Deadline: 31-Dec-2026
The Curtin PARP Fund provides grants to help individuals and groups in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland overcome financial barriers to education, training, and careers in environmental and green sectors. Individual grants of up to £1,000 can support employment-related costs, while group projects, including accredited training courses, can receive up to £7,000.
What Is the Curtin PARP Fund?
The Curtin PARP Fund supports people who face barriers to reaching their educational or career potential, with a particular focus on environmental and green employment.
The fund can help individuals gain skills, qualifications, and practical resources needed to enter or progress within sectors such as:
- Horticulture
- Parks and gardens
- Sustainable energy
- Environmental services
- Other green and environmental careers
The programme can also support group activities that improve access to training and employment opportunities.
How Much Funding Is Available?
The fund provides two main types of support:
- Up to £1,000: One-off grants for individuals to overcome barriers to employment or training.
- Up to £7,000: Grants for activities benefiting groups, particularly accredited training courses.
Individual grants may cover costs such as:
- Travel expenses
- Work-related equipment
- Other essential costs that create a barrier to employment or career development
For people undertaking study, funding is conditional on providing evidence of attendance and progress or completion for each year of study.
Who Is Eligible?
The fund particularly prioritises people experiencing disadvantage, including:
- Carers of all ages.
- Women and girls.
- Black and Minority Ethnic people.
- People with asylum seeker or refugee status.
- Disabled people.
- Homeless people.
- Others facing significant barriers to achieving their potential.
Applicants should have a connection to Tyne and Wear or Northumberland and be seeking support for environmental or green-sector education, training, employment, or career development.
What Can the Funding Support?
The fund can support activities that help people enter or progress within green careers.
Potential areas include:
- Accredited environmental training.
- Horticulture courses.
- Parks and gardens training.
- Sustainable energy qualifications.
- Travel required to access employment or training.
- Work-related equipment.
- Group training programmes.
- Other activities that directly remove barriers to environmental career development.
Individual Grants
Individual applications can receive a one-off grant of up to £1,000.
The purpose is to address a specific financial barrier preventing someone from pursuing study, training, employment, or a green-sector career.
Examples could include essential equipment or travel costs associated with taking up an opportunity.
Group Grants
Groups can apply for up to £7,000 for activities benefiting multiple people.
Particular emphasis is placed on accredited training courses that provide participants with recognised skills and qualifications.
Group applications should demonstrate:
- The number of people who will benefit.
- The training or activity being delivered.
- How it addresses barriers to employment.
- Why the activity is needed.
- Expected outcomes for participants.
How to Apply
Step 1: Identify the Need
Clearly identify the educational, training, or employment opportunity and explain the financial barrier preventing the individual or group from accessing it.
Step 2: Confirm the Green Career Connection
Explain how the proposed course, equipment, travel, or activity relates to environmental or green employment.
Step 3: Obtain Supporting Quotes
For individual applications involving purchases, obtain relevant quotations for the required items.
Step 4: Apply Through an Eligible Organisation
Individuals cannot apply directly. Applications for individuals must be submitted by a voluntary or community organisation on their behalf.
Step 5: Provide Evidence of Progress
Successful applicants undertaking study or training must provide evidence of attendance and progress or completion as required.
The applying organisation remains responsible for managing the grant.
Important Requirements
The applying organisation should understand that it is wholly responsible for the grant.
For individual applications, the organisation should ensure that:
- The proposed expenditure is clearly justified.
- Relevant quotes are supplied where necessary.
- The funding directly addresses the individual’s barrier.
- Required attendance and progress evidence is collected.
- Grant funds are used for the approved purpose.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying directly as an individual: Individual applications must be made through a voluntary or community organisation.
- Not explaining the barrier: Clearly show why the requested support is necessary.
- Weak connection to green employment: Explain how the activity supports an environmental or green career.
- Failing to provide quotes: Include quotes when applying for relevant items.
- Ignoring reporting requirements: Evidence of attendance and progress or completion is required for study-related support.
- Requesting unrelated costs: Funding should directly contribute to overcoming barriers to education, training, employment, or career development.
Why It Matters
The Curtin PARP Fund helps address practical barriers that can prevent people from entering environmental and green careers, particularly people who already experience disadvantage.
By supporting accredited training, equipment, travel, and group learning opportunities, the fund can help individuals gain qualifications and practical experience while increasing access to the growing green economy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Curtin PARP Fund?
The Curtin PARP Fund provides financial assistance to people and groups in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland seeking education, training, or career opportunities in environmental and green sectors.
How much can an individual receive?
Individuals can receive a one-off grant of up to £1,000 to help overcome barriers such as travel or work-related equipment costs.
How much can groups receive?
Groups can receive up to £7,000, particularly for activities such as accredited training courses that benefit multiple people.
Can individuals apply directly?
No. Individual applications must be submitted by a voluntary or community organisation on behalf of the individual.
What environmental careers can the fund support?
Relevant areas include horticulture, parks and gardens, sustainable energy, and other environmental or green-sector careers.
Who receives priority?
Priority is given to people experiencing disadvantage, including carers, women and girls, Black and Minority Ethnic people, people with asylum seeker or refugee status, disabled people, and homeless people.
Is evidence required after receiving funding?
Yes. For study-related funding, evidence of attendance and progress or completion must be provided for each year of study.
Conclusion
The Curtin PARP Fund offers targeted financial support for people in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland who need help accessing environmental education, accredited training, and green-sector careers. With individual grants of up to £1,000 and group funding of up to £7,000, the programme can help remove practical financial barriers while developing skills for the green economy.
For more information, visit Community Foundation North East.