The Local Investment in Future Talent (LIFT) programme is a delegated grant scheme for voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE) and other relevant organisations who can deliver a range of employability and skills support projects in the rural areas of Norfolk and North Suffolk.
LIFT is delivered through three funding strands are:
LIFT Jobs – enables organisations to engage with individuals who face barriers to work and move them into, or closer to, employment
LIFT Trials- helps organisations deliver tailored support for businesses so that they are able to offer a range of work experience to individuals who have limited or no workplace experience
LIFT Skills – assists organisations to deliver personalised skills support for people employed in rural businesses
There is just over £1m grant funding available for eligible projects up to spring 2020. The funding split available for eligible projects across the three strands is as follows
LIFT Jobs £290,000
LIFT Trials £440,000
LIFT Skills £440,000
Grants from £5,000 to around £50,000 are available. However, the maximum LIFT grant you can apply for is limited to 50% of the costs of delivering your project. You will need to have identified the remaining 50% of your project funding before your project starts.
LIFT is funded by the European Social Fund. It will be delivered by Norfolk County Council in partnership with South Norfolk and Broadland District Councils, who can offer match funding and/or match funding in kind to projects in their district areas.
LIFT Grant applications will be assessed and determined by rural Local Action Groups. These are local, grassroots committees that already distribute EU capital funding to businesses in rural areas and are comprised of local private, public and civil society representatives. Local Action Group members work together to fund projects that will improve their local rural economy. They have a high level of local expertise and funding experience and provide the community leadership at the LIFT programme’s heart.
The LIFT programme will fund eligible project activity delivered in one or more of the five geographical areas covered by Local Action Groups (see the map). These areas are the Brecks, the Broads, Wensum and Coast, Waveney Valley and West Norfolk. Each Local Action Group area represents a cohesive rural economic community.