Apply Now for the Skills Innovation Grant
St Helens Chamber is launching the ‘Skills Innovation Grant’ as part of the Together to Zero initiative.
The programme will support local businesses and young people to receive funding and skills training to become greener as part of Liverpool City Region’s commitment to become Net Zero carbon by 2040.
The ‘Skills Innovation Grant’ will provide revenue and capital grants to St Helens and Liverpool City Region located businesses, education, training, and other community-based delivery partners to build capacity and help address current and future employer skills needs in our efforts to achieve Net Zero carbon by 2040 primarily within the clean growth and advanced manufacturing sectors.
It includes up to £135,000 small grants which will see £90,000 awarded to revenue-based activities and £45,000 to capital-based applications.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund. The Government has introduced the fund as it prepares for the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022, which will replace EU Structural and Investment Funds. This project received £617,000 in total from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund, supported by additional St Helens Chamber resources.
Level of funding available
The ‘Skills Innovation Grant’ will award up to £135,000 of small grants, with £90,000 awarded to revenue-based activities and £45,000 to capital-based applications.
Bids are invited for revenue grants of between £5,000 and £25,000 for a 6-to-10-week programme of activity. It is expected that between 6 to 10 grants will be issued.
Bids are invited for capital grants of between £5,000 and £15,000 for a 6-to-10-week programme of activity. It is expected that between 3 to 6 grants will be issued.
Applications for projects requiring both revenue and capital grants will be accepted.
Project delivery, financial defrayment, outcomes, and outputs are required to be completed by 30 June 2022.
Who is eligible to apply?
This grant is aimed at the education, training, and voluntary, community, charitable and social enterprise sectors in St Helens, and the Liverpool City Region.
Only one application may be submitted per organisation. Projects must be delivered by 30 June 2022.
To be eligible your organisation must:
- Be an organisation with a track record of successful service delivery
- Be registered in St Helens or the Liverpool City Region, and operating for the benefit of businesses or residents
- Be able to meet one or more priorities as detailed
- Have a constitution or governing documentation that contains clear objectives
- For Community Interest Companies, have at least three directors
- Have a bank account in the name of the organisation with two or more signatories
- Be able to provide annual accounts or an income and expenditure breakdown for the past 12 months (or management accounts if your organisation has not existed for 12 months)
- Provide an up-to-date safeguarding policy for the organisation
The following are not eligible for funding via this programme:
- Individuals, or organisations applying on behalf of individuals
- Statutory bodies
- Organisations registered outside of the Liverpool City Region
- Organisations set up to support animals
- The promotion of religion or political views
- Large capital costs including large scale renovations and the purchase of vehicles
- The promotion of philanthropy and endowment appeals
- Retrospective funding or costs that have already been incurred
- Start-ups or organisations with no track record of successful service delivery
Further information
Proposals should be clearly distinct from funding provided through other funding streams and demonstrate that the project does not conflict with wider UK Government policy.
The grant can cover the project delivery as well as a contribution to core and running costs related to the project. The project can be either expansions of existing projects or a new project. The grant cannot cover VAT and therefore applications should exclude VAT from project values.
100% of the grant allocation will be provided once the offer letter is signed and returned by the grantee. Grantees must commit to providing outcomes and impact monitoring data as part of the project.
Timetable
| 21st April | Grants fund opens for applications |
| w/c 9th May | Applicants notified of outcome and delivery begins |
| 30th June | Project delivery completion |
| 30th June | Grantees must submit evaluation reports and monitoring evidence |
| Open | Application Deadline |
Application Guidelines
Please download and review the enclosed ‘Application Guidelines’ document to find out further information relating to the Skills Innovation Grants.
Download Application Guidelines
Submit Application
To apply to the Skills Innovation Grant fund, please complete the following online application form for consideration before the closing date.
Once you have submitted your application via our online form, you will receive an acknowledgement by e-mail. Following the closing date we will assess all applications for eligibility on a case-by-case basis and contact all applicants accordingly.
For more information contact Leon Carroll, Project Manager by email at info.togethertozero@sthelenschamber.com
