| This is the latest issue of the Learning Partnership funding update part of the funding eXchange service we will be rolling out to partners.Below we have listed all of the new funding initiatives connected to learning and skills. If you would like more information about any of these schemes please contact Nick Bray quoting the relevant reference number.This service is offered to partners who are involved in the design or delivery of learning opportunities within Bedfordshire and Luton.
Grantfinder searches over 4,000 funding sources and is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. We are pleased to work in partnership to bring you access to the very latest funding opportunities that affect the learning and skills sector.
Grantfinder is the UK’s largest and most comprehensively supported database of its type. For more information or to arrange a demonstration please call 01909 501200.
Whilst the majority of the funding opportunities are from the Grantfinder database we are now also providing details of other funding opportunities.
1. Erasmus for All – The EU Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport 2014-2020 The European Commission has set out proposals for a new funding programme for education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014-2020 which will be called Erasmus for All.Erasmus for All will bring together all the current EU and international schemes for education, training, youth and sport, replacing the seven existing programmes:
- Lifelong Learning Programme (Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Comenius and Grundtvig)
- Youth in Action
- Erasmus Mundus
- Tempus
- Alfa
- Edulink
- Programme for Cooperation with Industrialised Countries
The main actions of the existing programmes will continue – learning, mobility, cooperation projects and support for policy reform – but activities will be strengthened where the systemic impact is strongest and where there is clear EU added value.
There are also some new innovative proposals such as an Erasmus Master’s degree student loan guarantee scheme and knowledge alliances and sector skills alliances.
The overall intention is to increase efficiency, reduce duplication and fragmentation, and make it easier to apply for grants.
Opportunities for mobility and cooperation will be strengthened under the new programme. In particular, there will be more funding available for study, training, teaching and volunteering opportunities abroad for higher education and vocational students, trainees, teachers, trainers and youth workers. There will also be more opportunities for education and training institutions or youth organisations to engage in partnerships to exchange good practice and with businesses to promote innovation and employability, as well as greater support for IT platforms, such as e-twinning, to connect schools and other learning providers via the internet.
The programme will support three main types of actions:
- Learning opportunities for individuals, both within the EU and beyond.
- Institutional cooperation between educational institutions, youth organisations, businesses, local and regional authorities and NGOs.
- Support for policy reform in Member States and cooperation with non-EU countries, with a focus on strengthening the evidence-base for policy making and exchange of good practices.
The Programme will have an overall budget of €19 billion, which includes €1.8 billion for international cooperation.
Further information is available on the European Commission Education and Training website.
2. Civil Society – Charity Awards The Charity Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in the leadership and management of charities across the UK.UK charities of any size are eligible to apply under a number of broad categories of activity, as follows:
- Advice, Support and Advocacy.
- Arts, Culture and Heritage.
- Children and Youth.
- Disability.
- Education and Training.
- Environment and Conservation.
- Grantmaking and Funding.
- Healthcare and Medical Research.
- International Aid and Development.
- Social Care and Welfare.
Entry may be for a project that demonstrates outstanding innovation and best practice, or a managed improvement in the organisation which may help other charities overcome similar problems.
The deadline for applications is 9 March 2012. |
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| 3. ACTION! 2012 (UK) UGAD60 |
| ACTION! is an internship and bursary support programme provided by Working Title Films – the UK’s leading film production company, based in London. The programme includes a full-time intern placement and bursary award to give individuals vital experience and exposure through working in an international production company.The programme aims to improve opportunities for a successful career in the creative sector of feature film development and production by:
- giving first hand knowledge and experience of working within an international production company;
- exposure and experience of the development and production process, from idea to screen; and
- developing industry contacts.
The bursary award is £14,000. Reasonable, pre-approved travel expenses to and from London for the selection process will also be reimbursed.
* Applicants should be eligible to work within the UK and have some experience in the film development and production sector and a proven commitment to a career in the industry.
* The internship will take place on a full-time basis for one year.
* Interviews will be held in London during in the spring.
Applications for ACTION! 2012 will be available on 15 December 2011 after 5pm. The deadline for receipt of applications will be 17 February 2012 at 5pm |
| 4. BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY – AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE (UK) UGB690 The Business in the Community 2012 Awards for Excellence are open to all private sector organisations that have a business presence in the UK. They recognise businesses that have shown innovation, creativity and sustained commitment to corporate responsibility.
