The Big Lottery Fund has made available fixed amounts of funding per LEP area proportionate to its investment in the area. Greater Manchester was allocated £20,000. This funding, under the BLF’s Building Better Opportunities programme, is to raise awareness within the voluntary community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector of the opportunities available through the European Social Fund.
GMCVO is delivering the project in Greater Manchester in partnership with New Economy and Network for Europe.
The project aim is to provide a range of information and advice to help VCSE organisations, and the organisations that support them, to make sure everyone is aware of the plan, can identify whether and how they could and would want to participate, understand the routes into delivery, and are prepared for the practical requirements of working with European funding.
This should include, for example, an easy guide to the ESIF plan, an on-line questionnaire so people can check where their organisation might fit in versus the lots anticipated, free briefings giving up-to-date information and more details about opportunities, and workshops offering technical support.
GMCVO has limited resources to provide technical help to assist organisations deliver under the ESIF programme. GMCVO are asking groups to complete a questionnaire to inform them of the areas you'd like support with. To complete the survey, visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7H8GR98
For further information, visit: www.gmcvo.org.uk/getting-better-prepared-european-funding
Read our briefing European Programme 2014-20 - Opportunities for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to deliver the Greater Manchester ESIF plan