Community Grants is a new programme which aims to support small voluntary and community organisations to engage with local communities and deliver a range of skills and employment support activities, through the provision of grants up to £12,000.

The grants aim to support a quality outreach provision, providing an essential stepping stone for unemployed and economically inactive participants to find employment or progress to further learning.


The ESF Community Grants programme builds on the Global Grants programme (known as Fast Forward Grants in London), which was one of the key features of the last regional ESF Objective 3 programme.

The London Development Agency Community Grants application round was launched on Wednesday 22 October 2008.

Deadline: Wednesday 19 November at 5pm.

Source: http://www.gle.co.uk/services/communitygrants.htm

London Councils has launched the second round of ESF funding. 13 boroughs have provided funding to be matched by ESF to create a £9m programme. London Councils welcomes tenders from organisations to deliver in one of the 13 boroughs:

Barking & Dagenham
Bromley
City of London Corporation
Ealing
Hammersmith and Fulham
Hillingdon
Kingston
Lambeth
Redbridge
Southwark
Tower Hamlets
Wandsworth
Westminster

For details about the projects to be funded and how to apply visit London Councils.

DeadlineThe deadline for tenders is 12 noon on Monday 17 November.

Source: http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk:80/grants/esf/default.htm

inspiracion has successfully supported Holy Cross Centre Trust to fundraise from the London Councils for a refugee legal advice project for the St Pancras Refugee Centre (SPaRC),a project operated by Holy Cross Centre Trust, Camden

LSC invitation to tender for ESF funding for projects supporting young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), ex offenders, disabled people and employed people are open in July.

The deadline for submission of tenders for NEET element of this funding will close on 1 August 2008 .

For the other elements of the programme submissions can be made up until 12 August 2008.

Further detail: http://www.lsc.gov.uk/regions/London/ESF/

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is offering organisations the opportunity to compete, through an open and competitive one stage tendering process, for delivery of provision funded via the European Social Fund Programme 2007-2013 in the 2 districts of SOUTH LONDON and WEST LONDON.

Contracts will begin 3 November 2008 and will be for an initial period of 2 Years and 9 months, with the possibility of up to a further two years extension.

The competition will be a one-stage process.

All providers who are interested in bidding for this competition must register an expression of interest by Monday 30 June 2008.

Further information about how to apply can be found at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/supplyingdwp/what_we_buy/esf_london_230608.asp

inspiracion has successfully supported Holy Cross Centre Trust to fundraised £218,000 from the London Councils ESF programme for an into employment training project for 50+ carers in London

inspiracion has successfully supported the London Business College to become an established learndirect centre in Woolwich.

learndirect is a nationally recognised brand for learning and is the largest supplier of e learning courses of its kind in the world.

learndirect operates a network of more than 800 online learning centres in England and Wales, providing access to a range of e learning opportunities.

Inspiracion has successfully been awarded NCVO Approved Consultant 2008 status.

The National Council of Voluntary Organisation (NVCO) provides a list of consultants who have successfully undergone NCVO's approval process.

The Directory of NCVO Approved Consultants is a resource for voluntary sector organisations that require the services of a consultant. The directory aims to ensure that the consultant they choose is equipped with relevant experience and expertise of working with the sector.

It provides a list of consultants who have successfully undergone NCVO's approval process.

NCVO Approved Consultants must demonstrate a commitment to providing high quality service and share NCVO's service values.

Consultants are assessed against five standards:

• Operational standards


• Contract capability


• Delivery process


• Delivery and output evaluation


• Continuous improvement

For further information visit http://www.ncvo-consultants.org.uk/

Expressions of Interest are now invited for the first funding round for the London European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2007-13 programme.

The vision for the London Operational programme is to promote sustainable, environmentally efficient growth in London, capitalising on London's innovation and knowledge resources. It will focus on promoting social inclusion through extending economic opportunities to communities, in areas where this is most needed.

The London programme will will complement other London strategies and build on the success of the 2000 to 2006 ERDF programme within the context of the EU.
The following priorities have been identified:

Priority 1: Business innovation and research and promoting eco-efficiency

Priority 2: Access to new markets and access to finance

Priority 3: Sustainable places for business

Priority 4: Technical assistance

Expression of Interest Deadline: 1 February 2008
Source: http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/nav.00100l003001

London Councils is welcoming tenders from voluntary and not-for-profit organisations under its European Social Fund co-financing programme. The programme aims to improve labour market opportunities and enhance the employability of some of the most disadvantaged and excluded groups in London.

Wednesday 28 November 2007 9.30am – 4.00pm

Voluntary and community sector groups in London, remain key providers of training under the European Social Fund, as well as leading agents for community economic development under the European Regional Development Fund.

The London Development Agency (LDA) has launching the European Social Fund Programme 2007-2010.

Capacitybuilders announced the details of its Improving Reach investment programme - a new £18million, three year grant scheme to run from 1st April 2008.

This programme provides grants for up to three years to arts organisations in the UK working with refugees and asylum seekers, in particular those working with newly arrived refugees, asylum seekers, migrants or their host communities.

Whether you're looking for a job, or whether you're looking to extend your network of peers, forum3 can help you achieve your aims.

The Children, Young People and Families Grant Programme is a national grant programme, managed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (formerly the Department for Education and Skills).

There are opportunities to bid for a number of European Social Fund contracts. These will be advertised on 3 October 2007 under the European Social Fund section of the DWP site.

The third round of this fund opened for applications on 4th September 2007 and will close on 8th January 2008.

The LSC is running a two stage e-tendering process, the first stage of which will be a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) followed by an Invitation to Tender (ITT).