£630,000 TO BOOST ESF AWARENESS
Voluntary organisations are invited to apply for programme development funding worth a total of £630,000.
Big Lottery Fund is offering the money to help groups across England raise awareness of funding opportunities available through the European Social Fund (ESF).
From 2015, Big Lottery Fund expects to award up to £260 million to help tackle poverty and promote social inclusion.
This funding is likely to be matched by the ESF as part of a new seven-year funding cycle, known as the European Structural and Investment Fund Growth programme.
Ahead of the main funding becoming available, Big Lottery Fund will offer development funding in each of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas it is working with.
Up to £50,000 will be given to one lead organisation in each LEP area. They will use the money to promote awareness of ESF opportunities and bring voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) groups together to discuss need in their area.
Dawn Austwick, Big Lottery Fund chief executive officer, said: "This development funding will help to prepare potential applicants for the main ESF funding opportunity which will open in 2015.
"By matching and delivering the ESF, the Big Lottery Fund is giving the VCSE sector as easy access as possible to the money by using our expertise from the last 10 years of supporting communities and people most in need.
"With 36 LEP areas looking to work with us, the main funding could support a wide range of projects from improving employability for the most disadvantaged, helping those with multiple and complex needs, or improving financial literacy, helping them to overcome challenges in their lives."
Applications are open until 2pm on September 4. For more details or to apply, go to www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/esf.
