Deadline: 30-Sep-21
The South East Midlands Local Enterprize Partnership (SEMLEP) has announced the applications for Community Grants Programme to offers Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations grant funding to deliver local projects that make a difference within local communities in the South East Midlands.
The programme is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). Unlike many other grant funding schemes, Community Grants do not require ‘match’ funding so grants can cover 100% of the project cost.
The Community Grants programme funds projects that support individuals who are currently unemployed or economically inactive to take up training or get back into work.
Projects should support people to develop confidence, self-esteem, enhance employability skills and transferable life skills. With, the grant programme keen to receive applications from organisations that can create bespoke ways to engage with people from the hardest to reach communities.
Possible projects include those that:
- provide training, advice or counselling to support a job search
- assist with financial numeracy and literacy
- build digital literacy skills and increase confidence
- provide work experience opportunities with a clear path back into employment
Funding Information
- Grant funding from £10,000 to £20,000.
Target Groups
Applications are encouraged to support these target groups:
- People with disabilities, health conditions & neurodivergent traits
- Households on a single income with dependent children
- Individuals who are homeless or in temporary accommodation
- People aged 50 or over
- People from ethnic minority groups
- Ex-Offenders [not receiving HMPPS support]
- Women returning to work e.g. from maternity leave, a long period as a carer or parent or women whose circumstances have changed
Geography: The European Social Fund and Education Skills Funding Agency awarded the Community Grants funding to SEMLEP on the basis of the ESF investment that was allocated in 2014. Therefore, the geographic basis upon which projects can apply reverts too: Milton Keynes, Northampton, Corby, Kettering, Daventry, South Northamptonshire, Cherwell, Aylesbury Vale, Bedford and Luton.
Eligibility Criteria
Are you eligible to apply for a grant through SEMLEP’s Community Grants project?
- Does your organization support people in the areas?
- Does your organization have less than £300,000 annual income?
- Does your organization have fewer than 50 full-time equivalent paid employees?
- Are you able to demonstrate complete autonomy from any organization that has in excess of £300,00 annual income or 50 or more full-time equivalent employees?
- Do you have a constitution of rules saying how your organization is managed and what it does?
- Do you have a UK bank account?
- Do you have professional, employers and public liability insurance and public indemnity insurance?
- Is your organization legally constituted?
- Do you have a legal structure that demonstrates that you are a VCSE organization?
For more information, visit https://www.semlep.com/community-grants/