Local Community Skills Fund: grants for local projects
Empowering communities across the UK to deliver the skills they need locally.
How to
Apply
About the
Fund
Questions (FAQs)
About the programme
The Local Community Skills Fund aims to support a wide range of initiatives that will make a positive impact on communities across the UK.
One key focus is to fund innovative local and community-led projects that may not be eligible for traditional funding sources. This could include anything from setting up a community garden to running a digital skills workshop. The fund also seeks to help disadvantaged people develop the skills they need to find employment by providing training and support.
Additionally, the fund will address specific skills gaps in local areas and reach out to communities where access to training and development opportunities is limited. By working with external organisations, the fund aims to create a sustainable model for delivering social impact through funding and match-funding.
Who can apply?
- Registered charities with a voluntary income of less that £1m. If your organisation had income of over £1m last year, we will ask for a matching contribution that will be tailored to your size
- Registered Social Enterprises, with clearly defined asset locks, with an income of less than £1m
- Colleges, FE providers and other City & Guilds customers, where the proposals are clearly additive to existing funding.
or
- Individuals and community groups, but only instances where they have a supporting organisation that is willing to act as the recipient of funds and meets one of the criteria above (for example a local college, Scout Group, charity etc.)
What types of projects will we fund?
The Local Community Skills Fund supports projects that are:
- Seeking funding for projects or activities that will be delivered in the UK
- Supporting people 16+ who are facing barriers
- Supporting the development of skills required to move towards or into employment
The Local Community Skills Fund will not be able to support:
- Individual appeals for bursary support or proposals that benefit an individual rather than wider members of the community (this is available through our bursary programme, find out more here).
- Long-standing capital appeals, where any donation would represent less than 10% of the total value
- Programmes or activity that have already taken place
- Religious activity (although we can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and doesn’t include religious content)
- Loan repayments.
Projects will also be viewed positively if they address any of the following:
- People with convictions, young people at risk of offending, refugees and displaced people, neurodiverse learners and lower socio-economic groups
- Can evidence that they are addressing local skills gaps and/or directly link to job outcomes
- Are in a community or region of defined social need (Indices of Multiple Deprivation, DofE cold spots)
What level of funding is available?
You can apply for a grant of up to £10,000 and most grants will be around £6,000.
Grant recipients will be required to sign an agreement which commits them to reporting the outputs and outcomes of any funding.
Our community grants programme is open year-round and we will review submissions on a monthly basis.
How to apply
The two-stage process is designed to make it easy for you to apply.
You must first register for an account on our applications and nominations platform. Then we ask that you submit an expression of interest (EoI). We will review your EoI within ten working days and let you know if you are through to a full application. Please note that we are unable to provide detailed feedback.
Examples of questions in the Expression of Interest:
- About you – name and contact details
- Does your organisation meet the eligibility criteria?
- Annual turnover (as at last report and accounts)
- Does your project meet the project criteria?
- Funding request
- Project overview
- How did you hear about the Local Community Skills Fund?
If you are invited to the next round to fill in a full application form, we will ask you to elaborate on some of the responses in the Expression of Interest. You will be able to see your responses and refer back to your Expression of Interest on the application platform.
Examples of questions in the Application Form:
- Organisation details – name, legal status, registration
- Funding request (200 words)
- Project overview (from Expression of Interest)
- Project need (200 words)
- Project impact – table to be populated
- Delivery location
- Timeframe
- Disclaimer – confirm that you and your organisation are not under investigation by the Charity Commission, HMRC or any other relevant body or authority under UK law.
Apply now
Ready to start an application? Head over to our application platform to get started:
1. Register for an account and verify your email address
2. Select ‘Local Community Skills Fund’
3. Begin filling in your expression of interest form
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for a grant?
The Local Community Skills Fund accepts EoIs and applications from:
- Registered charities with a voluntary income of less that £1m. If your organisation had income of over £1m last year, we will ask for a matching contribution that will be tailored to your size
- Registered Social Enterprises, with clearly defined asset locks, with an income of less than £1m
- Colleges, FE providers and other C&G clients, where the proposals are clearly additive to existing funding.
or
- Individuals and community groups, but only instances where they have a supporting organisation that is willing to act as the recipient of funds and meets one of the criteria above (for example a local college, Scout Group, charity etc.)
