UK Funding for Astronomical Societies

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a large
amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may be willing
to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

North Essex Astronomical Society, of which I am a committee member of,
has just applied for a lottery grant from the Awards for All programme.
It is aimed at "small projects for the community". You can apply for
grants between £500 to £5000.

From the research we carried out, there have been several astronomy
societies who have been successful.

http://www.awardsforall.org.uk/ is the address

David Warrington
www.neas.org.uk

Andy I would be very interested to see if you could get lottery money for
this project. I haven't bought a ticket in years because I very strongly
object to where large sums of money go to. e.g. here they gave £7 million to
Hampshire Cricket Club which I consider to be a business.

Our society is also going to apply for some equipment as I have heard of
other societies being successful.

Best of luck and if you succeed then I'll start buying tickets again.

Lilian

Andy I would be very interested to see if you could get lottery money for
this project. I haven't bought a ticket in years because I very strongly
object to where large sums of money go to. e.g. here they gave £7 million to
Hampshire Cricket Club which I consider to be a business.

Our society is also going to apply for some equipment as I have heard of
other societies being successful.

Best of luck and if you succeed then I'll start buying tickets again.

Lilian

Thanks for your replies, so far.
In reply to some points raised -

We have had a couple of recent successes with Awards for All for equipment
and these are a very good source of funding for projects of £5000 and many
other astronomical societies have also had successful applications through
them.

The National Lottery itself, is split into a number of funding bodies.
For some reason, our project does not qualify for funding under the
Lottery's Community Fund, since the project doesn't appear (to them) to
help disadvantaged people!
I have a sneaking feeling though, that, since the observatory has been a
landmark within the region for many years, we might have success through the
Heritage Lottery Fund?

Are there any other astro society fundraisers out there that can help?

Thanks


"andyw" wrote in message
...
Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, Sherwood Observatory is a
self-built observatory,designed and built in the 1970's & early 1980's.
Owing to the ever increasing public interest in astronomy and numbers
visiting our observatory, we are planning a much needed extension - to
incorporate disabled toilet, workshop and wheelchair ramp access to the
observatory, so as to provide more facilities, comfort and ease of access
for everyone..
Quotes for the work to be done are in the region of £20,000 to £30,000.
We have had successes in funding in the past, but nothing on the scale of
what we are now planning.

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a
large
amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may be
willing
to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

Thanks

Andy
Committee member
MSAS http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk/
(tel: 01623 552276)

Thanks for your replies, so far.
In reply to some points raised -

We have had a couple of recent successes with Awards for All for equipment
and these are a very good source of funding for projects of £5000 and many
other astronomical societies have also had successful applications through
them.

The National Lottery itself, is split into a number of funding bodies.
For some reason, our project does not qualify for funding under the
Lottery's Community Fund, since the project doesn't appear (to them) to
help disadvantaged people!
I have a sneaking feeling though, that, since the observatory has been a
landmark within the region for many years, we might have success through the
Heritage Lottery Fund?

Are there any other astro society fundraisers out there that can help?

Thanks


"andyw" wrote in message
...
Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, Sherwood Observatory is a
self-built observatory,designed and built in the 1970's & early 1980's.
Owing to the ever increasing public interest in astronomy and numbers
visiting our observatory, we are planning a much needed extension - to
incorporate disabled toilet, workshop and wheelchair ramp access to the
observatory, so as to provide more facilities, comfort and ease of access
for everyone..
Quotes for the work to be done are in the region of £20,000 to £30,000.
We have had successes in funding in the past, but nothing on the scale of
what we are now planning.

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a
large
amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may be
willing
to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

Thanks

Andy
Committee member
MSAS http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk/
(tel: 01623 552276)

Hello Andy

Applying for a LG is potentially worthwhile. I was part of a committee
that applied for and received in full, a grant application for Plymouth
Astronomical Society. Where PPARC had treated us very poorly, the
Lottery Commission were brilliant.

Good luck.

Lawrence Harris




On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 19:14:50 +0100, "andyw"
wrote:

Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, Sherwood Observatory is a
self-built observatory,designed and built in the 1970's & early 1980's.
Owing to the ever increasing public interest in astronomy and numbers
visiting our observatory, we are planning a much needed extension - to
incorporate disabled toilet, workshop and wheelchair ramp access to the
observatory, so as to provide more facilities, comfort and ease of access
for everyone..
Quotes for the work to be done are in the region of £20,000 to £30,000.
We have had successes in funding in the past, but nothing on the scale of
what we are now planning.

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a large
amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may be willing
to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

Thanks

Andy
Committee member
MSAS http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk/
(tel: 01623 552276)

Hello Andy

Applying for a LG is potentially worthwhile. I was part of a committee
that applied for and received in full, a grant application for Plymouth
Astronomical Society. Where PPARC had treated us very poorly, the
Lottery Commission were brilliant.

Good luck.

