Grants Available for East Midlands Community Organisations to Support Unemployed

Jointly funded by the SFA and the European Social Fund, Community Grants give small voluntary and community organisations with a turnover of less than £300,000 an opportunity to access funds to deliver projects that help engage and progress 'hard to reach' individuals towards the labour market. The grants will support participants' progression so that they are confident in their ability to move into employment.

Grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 are available for projects or initiatives that help people take steps towards a future career and reduce unemployment and inactivity, including:

• initial help with basic skills
• taster work experience including voluntary work
• training, advice and counselling
• confidence building
• job search assistance and other help necessary to secure employment
• first contact engagement activities

Eligible Learners must be:

• Unemployed
• Over 16
• Have the right to live and work in the UK
• Not engaged in any other government funded training scheme

Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate an ability to meet the LEP Priorities and target participants who are:

• Over 50
• With Learning Difficulties and Disabilities
• From Ethnic Minority Backgrounds
• Are women
• Unemployed for over 6 months
• Furthest removed from the labour market with significant barriers to employment

There will be three application rounds in 2019/20:

Round 1
15th April 2019 – 17th May 2019

Round 2
15th Nov 2019 – 15th Dec 2019

Round 3
15th June 2020 – 15th July 2020