Access to funding
Most Objective 3 ESF is available through Co-financing Organisations, such as Job Centre Plus, Learning and Skills Councils and some Local Authorities.
They provide funding to successful applicants. CFOs distribute ESF through a process of open competitive tendering. Tenders are issued at regular intervals, which invite applications for funding. For current tendering rounds via the CFOs see www.westmidlandsworkingtogether.org.uk
Throughout the implementation of the CFO Plan the timetable will vary and will be determined by the amount of available funding. Current process are as follows:
- Call for Providers to submit Expressions of Interest
- Deadline for submission of Expressions of Interest
- Scoping and mapping with other activity in the borough.
- Invite for Full application
- Deadline for submission of Full Application
- Project Award or Non Award subject to Board approval
- Selected Providers made public by Walsall Council CFO
- Unsuccessful applicants given feedback on their proposal – signposted to more appropriate funds or encouraged to re-apply to a future bidding round
- Contracted Activity commences
- Project Start Date
Global Grants
Global Grants is a funding programme available to non-Governmental Organisations to assist them in providing services to disadvantaged communities and individuals. The programme is funded by the European Union and local partners.
What can Global Grants Fund?
The grants will be made available for the following type of projects:
- Responding to an identified need which cannot be met through mainstream ESF funding
- Development of enterprise and the social economy; individual business start-ups; micro-businesses; co-operative ventures; initiatives which seek to develop the wealth of the area for the benefit of the local community
- Projects which seek to restore social cohesion. Socially useful activity could be encouraged to improve the quality of life and of the local environment or to strengthen mutual assistance communities or networks of exchanges of products and local services.
The funding is intended to help develop Local Social Capital in deprived neighbourhoods. Some projects may target a particular client group or geographical area in line with their mission or service delivery plan.
Grants are available from £500 to £10,000; the fairly modest sums available underline the emphasis on encouraging access by small voluntary groups which do not have the resources or expertise to manage mainstream ESF projects. Because of the amounts involved, projects are expected to be time limited, not exceeding a year in duration. However, because Global Grants are already match funded, there is no need for organisations to seek further funds, unless the project in question will cost more than £10,000 to deliver.
Walsall, Dudley & Sandwell Metropolitan Borough and Wolverhampton City Council are managing the Global Grants Programme in the Black Country through the intermediary organisation Black Country Knowledge Society.
Walsall based organisations that apply for a Global Grant will be expected to show how their proposed project will contribute to Walsall’s Neighbourhood Renewal Fund targets e.g. Beneficiaries into further education / training, grants to voluntary / community organisations, beneficiaries targeted, social enterprise business plans, volunteer / work placements, small organisations with project management skills, units towards NVQs or equivalent and beneficiaries gaining new skills. For further details, please contact: Black Country Knowledge Society 01922 748340