the allocated time period (30 days from registration), your funding will be reallocated to another group and will not be accessible to you any longer.
In order to receive the funding, you must have a bank account. Once you’ve successfully unlocked your funding, you will be asked to enter your bank details on the ChangeX website to facilitate the bank transfer.
Once you have completed your Challenge and entered your bank information ChangeX will review your application to make sure all elements of the Challenge have been completed successfully. Payment will then be made, and the transfer will take an average of 4 working days to reach the applicant’s bank account.
When the final impact survey has been completed (before August 15, 2024) it will also be reviewed, to ensure the event or project has occurred as planned. Payment will then be made, and the transfer will take an average of 4 working days to reach the applicant’s bank account.
ChangeX, at its sole discretion, decides which applicants will be accepted, what the funds can be used for, documentation requirements, and whether the relevant criteria for payment have been met, prior to the approval of a project. ChangeX may request further information and documentation as it reasonably deems necessary, and can set further reasonable requirements or criteria during the application process or throughout the project.
There are 13 ideas which can be funded. Visit the website, select your idea, and read the guidance notes for further advice and funding level.
Kaboom - £2,000 per new project
KABOOM! created the Play Everywhere concept to inspire kids to play every day and to incorporate it into their normal routines. These innovations and installations bring play to unexpected, but everyday spaces, making play easy and available for kids and families.
Play Action Box - £2,000 per new project
The Play Action Box is a toolkit of different elements that invites people and children of all ages to play and occupy urban public spaces.
OpenSeat Playful Feasts - £1,000 per new project
OpenSeat Playful Feasts help facilitate connections between children and their parents (or caregivers) through playful & conversation-focused meals
Playful Street - £1,000 per new project
A low cost and easy way to create play spaces so children and neigbours can fully enjoy the streets they live on