ESFA Community Training Grants open for Dorset applications

The government’s Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) are open for applications for their Community Training Grants. 

ESFA Community Training Grants offer between £5,000 and £20,000 of funding to projects aiming to support those who are unemployed or economically inactive to move closer to employment. The grants fund a diverse range of activities which achieve this, both informal and formal, vocational and soft-skills based.

The ESFA Community Training Grants can be awarded to small organisations with 49 employees or less, and third-sector organisations, based in Dorset. This programme will provide a much-needed boost for Dorset’s smaller businesses impacted by COVID-19. 

To be considered for the next round of funding, applications must be submitted by 09:00, 18 January 2021. 

Draft applications submitted before 11 January 2021 will receive feedback, allowing time for applicants to update and resubmit prior to the deadline, add the ESFA is also running a series of application workshops providing advice and guidance on producing successful applications. To attend a workshop and talk to a member of the ESFA Community Training Grants Team, sign up on ESFA’s Eventbrite page. 

To learn more about this grant and the projects that have previously been supported, watch the ‘What are the ESFA Community Training Grants?’ video on YouTube. 

Dorset based Edwards & Eve Cob Building were previously awarded £12,880 from ESFA Community Training Grants for their ‘Building with Earth’ project, which aimed to provide innovative vocational training in cob, and other earth building techniques.

To contact a member of the ESFA team, please email CommunityTrainingGrants@groundwork.org.uk