Funding for Training Projects
It is particularly difficult to find funding to deliver training. There are also a number of other issues:-
- keeping track of the different funds can feel like a full-time job
- these funders get far more applications than they can fund, so the competition
- can be fierce (for instance, one charitable trust can only fund 1 in 11 of the applications it receives)
- some of these funders meet infrequently and can't deal quickly with applications,
- which can delay the start of your project
Small-scale funding
If you need money to:-
-
develop and pilot a new course (including the process of going for accreditation)
-
run a short course or a series of taster sessions
-
offer bursaries to groups or individuals who couldn't afford to pay you will probably need a few hundred or at most a few thousand pounds.
For this kind of amount you could approach:-
- Specialist schemes to support local voluntary sector training projects
- Awards for All - (the National Lottery's combined small grants programme; for a form, ring 0845 600 20 40)
-
Charitable trusts - with an interest in training and/or your target group and/or your area
-
Company funds - with an interest in one or more of the above
Large-scale funding
If you want longer-term funding or more than £5 - £10,000 you will have to look to larger funders. The bidding process tends to be more complex and time-consuming, and there are often demanding monitoring requirements. In some cases you need to apply in partnership with another organisation, which can add to the work involved. The Government's Policy Action Team on Skills has urged that more resources be targeted at learning in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. For further details, look on the DfE website: www.lifelonglearning.co.uk
Examples of other large funders include:
Skills funding Agenecy- grants can part-fund places on some courses.
The money is usually channelled through Further Education colleges, and is not paid upfront. In theory, voluntary organisations will be able to bid directly to the LSC in future, but in practice the high levels of administration mean that most groups are likely to do this only as part of a consortium.
European Social Fund - ESF grants can cover up to 45% of the revenue costs of training
unemployed people in work-related subjects Most Objective 3 ESF is now co-financed by
bodies like the LSC (see above). This means that the grant can cover 100% of the costs,
but bids have to meet the LSC's priorities as well as ESF criteria. Voluntary organisations
can apply either direct or in partnership with a college, a local authority or another
voluntary group.
The Big Lottery Fund has an interest in training. Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Government area-based initiatives
Your area may have been granted special status, allowing the local and/or health authority to bid for additional funds. These initiatives include:-
Coalfields Regeneration Trust & Coalfields Enterprise Fund
Website: www.coalfields-regen.org.uk
Examples of charitable trusts interested in training/education (NB most only make grants
to registered charities); this is not an exhaustive list:-
Lloyds TSB Foundation - grants for employment training & life skills; ring 01904 628200
(in Yorkshire; 020 7204 5276 for head office) for guidelines & application form
Website: www.lloydstsbfoundations.org.uk
Kenneth Hargreaves Trust - small one-off grants, especially to groups using volunteers; some preference for Yorkshire charities. Write with a budget and an annual report to: Mrs Sheila Holbrook, Hon Treasurer, Bridge End Cottage, Linton, Wetherby LS22 4JB.
Trustees meet quarterly.
Garfield Weston Foundation - grants of, usually, under £5,000; ring 020 7589 6363 for
guidelines
Website: www.garfieldweston.org
Allen Lane Foundation -: grants only to or through registered charities; ring 01904
613223 for guidelines.
Website: www.allenlane.org.uk
Nationwide Foundation - interested in education & cultural integration; most grants £500
- £10,000. Ring 01793 655113 for a form & guidelines or download from website
www.nationwidefoundation.org.uk
Esmee Fairbairn Foundation - interests in adult/2nd chance education, & welcomes
applications from Black/minority ethnic groups. Registered charities only. Send an SAE for
guidelines & a form to: 7 Cowley St, London SW1P 3NB
Website: www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk
Save & Prosper Foundation and Save & Prosper Educational Trust - grants for special
needs education, with priority to Islington & Romford. Ring 020 7417 2332 for guidelines.
Vaux Group Foundation - interest in regeneration, enterprise & training, particularly in the
North East, but also in Yorkshire and the North West. Most grants £1,000 - £5,000. Apply
in writing to Hilary Florec, Administrator, Churchill House, 13 Moseley St, Newcastle NE1
1DE.
Rowan Charitable Trust - interests in education, community development and tackling unemployment, with around 1/3 of UK grants going to Mersey-side. Most grants £1,000 - £10.000. Ring 0118 959 7111 for guidelines.
Abbey National Charitable Trust - mostly capital grants (£250 - £20,000) for education/employment for socially excluded groups & equal opportunities for disabled people. Ring 01908 341126 for initial enquiries.
Paul Hamlyn Foundation - interests in access to higher education, literacy, arts in education & education generally. Special fund for training in publishing skills. Grants average £7,000 but some are over £100,000. Ring for guide-lines on 020 7227 3500 and check you are eligible.
Website: www.phf.org.uk
Some funds are available for individuals or groups as trainees - eg Chamber of Commerce funds and bursary funds for groups (eg the Charities Aid Foundation's grants to improve voluntary organisations' effectiveness (ring 01732 520031 for guidelines)).
The Federation of Community Work Training Groups administers a Community
Development Learning Fund for small groups (ring 0845 602 1648 for packs, 0114 275 2377 for information). You could encourage your potential trainees to explore these routes to subsidising their places.