It will not support:
- Individuals seeking support for their own learning
- For-profit companies aimed at generating profit for private distribution
- Community groups without a sponsor organisation that meets one of the other criteria above
- Organisations where observance of a particular faith or belief is a prerequisite for support
- Organisations which exist to promote any political party or are directly aligned with a political party
- Organisations based outside of the UK.
Will you consider match funding?
We would be happy to consider match funding as long as the project and applicant meet the criteria and the amount being asked for is under £10,000.
What is the timeline for grant decisions?
Most applicants will know if they are successful in being awarded a grant within two months of starting an EoI. Please note that this is only a guide and not a guarantee.
Will I need to report back to the City & Guilds Foundation on impact and progression?
The City & Guilds Foundation or our partner will be in touch about impact reporting
How much funding is available?
The fund will consider grants up to £10,000 with most grants around £6,000.
If I am successful can I apply again?
Successful applicants will be able to apply for a new project no sooner than twelve months after receiving funding. We will not provide funding for the same project more than once unless it has changed or there is a compelling need. Please make your reasoning clear on the application form.
I have previously applied and been rejected for a grant – can I apply again?
Yes. If your project meets the criteria we are more than happy to consider a new application.
Can a Further Education Institute apply?
Yes, a Further Education College or other educational institution can apply where the proposals are clearly additive to existing funding.
We are already working with City & Guilds in some capacity, can we apply?
Yes, but applicants are asked to declare the nature of their existing relationship with the City & Guilds of London Institute and any of its brands in the Expression of Interest form. The form has a specific section which addresses this point.
Are for-profit companies able to apply?
No, for profit companies are not permitted to apply unless they are jointly applying in partnership with an eligible entity such as a registered UK charity.
Can a charitable foundation linked to a for-profit company apply?
Yes, we will consider applications proposed by the charitable foundations of relevant for-profit companies where a project meets the stated objectives of the fund and meets the criteria.
Is work outside the UK eligible?
No, all proposed projects must be active in the UK.
Must our project be delivered in England?
No, projects across the UK, including Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey will be considered. We are especially interested in areas with higher barriers and less access to skills development.
How will my application be assessed?
Your initial Expression of Interest will be reviewed by a panel of experts with extensive experience in grant making and impact measurement. Successful applicants will be contacted and asked to work up their proposal into a detailed submission for further consideration.
How do I apply?
All applicants must complete an initial Expression of Interest from which will include details of the nature and scale of your organisation, any existing relationship with the City & Guilds of London Institute and a broad sketch of your proposed grogramme. This on-line form has been designed to allow interested parties to share an initial picture of their proposal without the need for a time-consuming detailed submission at the first stage.
Can I apply by post or fax?
No, all expressions of interest must be submitted through the online form.
Will I receive a receipt for my submission?
Yes, all applicants will receive an automated response to acknowledge receipt of their Expression of Interest.
Will applicants receive feedback if they are not selected through the next stage?
Due to the volume of applications, the City & Guilds Foundation is not able to provide feedback to individual applicants. Unsuccessful applicants will be informed via email.
If our project is selected, what are the next steps?
Successful applicants will be contacted directly and asked to complete a detailed submission. This would request granular detail about the proposed project, the schedule of work, detailed budget and timeline.
Why do you have a two-stage application process?
The process has been designed to help save applicants time through initial screening to ensure relevant projects are invited to develop a more in-depth stage 2 application. This is intended to help ensure only eligible organisations are invited to stage 2 and overall the process is as efficient as possible. Note – being invited to make a second stage application does not necessarily mean your organisation will gain funding.
How do I register?
- Go to the City & Guilds Applications and Nominations Platform
- Click Register
- Choose to register to SurveyMonkey Apply (recommended) or using a Social Media Account (this will redirect you to the social media platform to complete your registration)
- Click Create Account
- You will then receive an email asking to verify your account, click Confirm email address within this email
How do I reset my Password?
- Go to the City & Guilds Applications and Nominations Platform
- Click Log In
- Underneath the Email/Password fields, click “Forgot your password?“
- Enter the email address that you use to login to the site
- Click Send Instructions
- You will be sent instructions to the email you entered to reset your password. If you aren’t to locate the email in your inbox, we recommend checking your Spam/Junk folder
- Click on the link within the email
- Enter a new password and confirm the password
- Click Reset Password
Why am I not receiving any emails from the site?
- Ensure that noreply@mail.smapply.net is added to your safe sender list within your email account.
- Ensure that your email is verified within the site. If you’re receiving this notification at the top of your page, then it’s possible that you won’t receive other emails from the site.
