63. How can schools find digital solutions which precisely match their needs? Special Series with Matt Stringer Founder of The Education Showroom - Part 3

Yeah, that's a great question.

I think schools and multi-academy trusts are more informed than they have been in many, many years about what grants, what monies, what funding is available to them.

And a conversation with me will be, we have a pocket of money.

We can get access to a pocket of money.

We've been given a pocket of money.

We have applied for this particular grant.

a grant has been successful.

So I think my first point is there are a number of really, really good grants and money.

I refer to them internally as money access points.

So ways that schools and maths can get their hands on money grants funding.

There is a huge amount of grants that can be used to help schools in terms of energy.

So, for example, the education sharing works with several suppliers that a guarantee, literally, as in a contractual guarantee, that they will help that school or multi-academy trust reduce their energy saving bills.

They guarantee it in black and white.

They don't just say it.

And therefore, that is a form of money saving and having access to a grant to help them save money.

This might sound silly, but this is a really growing area is EV chargers.

Schools and mats can get access to electric vehicle charging without any upfront costs.

there are grants and monies available to innovate school and map car parks to install ev charges which are used by staff parents prospective parents the community and the school and mats can actually make a little bit of money as well because there is a revenue share agreement between the installer and the school and or multi academy trust.

So not only do they innovate and improve and provide their school and community with a great EV charging experience, but they actually can make a little bit of money as well, which again, that money can then be used in appropriate areas the education showroom so to answer your question directly i we work with over 15 companies i've mentioned some already solar energy cost savings but we also work with organizations that do modular eco buildings they help a school or mat access a grant apply for the grant achieve the grant um all the way through to send provision you name it there is a lot of grants and money access points available and as i said i think schools and maths are for the most cases or a lot of the cases aware of what they are and how to approach them however the education showroom would be more than delighted to help them point them in the right direction, connect them with suppliers that we trust and have worked with for goodness knows how many years, who will hold their hand and guide them through their entire process front to back and ensure that they have a fabulous application in place, which gives them the best possible chance of being successful with that grant.

So to answer your question, I think in short, Ian, grants are available.

And Skrull and Matts, I think, are doing a good job in identifying what they are, where they are, and how to get hold of them.

However, in addition to that, there are a lot more grants that I'm very, very confident I could help identify what they are, where they are, and signpost that mat or school leader to the appropriate company to help them activate that grant.