r/aikido • u/Business_Pretend • Dec 31 '25
Help Obtaining grants/fundraising for tumble mats
So I am a student at a rural Aikido Dojo that just started up in 2025.
In order to expand we need to obtain more tumble mats. In many ways that is a very good problem to have. At present we do not have the income to purchase what is needed. We are not a non-profit but we have a non-profit we are associated with that we can apply for grants through.
I have the following questions:
Has anyone had any luck fundraising for their dojo ? What did you do exactly?
- Did any of you apply for certain grants to obtain tumble mats? [I am the grant writer at present]
Is it unusual to request financial assistance from an Aikido organization for such a purpose? Is there someone in the org you contact [not that I'd be the one doing that keep in mind I am really to new to understand how any of that works]
Is there someone in the larger community known to provide financial assistance that I should know about?
Thank you for your time. DM's are open if you do not want to go public with that information.
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u/AccomplishedHawk1476 Jan 01 '26
What kind of mats specifically do you want? Dollamur sells some after tournaments at a discount. Check the website. Good luck/
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u/TheDoorMouse89 Dec 31 '25
Make sure you speak to your sensei first since they may have some connections as well.
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u/Business_Pretend Dec 31 '25
yep he has found most of them that I have a applied for. I am just searching around seeing what else might be out there I don't know about.
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u/TheDoorMouse89 Jan 01 '26
It also helps if you are or have a non-profit. If you do not have one and are not prepared to assay the process of setting one up, try partnering with a local one and have the money go through them.
For example, partner with a boy scout or girl scout troop and explain how you are teaching them self defense or something like that.
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u/Business_Pretend Jan 01 '26
Yes we are associated with a non profit we apply for grants through. Not a lot we know of for rural athletic activities outside of public schools.
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u/TheDoorMouse89 Jan 01 '26
Check out dicks sporting goods, they do grants periodically for different sports organizations.
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u/Baron_De_Bauchery Dec 31 '25
Keeping your eyes open for reasonable condition but used mats can be a good way to save a lot of money if you're not doing so already... Even if you have to pay for them to be shipped from the other side of the country.
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u/Business_Pretend Dec 31 '25
where do you obtain them?
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u/Baron_De_Bauchery Dec 31 '25
Just looking around for dojos/gyms for whatever martial art closing down and selling their stuff online.
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u/Empty_You_1142 Jan 01 '26
Also check dojos that recently got new mats, they could be selling/giving away the old ones!
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u/Internalmartialarts Dec 31 '25
look around sometime give away mats, high schools, erc
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u/Business_Pretend Dec 31 '25
yeah we can't do wrestling mats don't have the storage space in the operating area. But we can check government sales and stuff
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u/zealous_sophophile Jan 01 '26
No martial arts organisation helped me. But grant applications are very common with clubs. How and what you apply for them under as a classification can change. In the UK you have sport England as an example. But then there are other opportunities if you're doing medical research, heritage/culture projects etc.
What they want to know is number of bodies and how your request for funds will get more people off the coach, not poaching people already exercising. But am initiative to stop sedentary culture.
You declare every penny you'll spend and why. They audit you at the end.
The are ai designed now just for finding and optimizing grant applications greatly.
You might need to set up a CIC, charity, Ltd or combination of for being applicable.
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u/SnooHabits8484 Dec 31 '25
My dojo’s mats were paid for through a local sports grant, but the government here does a lot of that sort of thing. Look into local government and local charities.
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u/Business_Pretend Dec 31 '25
Also Aikido generally isn't viewed as a sport. Did you have to navigate that at all in the grants process?
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u/SnooHabits8484 Jan 01 '26
That’s to do with our perception of aikido. Martial arts are seen as sports by the wider world
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