We have a very good relationship with our local site NPF. They let us use the sup'air field, staff and equipment for no extra cost on top of the morning's game fee, and allowed us to buy the paint at byo prices, like we do when we train up there. We do have a set of club ions that we have bought (partly from money we have raised ourselves and partly from s.u. grant), which we used as well, to show the club members what the teams kit is like.
How easy is it to get funding? Depends on your uni. At brum there are two types of student groups, S.U. societies, and Athletic union clubs. The S.U. socs cover all kind of activities including sports groups, and can apply for an annual grant. Small socs might get a few hundred if they are lucky and justify it well. Larger societies can get up to 1, 2 or at most 3 grand. But it normally takes a track record of at least a year to get decent funding, as well as a good number of members. The Athletic union sports clubs, are for groups who represent the university normally in a BUSA (british university sports association) recognised event. They get minimum 3 to 5 grand and up to £40,000! At the moment paintball is a S.U. society, and gets about £1k to £1.5k a year in funding.
Most uni's have some form of distinction between the representative sports groups, and the hobby/activity (inc sport) groups. Even if it is not so formally structured. Look in to which group you would be eligable to fall into. I stongly suspect it would be the S.U. type one. Recruit lots of members; take them recballing; build a reputation with your S.U. as an established, well run and reliable society, that provides a good service for its members; apply for a grant to get some ions, bottles and revi's; introduce them to tourney with a club sup'air day/afternoon; take a few of the more interested ones along to a KotH event or similar. Bam! You got a fledgling tourney team.
Enjoy!
How easy is it to get funding? Depends on your uni. At brum there are two types of student groups, S.U. societies, and Athletic union clubs. The S.U. socs cover all kind of activities including sports groups, and can apply for an annual grant. Small socs might get a few hundred if they are lucky and justify it well. Larger societies can get up to 1, 2 or at most 3 grand. But it normally takes a track record of at least a year to get decent funding, as well as a good number of members. The Athletic union sports clubs, are for groups who represent the university normally in a BUSA (british university sports association) recognised event. They get minimum 3 to 5 grand and up to £40,000! At the moment paintball is a S.U. society, and gets about £1k to £1.5k a year in funding.
Most uni's have some form of distinction between the representative sports groups, and the hobby/activity (inc sport) groups. Even if it is not so formally structured. Look in to which group you would be eligable to fall into. I stongly suspect it would be the S.U. type one. Recruit lots of members; take them recballing; build a reputation with your S.U. as an established, well run and reliable society, that provides a good service for its members; apply for a grant to get some ions, bottles and revi's; introduce them to tourney with a club sup'air day/afternoon; take a few of the more interested ones along to a KotH event or similar. Bam! You got a fledgling tourney team.
Enjoy!
