Bognor Heritage Boards - Funding

Funding Strategy: Bognor Regis Heritage Boards Project

inc Sponsorship, Crowd Funding, Grant Pathways

Unveiling Our Past, Building Our Future.

Help us raise £15,000 to bring the pilot boards to life!

Project Vision: Up to 40 High-Quality Heritage Boards for Bognor Regis

This strategy outlines a plan to ultimately produce and install a comprehensive series of up to 40 high-quality, large-format heritage boards across Bognor Regis. These boards, approximately 1.2m x 2.3m each, will transform the town into an interactive outdoor museum, celebrating its rich history, significant landmarks, and notable figures. The project aims to significantly enhance local pride, provide deep educational value, and create a major new cultural attraction for residents and visitors.

Initial Startup Budget: £15,000 for 40 Low-Cost Pilot Boards

We recognise the ambitious scale of the 40-board vision. This strategy focuses on securing an initial startup budget of £15,000 to launch the project by producing and installing a full series of up to 40 low-cost pilot heritage boards. This initial investment, funded through sponsorship, crowdfunding, and grant pathways, is crucial for rapidly achieving widespread visual impact, testing locations, gathering community feedback, and building overwhelming public support for the subsequent phase of higher-quality, permanent installations.

Allocation of the Initial £15,000 Startup Budget for 40 Low-Cost Pilots

The £15,000 will be strategically deployed to produce a high volume of boards quickly and cost-effectively, with an average cost of approximately £375 per board:

  • Low-Cost Board Production (Approx. £11,500 - £13,000):

    • This budget will cover the materials and basic printing for up to 40 boards. "Low-cost" implies using more economical, yet still weather-resistant, materials such as durable outdoor-grade foamboard, rigid PVC, or laminated aluminium composite panels.

    • Simple, direct printing of designs onto these materials.

    • Basic, secure mounting solutions (e.g., direct wall mounting where possible, or simple wooden/metal posts).

    • Note: This budget does not allow for elaborate interpretive design, high-end materials like vitreous enamel, or complex bespoke structures.

  • Content Development & Basic Design (Approx. £1,500 - £2,000):

    • Streamlined historical research, primarily leveraging existing local archives and volunteer contributions.

    • Basic graphic design to ensure readability and a consistent, clear layout for all 40 boards. This will focus on conveying key information effectively rather than intricate artistic design.

    • Basic image sourcing (e.g., public domain images, local archives with permission).

  • Volunteer Coordination & Logistics (Approx. £1,000 - £1,500):

    • Costs associated with coordinating a large volunteer effort for research, content review, and crucially, volunteer-led installation of the boards across the town.

    • Permit applications for locations, basic tools, and administrative support.

Key Selling Points for Funders

  • Immediate, Widespread Impact: The £15,000 delivers 40 visible boards across the town almost immediately, creating a powerful demonstration of the project's potential.

  • Community-Driven & High Engagement: The low-cost, high-volume approach fosters immense community involvement in content, fundraising, and installation.

  • Proof of Concept at Scale: Demonstrates the public appetite and logistical feasibility of a town-wide heritage interpretation scheme.

  • Data-Driven Future Planning: The pilot phase allows for testing locations, content, and public interaction, informing the design and placement of the final high-quality boards.

  • Leveraging Investment: The initial £15,000 is a strategic investment to unlock significantly larger funding by showcasing tangible results and overwhelming public support.

  • Tourism & Economic Potential: Even low-cost boards will enhance the visitor experience and contribute to Bognor Regis's appeal.

This strategy ensures that the initial £15,000 is not just spent, but strategically invested to create a highly visible and engaging pilot project that will generate the momentum and evidence needed to secure the much larger funding required for the full vision of 40 high-quality heritage boards for Bognor Regis.