Do I need to have funding to start a Dojo?

 You do not need to have funding to start or set up a Dojo. Many Dojos start without the help of a financial funder, as all you need to start a Dojo is a suitable venue, the relevant equipment, a capable champion and ideally a number of willing mentors. A Dojo may partner with a corporate funder later on in the lifecycle of the Dojo, but it is never a requirement.

Typically the funder of a Dojo would be a business or corporate body. A key ethos of CoderDojo is that it is free and accessible for all to attend, therefore it is important that the organisers of the Dojo do not put any pressure on an organisation to become a funder and that no profits are made from the partnership.

Generally, the role of the funder would be to provide ‘in-kind’ donations, such as the provision of space, the donation of equipment, payment of insurance costs, provision of snacks or the payment of background checks for volunteers. Some Dojos obtain fiscal funding from local companies or organisations in the form of donations, however, this has a higher administrative overhead.