UK Funding & grants, south west England - Government Office South West (GOSW)

Government Office South West

Government Office for the South West (GOSW) works with regional partners and local people to help deliver the Government's central aims in the region;- to achieve high and stable levels of growth and employment and build an inclusive and prosperous society that can develop in a sustainable way.

The “Structural Funds” is money from the European Commission to support economic and social restructuring across the European Union. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been designated as an Objective 1 area because their economy is lagging behind the European average. The aim of the Objective 1 European Structural Fund Programme is to regenerate the economy and increase the wealth of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The Objective 1 team works to ensure that the Objective 1 Programme tackles three strategic aims:

• increasing absolute prosperity
• creating and promoting sustainable communities and
• protecting and enhancing environmental, cultural and economic opportunities inherent within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Within the Objective 1 Programme (in Cornwall) there are four “Structural Funds" from which the European money can be used to support a range of projects which will deliver the aims and objectives of the Single Programming Document (SPD). These include the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); the European Social Fund (ESF). 
 
There are two ways of applying for ESF funding in Objective 1 as follows:
From the co-financing organisations, the Learning and Skills Council and Job Centre Plus, or direct from Government Office for the South West (known as 'direct' or 'alternative' bids).

The two co-financing organisations (CFOs) provide 100 per cent of project costs, meaning there is no requirement to provide match funding.

Through 'direct' or 'alternative' bidding, ESF will provide up to a maximum of 45 per cent of the project costs; you must fund at least 55 per cent of costs from other public or private sources.

The majority of ESF funds will be accessed through Co-financing for the remainder of the Programme (until the end of 2006) and this should be the first consideration for prospective applicants.   However there are still opportunities to access ESF through the traditional route of bidding directly to GOSW.  However alternative bidding no longer operates o­n a ‘rolling programme’ so applicants can no longer bid at any time for any measure/activity. Instead calls for bids will be published by the Learning and Skills Task Force when gaps have been identified in current provision or for activities that are not, nor will be, covered by co-financing. Each bidding round will be specific and details will be provided o­n the types of activity to be funded and in which Measure, the strategic priorities, beneficiary groups to be targeted, outputs to be delivered, amount of ESF available, intervention rate applicable etc. These ‘calls’ for bids will be published o­n the GOSW website or if you would like to be included in the mailshots issued when bidding specifications are published, you should also contact Andrew Green at GOSW.

Note o­n European Structural Funds

The current cycle of Structural Funds programmes will come to an end in 2006 and EU Member States are currently negotiating o­n the reform of the Funds prior to the next cycle of Structural Funds programmes from 2007 to 2013. Members states hope to reach agreement o­n new priorities by early 2006.

Contact

Government Office for the South West
Mast House
Shepherds Wharf
24 Sutton Road
Plymouth
Devon
PL4 0HJ
tel: 01752 63 5032
fax: 01752 63 5090

www.gosw.gov.uk

Application Procedure

It is essential that you discuss your project proposal early o­n with the Objective 1 Secretariat at GOSW

Details of their ESF Co-financing activity can be found o­n their respective websites: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk and www.lscdevonandcornwall.org

All applicants should consider co-financing as the main source of funding for ESF projects in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly although this will be subject to the availability of funds and the requirements of the tender specifications. Alternative bidding will o­nly be available to fund activities outside the remit of the CFOs.