News January 2010

Community Learning Champions Fund Launched

NIACE, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, has announced a new funding opportunity on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

The Community Learning Champions Support Programme Development Fund is managed by NIACE as part of the consortium leading the Support Programme. The consortium consists of NIACE, Martin Yarnit Associates, the WEA and unionlearn.
 
The Development Fund offers grants to set up Community Learning Champion initiatives in targeted areas of need. Grants of up to £25,000 are available in Phase 2 - April 2010 to March 2011.

Applications for funding must be made by either
local partnerships targeting their activities on areas with high levels of educational need that meet one or both of the following criteria:
• 10% or more of their Lower level Super Output Areas (LSOAs) are in the most deprived national decile on the Education, Skills and Training domain on the IMD2007
• eligible for Working Neighbourhoods Fund
(Local authority eligible areas that received funding in Phase 1 are not eligible to apply for Phase 2. A list of Phase 2 eligible local authority areas is available)

OR

national, regional or cross-regional organisations targeting groups currently excluded from learning.
 
Applications must be submitted to clcdevelopmentfund@niace.org.uk by 12:00 noon on March 2nd 2010.

Further information regarding the Support Programme, eligibility, Guidance notes and the Application for funding form can be found on http://www.communitylearningchampions.org.uk/developmentfund .