- Ensure that you’re subscribed to receive emails from the site.
- Check your Spam Folder to verify whether the email was sent to your Spam/Junk folder.
- Depending on the email(s) you’re expecting to receive, reach out to the administrators to ensure that an email was sent out.
How do I create a new application?
- Click View Programmes
- Find Community Skills Fund (note that at certain times of the year, other programmes will show here) and select MORE >
- Click Apply
The City & Guilds Foundation reserves the right to exclude any application that it deems outside its criteria. Funding will be subject to The City and Guilds of London Institute’s discretion and the successful applicant entering into a separate contract with The City and Guilds of London Institute on completion of the application and due diligence process.
City & Guilds Foundation’s Rights
The City & Guilds Foundation reserves the right to:
- waive or change the requirements of the Community Skills Fund from time to time without prior notice;
- withdraw the Community Skills Fund at any time, or re-invite applications on the same or any alternative basis; and
- choose not to award funding as a result of the application process.
Applicant costs
The City & Guilds Foundation will not in any circumstances be liable for any costs, expenditure, work or effort incurred by an applicant in applying to the Community Skills Fund.
Data Protection
The personal data of applicants (and any other personal data contained in an application) will be managed by City & Guilds in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018. City & Guilds will collect personal data at the time of submission of each application, and as is otherwise necessary in order to administer the Community Skills Fund and all associated activities. By submitting an Expression of Interest you agree that any personal data provided by you to the City & Guilds Foundation may be held and used by the City & Guilds Foundation and its agents to administer the Community Skills Fund. Applicants may contact the City & Guilds Foundation at any time to update their details and/or preferences regarding the use of personal data.
Liability
While the information contained on this website is believed to be correct at the time of issue, City & Guilds and the City & Guilds Foundation accepts no liability in any circumstances for its accuracy, adequacy or completeness, nor is any express or implied warranty given. No representations or warranties are made in relation to these statements, opinions or conclusions.
Insofar as is permitted by law, City & Guilds and its agents accept no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered as a result of submitting an application to the Fund.
The City and Guilds Institute of London is a registered charity in England and Wales (312832).
Introduction
The City & Guilds Group is committed to data security and the fair and transparent processing of personal data. This privacy policy (Policy) sets out how we will treat the personal data which you provide to us in compliance with applicable data protection law, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).
Please read this Policy carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal data, your rights in relation to your personal data, how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event that you would like to report a concern about the way in which we process your data.
Who are we?
The City and Guilds of London Institute is a charity incorporated by Royal Charter, with registered charity number 312832 (England and Wales) and SC039576 (Scotland) (City & Guilds). Our registered address is Giltspur Street, 5-6 Giltspur Street, London EC1A 9DE.
For the purposes of the GDPR, City & Guilds is the ‘controller’ of the personal data you provide to us or one of our associated companies (together the City & Guilds Group).
If you have any queries about this Policy, the way in which City & Guilds processes personal data, or about exercising any of your rights, please send an email to gdpr@cityandguilds.com or write to Data Protection, City & Guilds, Giltspur Street, 5-6 Giltspur Street, London EC1A 9DE.
City & Guilds collects the data of its bursary applicants. This Policy, any other documents referred to in it, sets out the basis on which City & Guilds processes personal data.
What personal data do we collect?
We may collect and process the following personal data:
Information you provide to us:
- Name
- Age range
- Course and centre name / location
- Address
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Sex/Gender Identity
- Sexuality
- Ethnicity
- Employment status
- Qualification level
- Information about your income, expenditure, debt and savings
- Career interests
- Your skills and experience
- Your professional development goals
- Disability information/any adjustments/learning difficulties
- Equal opportunity monitoring information
Information we collect about you
If you visit our website, we may automatically collect the following information:
- technical information, including the internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet, login information, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform;
- information about your visit to our website such as the products and/or services you searched for and view, page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), and methods used to browse away from the page;
- any phone number used to call our customer service number.
Information we receive from other sources
We may also receive information about you if you use any of the other websites we operate or the other services we provide.
We may also receive information about you from your education provider when they register to receive products and/or services from us.
Information about other people
If you provide information to us about any person other than yourself, such as your relatives and next of kin, you must ensure that they understand how their information will be used, and that they have given their permission for you to disclose it to us and for you to allow us, and our outsourced service providers, to use it.
