ESF Community Grants Programme 2008/2010

The European Social Fund (ESF) has made this programme available to Voluntary Community and Faith Sector organisations to support disadvantaged or excluded unemployed and inactive people to progress towards employment particularly from the following groups:

• People with disabilities and health conditions (including mental ill health)
• Lone Parents
• People aged 50 and over
• People from ethnic minorities
• Females

The Community Grants Programme will focus on the progression of learners rather than achievements of jobs and qualifications and offers a good opportunity to access resources to develop creative and imaginative work. The grant can support a range of activities including:

• Initial help with basic skills
• Taster work experience including voluntary work
• Training advice and counselling
• Job search assistance including the provision of equipment and other assistance necessary to secure employment
• Confidence building activities
• First contact engagement activities

This ESF funding has become available via the Learning and Skills Council with Learning Together Cheshire and Warrington chosen to deliver the Community Grants Programme within the Cheshire, Warrington and Halton areas.

The amount available for allocation between 2008 - 2010 is up to £215,000 across Cheshire and Warrington and up to £35,000 across Halton. There will be six deadline dates with equal funding allocated at each meeting. Deadline dates are as follows:

First Round - 17:00 July 31st 2008
Second Round - 17:00 October 31st 2008
Third Round - 17:00 February 27th 2009
Fourth Round - 17:00 June 30th 2009
Fifth Round - 17:00 October 30th 2009
Sixth (final) Round - 17:00 February 26th 2010

Any unallocated funding will be rolled forward. The maximum funding for any one organisation is £12,000 within this 2008-2010 Community Grants Programme period. You may bid for the total amount in one application or over several applications, but we can only allocate £12,000 per organisation. Applications exceeding £12,000 will not be considered

Application forms are available on request from Learning Together Cheshire & Warrington by telephoning 01244 320528
or by e-mailing: admin@learning-together.co.uk .

The application forms are not available through the LTCW website because we need to ensure that all organisations that receive a form are added on to our database. A leaflet on the Community Grants Programme containing further information is available from this link.

We will be adding a frequently asked questions page about Community Grants to the website shortly.

If you are making an application and wish to view the LTCW policies with a view to developing your own policies, our policies can be accessed from this link.

Page last updated 12.06.08