The 2012 Award Categories are listed below:
* Responsible Business of the Year
* Santander Responsible Small Company Award
* Environmental Sustainability
* Marketplace Behaviour
* Workplace & Employees
* Education and Young People
* Enterprise and Culture
* Re-accreditation
* Leadership Awards
Winners receive a ‘Big Tick’ award – a public acknowledgement of a company’s programme of work that indicates that the entrant demonstrated significant evidence of positive impact on the business and the wider society.
The deadline for the majority of categories is 5 March 2012. Other categories such as Environmental Leadership and Responsible Business of the Year will have later deadlines. |
5. REGIONAL GROWTH FUND (RGF) (England) UG4110The Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered his 2011 Autumn Statement to Parliament on 29 November 2011, amid fears of a double-dip recession in the UK.
A wide-ranging package of more than 140 reforms was announced to build a stronger and more balanced economy, including increasing the Regional Growth Fund by £1 billion to provide ongoing support to grow the private sector in areas currently dependent on the public sector.
The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is a discretionary £1.4 billion Fund that will operate for three years between 2011 and 2014 to achieve its two main objectives of:
- stimulating enterprise by providing support for projects and programmes with significant potential for creating long-term private sector-led economic growth and employment; and
- helping those areas and communities that are currently dependent on the public sector make the transition to sustainable private sector-led growth and prosperity.
The Fund encourages private sector enterprise, including social enterprise, to create opportunities for people and places to adjust to reductions in public spending, and enable private sector investors, business, the public sector and communities to come together with an overall strategy for their area.
The next deadline for receipt of applications will be reported on GRANTfinder when available
6. UK BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS (UK) UG0950
. The aims of the UK Business Excellence Awards are to:
- assist organisations to improve;
- identify role models to demonstrate what can be achieved; and
- recognise those who have shown exceptional ability and performance in the management of their organisation
There are five entry categories for the 2012 UK Excellence Awards, as follows:
* Private sector with more than 250 employees.
* Private sector with less than 250 employees.
* Public sector with more than 250 employees.
* Public sector with less than 250 employees.
* Operational Unit (of a parent organisation, provided it is run as an independent cost centre – eg factories, assembly plants, sales and marketing functions, research and distribution units)
The Awards are open to all UK organisations of any size and from any sector. The benefits of winning an award, amongst others, are the chance to find out how good an organisation is, and it is a unique way to motivate employees at all levels.
The deadline for registering intent to apply is 20 January 2012. The final submission deadline is 20 April 2012.
7. COMMUNITIES LIVING SUSTAINABLY (England) UG3975The Communities Living Sustainably Fund is designed to support partnerships of public, private and voluntary sector bodies which are helping communities address the economic, social and environmental effects of climate change.
It is expected that up to 10 communities will be supported with a mixture of expert support and advice, up to £10,000 development funding to support the applications and grant funding of up to £1 million.
Partnerships must be able to meet the overall aim of the scheme, which is to learn how best to empower communities to live in a sustainable way and cope with the impact of climate change and achieve all of the following outcomes:
* Communities are better prepared for environmental challenges and longer term environmental change and understand the improvements they can make to live more sustainably.
* Vulnerable people affected by the impacts of climate change are able to make greener choices to help improve their quality of life.
* Communities maximise the use of their assets and resources to create new economic opportunities and live more sustainably by, for example, using the skills and knowledge of individuals within their community to create green social enterprises and jobs.
* Communities have a greater understanding of and more opportunities to use natural resources more efficiently.
The total fund value is £10 million. Grants of £500,000 and £1 million are available for up to five years. Additionally, grants of up to £10,000 are available to develop a project delivery plan.
The deadline for submissions of Expressions of Interest is noon on 31 January 2012.
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8. ADVICE SERVICES FUND (England) UG3185The Cabinet Office has launched a £16.8 million grant scheme aimed at supporting voluntary organisations offering free advice services in England.
The Advice Services Fund will be administered by the Big Lottery Fund and offers grants of £40,000 to £70,000.
Eligible applicants must offer free advice services in the following areas:
* Advice on debt.
* Advice on welfare benefits.
* Advice on housing.
* Advice on employment.
Priority will be given to organisations experiencing the largest budget reductions, and those who have not received funding from the Transition Fund.
The deadline for registration is 22 December 2011.
| 9. ICI EDUCATION COOPERATION PROGRAMME (EU Member State) ZE1510 |
| The 2011 Call for Proposals under the ICI Education Cooperation Programme has now been launched.This programme funds EU cooperation with industrialised countries in the field of higher education and vocational education and training. The countries eligible under this Call are Australia and the Republic of Korea.
