16/05/2023 - Permalink

Window opens for new applications for UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Related topics: Economic growth / Partner organisations

Another window of applications for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) has been launched this week.

This call will be for projects that fall within the People and Skills priority. Projects must deliver from 1 July 2023 until 31 March 2025, with all outcomes and outputs achieved by 31 March 2025.

This follows Shropshire Council’s announcement in January this year, where £12.4 million of UK Shared Prosperity Fund money was awarded to the council.

Since the funding was announced, two application windows have taken place. The first window focused feasibility work, and the second supporting local business, and community and place.

Under the People and Skills priority, the council is seeking applications for projects from intermediary organisations to deliver support to beneficiaries, for example through skills support initiatives.

It is not a call that will support individual grant requests from beneficiaries for their training needs, and it will only support activities that will be delivered at a cost price.

Activities should address one or more of the high-level opportunities:

  • Employment support for economically inactive people: to move people closer towards mainstream provision and employment. The minimum bid threshold for this opportunity is £150,000.
  • Intervention to increase levels of digital inclusion, with a focus on essential digital skills, communicating the benefits of getting (safely) online, and in community support to provide users with the confidence and trust to stay online. The minimum threshold for this opportunity is £100,000.

There is also a call for projects which will qualify for the Department of Education’s Multiply funding which was part of the overall UK Shared Prosperity Fund awarded to Shropshire Council.

Projects applying for this section of funding should address one or more of the following high-level opportunities:-

  • Increasing confidence in numeracy skills for those individuals who are 19 years old and over, and who do not have Level 2 in Maths.
  • Improve the ability, understanding and use of maths in daily life, home, and work.
  • Increase the number of adults participating in and achieving adult numeracy qualifications up to Level 2 (both GCSE C/4 above, and functional skills qualifications).
  • Complementary to existing schemes such as adult education budget, and must not displace or duplicate existing numeracy provision.

Dean Carroll, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for growth, regeneration and housing, said:-

“It’s great to see another application window for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund has opened. This priority has a huge potential to really impact local people’s lives, through opportunities to upskill, retrain or develop their employability skills.”

The return of application deadline for this phase is Friday 16 June 2023 at midday.

Applications must be made through the Shropshire Council website, where applicants will also find all the necessary information pertaining to the application process.

To submit your application, please visit here.

Any queries should be directed by email only to ukspf@shropshire.gov.uk

Further general information may be found on: https://www.investinshropshire.co.uk/relocating-and-investing/uk-shared-prosperity-fund/