ESF Grants are financed through the European Union and are designed to help people increase their chances of finding work. It isn't used to create new jobs, but to give people who are financially inactive or unemployed new skills and confidence in order to find jobs.

Community and voluntary groups can apply for funding to provide services to people to help them with their skills.

Criteria

Eligible applicants are required to:

  • Be a voluntary or community group working in Birmingham
  • Have a maximum income of £200,000; although priority will be given to those with an income of less than £150,000
  • Have been running for at least 12 months

Applicantsshould:

  • Run a project that does not duplicate services already provided by ESF funding
  • Use the grant to cover core costs (including small amounts for capital items up to £500
  • Target individuals that are at least 18 years of age AND
  • unemployed OR
  • economically inactive OR
  • hard to reach OR
  • working less than 8 hours per week
  • All groups of society can be targeted, but priority groups include;

-BME Groups

-Disabled People

-Lone Parents

-Over 50's

  • provide non-accredited learning or 'soft skills', which could include;

-work experience

-voluntary work

-help with basic skills (excluding Skills For Life/ESOL)

-sessional training

-confidence building

-presentation skills

-communication skills

-general volunteering

IT IS UNLIKELY THAT PROJECTS OFFERING ACCREDITED LEARNING, SUCH AS NVQ'S WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN OBTAINING A GRANT. IF YOUR PROJECT FITS INTO THIS CATEGORY PLEASE CONTACT US BEFORE MAKING AN APPLICATION

If your application is successful, you must:

  • Attend a sessional contract signing at the offices of the Birmingham & Black Country Community Foundation or other locality in Birmingham as deemed appropriate
  • Display the ESF logo on all literature
  • Show appropriate regard for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (1995)
  • Provide any evidence requested to prove spend of the grant, or participation in the scheme
  • Return project and finance reports as requested
  • Keep records of everything related to your ESF Community Grant project

Failure to comply with any of the above points may result in your grant being reclaimed

How much can you apply for?

Awards will be between £2,500 - £12,000.

Closing date for applications:

ESF Community Grants is a rolling grant programme ending in December 2013.

*Fully completed application forms and supporting documentation need to be received by Birmingham & Black Country Community Foundation to enable grants officers to assess and put forward your application to the appropriate panel meeting.

*Fully completed applications = Application Form and all supporting documentation

Additional Notes:

1) If you are completing the Microsoft word version of the application form please do not delete or alter any of the questions as this will result in your application being immediately rejected;

2) Please make sure you check with the Post Office that the correct amount of postage has been used before posting any information to the Birmingham & Black Country Community Foundation, thank you.

Please return your Completed Application Form and Supporting Documentation to:

Birmingham & Black Country Community Foundation

Nechells Baths, Nechells Park Road, Nechells, Birmingham B7 5PD

tel: 0121 322 5560  fax: 0121 322 5579 email:  web:

Registered Charity number: 1048162 Company Registration number: 3083289

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