Sensitive personal data
In certain limited cases, we may collect certain sensitive personal data from you such as information about your physical or mental health of condition, to enable us to administer requests for reasonable adjustments or sensitive personal data or racial/ethnic origin in order for us to be able to monitor our bursary scheme. However, we will only do so on the basis of your explicit consent.
How do we use your personal data?
We may use your personal data where this is necessary to pursue our legitimate interests as a provider of bursaries including to:
- send you evaluation forms to collect data about your post-qualification career progression
- contact you about opportunities to share your experience as a bursary case study or speaker
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data on the basis of legitimate interests as set out below, under the heading Your rights.
We may also process your personal data if required by law, including responding to requests by government or law enforcement authorities, or for the prevention of crime or fraud.
Who do we share your personal data with?
We may share your personal data with members of the City & Guilds Group. You can read more about our group companies at www.cityandguilds.com. We take all reasonable steps to ensure that our staff protect your personal data and are aware of their information security obligations. We limit access to your personal data to those who have a genuine business need to know it.
We will ensure there is a contract in place with the categories of recipients listed above which include obligations in relation to the confidentiality, security, and lawful processing of any personal data shared with them.
Where a third party recipients is located outside the European Economic Area, we will ensure that the transfer of personal data will be protected by appropriate safeguards, namely the use of standard data protection clauses adopted or approved by the European Commission where the data protection authority does not believe that the third country has adequate data protection laws.
We will share personal data with law enforcement or other authorities if required by applicable law.
How long will you keep your personal data?
We will retain personal data relating to your bursary application at the City & Guilds group following the outcome of your application for 10 years following your application.
Where do we store your personal data and how is it protected?
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal data from loss or destruction. We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so.
Where you have a username or password (or other identification information) which enables you to access certain services or parts of our site, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share a password with anyone. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your personal data, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.
Your rights
Under the GDPR, you have various rights with respect to our use of your personal data:
Right to Access
You have the right to request a copy of the personal data that we hold about you by contacting us at the email or postal address given below. Please include with your request information that will enable us to verify your identity. We will respond with 30 days of request. Please note that there are exceptions to this right. We may be unable to make all information available to you if, for example, making the information available to you would reveal personal data about another person, if we are legally prevented from disclosing such information. Or if your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
Right to rectification
We aim to keep your personal data accurate and complete. We encourage you to contact us using the contact details provided below to let us know if any of your personal data is not accurate or changes, so that we can keep your personal data up-to-date.
Right to erasure
You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data where, for example, the personal data are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected, where you withdraw your consent to processing, where there is no overriding legitimate interest for us to continue to process your personal data, or your personal data has been unlawfully processed. If you would like to request that your personal data is erased, please contact us using the contact details provided below.
Right to object
In certain circumstances, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal data where, for example, your personal data is being processed on the basis of legitimate interests and there is no overriding legitimate interest for us to continue to process your personal data, or if your data is being processed for direct marketing purposes. If you would like to object to the processing of your personal data, please contact us using the contact details provided below.
Right to restrict processing
In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that we restrict the further processing of your personal data. This right arises where, for example, you have queried the accuracy of the personal data we hold about you and we are verifying the information, you have objected to processing based on legitimate interests and we are considering whether there are any overriding legitimate interests, or the processing is unlawful and you elect that processing is restricted rather than deleted. Please contact us using the contact details provided below.
Right to data portability
In certain circumstances, you have the right to request that some of your personal data is provided to you, or to another data controller, in a commonly used, machine-readable format. This right arises where you have provided your personal data to us, the processing is based on consent or the performance of a contract, and processing is carried out by automated means. If you would like to request that your personal data is ported to you, please contact us using the contact details provided below.
Please note that the GDPR sets out exceptions to these rights. If we are unable to comply with your request due to an exception we will explain this to you in our response.
Contact
If you have any queries about this Policy, the way in which City & Guilds processes personal data, or about exercising any of your rights, please send an email to gdpr@cityandguilds.com or write to Data Protection, City & Guilds, Giltspur House, 5-6 Giltspur Street, London EC1A 9DE.
Complaints
If you believe that your data protection rights may have been breached, and we have been unable to resolve your concern, you may lodge a complaint the applicable supervisory authority or to seek a remedy through the courts. Please visit https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ for more information on how to report a concern to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office.
Changes to our Policy
Any changes we may make to our Policy in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, notified to you by e-mail. Please check back frequently to see any updates or changes to our Policy.