Lawrence Harris




On Mon, 11 Aug 2003 19:14:50 +0100, "andyw"
wrote:

Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, Sherwood Observatory is a
self-built observatory,designed and built in the 1970's & early 1980's.
Owing to the ever increasing public interest in astronomy and numbers
visiting our observatory, we are planning a much needed extension - to
incorporate disabled toilet, workshop and wheelchair ramp access to the
observatory, so as to provide more facilities, comfort and ease of access
for everyone..
Quotes for the work to be done are in the region of £20,000 to £30,000.
We have had successes in funding in the past, but nothing on the scale of
what we are now planning.

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a large
amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may be willing
to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

Thanks

Andy
Committee member
MSAS http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk/
(tel: 01623 552276)

Thanks Dave,

I've had a check on this on the FAS site - http://www.fedastro.org.uk/
and I've located the newsletter in .pdf format -
http://www.fedastro.freeserve.co.uk/...ter/pdf/69.pdf

Very informative
Thanks for pointing this out.

Andy


"Dave Pearson" wrote in message
.. .
* andyw :

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a
large amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may
be
willing to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

I seem to recall that a FAS Newsletter from earlier this year (or very
late
last year) had an article about how the West Yorkshire society managed to
raise an impressive amount of money using various avenues. Perhaps it's
worth contacting the FAS and/or WYAS and asking about that article?

Sorry that I can't give the exact details as I don't think I've got the
newsletter kicking about any more.

--
Dave Pearson
http://www.davep.org/

Thanks Dave,

I've had a check on this on the FAS site - http://www.fedastro.org.uk/
and I've located the newsletter in .pdf format -
http://www.fedastro.freeserve.co.uk/...ter/pdf/69.pdf

Very informative
Thanks for pointing this out.

Andy


"Dave Pearson" wrote in message
.. .
* andyw :

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a
large amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may
be
willing to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

I seem to recall that a FAS Newsletter from earlier this year (or very
late
last year) had an article about how the West Yorkshire society managed to
raise an impressive amount of money using various avenues. Perhaps it's
worth contacting the FAS and/or WYAS and asking about that article?

Sorry that I can't give the exact details as I don't think I've got the
newsletter kicking about any more.

--
Dave Pearson
http://www.davep.org/

Thanks Robert,

I found reference to West Yorks AS from an earlier reply and I've found a
FAS newsletter which outlines where and from whom they have received their
funding. - http://www.fedastro.freeserve.co.uk/...ter/pdf/69.pdf
I found the WREN funding site at http://www.wren.org.uk
and this looks well worth a shot - when we can manage to raise the initial
£6000+.
I feel another Awards for All application looming to part fund this?

I'd heard that a northern astro society had managed to fund a 16" LX200,
can't remember who now.....was it Hull, or Humberside?
How are finding the 16" Meade?
Have you a website with details on this - I'd be very interested.

Thanks

Andy

The Local network Fund
"Robert Williams" wrote in message
...
Hi there Andy,

a Society not too far away from me (West Yorkshire AS) got a substantial
(est. £20,000+)
grant by applying to the 'Landfill Tax' Fund.
AFAIK this is a pot of money, totalling £millions, and if you can raise
upto
20%
they will provide the other 80%.
My Society has recently had a substantial bequest, above which we have
raised over £10,000
from local Organisations.
This has allowed us to purchase and install a Meade LX200 16" in our
Observatory.
One other source is the 'Local Network Fund' (sometimes called the Local
Network Fund for
Children and Young People). This is a Governement backed charitable trust,
which
will give grants of £5,000 +.
Their only stipulation (as you might expect) is that as many as possible
of
Society members,
MUST undertake a 'Police Check'. This can sometimes be paid for by the LFN
and simply involves
providing the LFN with details of Society members and a number (approx. 8)
pieces of information, for each
proposed member. This information, is solely to prove who you are and
where
you live (i.e Passport, Drivers Licence,
Credit card statements, Utility Bills, Birth Certificates etc.). The more
you provide the quicker is the decision
made abvout the payments from LFN.

regards

Robert

"andyw" wrote in message
...
Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society, Sherwood Observatory is a
self-built observatory,designed and built in the 1970's & early 1980's.
Owing to the ever increasing public interest in astronomy and numbers
visiting our observatory, we are planning a much needed extension - to
incorporate disabled toilet, workshop and wheelchair ramp access to the
observatory, so as to provide more facilities, comfort and ease of
access
for everyone..
Quotes for the work to be done are in the region of £20,000 to £30,000.
We have had successes in funding in the past, but nothing on the scale
of
what we are now planning.

Has anyone any advice or help on how we may tackle funding for such a
large
amount - or can point us in the direction of some funders who may be
willing
to consider our application for either whole or part funding?

Thanks

Andy
Committee member
MSAS http://sherwood-observatory.org.uk/
(tel: 01623 552276)