The following two types of actions will be funded:
* Joint Mobility Projects (JMP) – Support to carry out joint study and training programmes and to implement student and faculty mobility. This includes lump sum funding for administration, and grants for students and members of the academic and administrative staff. A consortium applying for a Joint Mobility Project must include at least three higher education and/or training institutions from three different EU Member States and at least two such institutions from the Partner Country. The maximum duration for projects is 36 months.
* Joint Degree Projects (JDP) – Support to develop and implement dual/double or joint degree programmes. This includes lump sum funding for development work and administration, and grants for students and members of the academic and administrative staff. A consortium applying for a Joint Degree Project must include at least two higher education and/or training institutions from two different EU Member States and at least two institutions from the Partner Country. The maximum duration of projects is 48 months.
The total budget for the Call is €2.3 million. The maximum amount of EU funding will be €350,000 for a four-year JDP project with two or more EU institutions, and €262,500 for a three-year JMP project with three or more EU institutions.
The deadline for applications is 30 March 2012. |
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES 10. TCHC Community Grants – Round 2
Community Grants Co-Financed through the European Social Fund and Skills Funding Agency is now available to small third sector organisations. Grants are available for up to £12,000 for projects supporting people from the hardest to reach communities and individuals experiencing disadvantages accessing mainstream European Social Funding, domestic employment and skills provision. This is the second phase of Community Grants, and applications are now open.
For further information…
Please read the Information Sheet before applying for the grant.
The deadline for submission is Friday 16 December 2011, 17:00.
| 11. Funding for Peer Review and Development groups |
| LSIS is pleased to announce the opportunity for Peer Review and Development (PRD) groups to access funding for peer reviews and/or collaborative development activity relating to the development and delivery of the curriculum to meet local community and employer needs. In particular we are interested in funding work which explores the use of unit based delivery to engage with new groups of learners.Funding, up to a maximum of £5000, is available to a limited number of PRD groups. The funding can be used flexibly, either for additional reviews or for other collaborative activity, to develop or revise strategies for the development of the curriculum to meet local community and employer needs.
Please read the accompanying invitation and guidance, and complete and return the application form to resource.utilisation@lsis.org.uk by midnight on 14 December 2011 in order to express your interest in participating.
For more information…
12. Sharing effective practice to move thinking forward relating to “Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability”This is an opportunity to get involved in work around the SEN Green Paper “Support and aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability” (March 2011).
LSIS wants to develop and support a regional cluster in each of the 9 regions in order to meet the commitment in the Green Paper to encourage “partnership working between independent specialist colleges, special schools and colleges. This will help spread knowledge, improve expertise, build capacity, and share delivery arrangements so that colleges and training providers can respond effectively to the needs of learners, employers and communities to whom they are increasingly accountable.” (para 3.18)
The attached expression of interest form sets out the background and thinking to the project. Please read it carefully and if you are interested please fill in the form and return to viv.berkeley@lsis.org.uk by close of business Friday 16th December 2011. Any expressions of interest returned after this date will not be considered. Providers will receive a grant of £2750 to support them with their project work.
Please ensure you have capacity to participate prior to completing and submitting the form.
For more information…
13. Funding to develop sales and marketing training courses
LSIS is pleased to invite bids from learning and skills provider organisations for grants to support the development of sales and marketing courses or workshops, and to share these approaches with other providers. We are offering the following opportunities:
- Design and development of a sales training programme; Consultative selling skills for services and intangibles.
- Design and development of a modern marketing training programme for services and intangibles.
Both will require courses or workshops to be developed and delivered as pilot projects with the target audience being those within the FE and skills sector who are; selling or marketing to employer organisations and to prospective learners. Bidders will be able to demonstrate a successful track record of achievement in teaching either subject.
Funded projects should be completed within the 2011-12 financial year – i.e. by 5 April 2012, and this should be reflected in the proposals. However, LSIS may fund bids across the regions and may ask successful bidders to work together to develop the further programme that will be rolled out after April 2012. Each bid for either sales or marketing will be eligible for payment up to £10,000 inclusive of VAT. Bidders may bid to design and pilot one or both sets of workshops/courses.
Bids should be submitted on the accompanying application form and sent by e-mail (ideally in Word format), to resource.utilisation@lsis.org.uk by 12:00 midday on Wednesday 21 December 2011. Bidders will be notified of the outcome no later than Monday 9 January 2012.
For further information…. |
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