Employable Communities Fund (ECF)
moving people towards employment

The Employable Communities Fund is a new source of funding available from October 2008 for any voluntary, community or faith group, supporting projects to help people from disadvantaged groups move towards employment.

A wide range of projects can be funded that break down barriers to employments, boost confidence and self-esteem and help people develope useable skills. Funds can be used to help adults, and for young people of school-leaving age who are not in employment, education or training.

Projects do not have to result directly in people getting jobs, but they have to give people the experience, the skills or the confidence that will make that more likely.

Groups can receive up to £12,000 in each year of the three-year programme. Funds for the ECF come from the European Social Fund - funding is available throughout Merseyside (but not in Halton Borough)

To make sure that they fulfil basic eligibility, applications can only be accepted after they have been discussed with one of the two Support Agencies:

• for projects working with disabled people, contact us at MDF. If the application is mainly to help other groups (for example for ex-offenders, or for people from BME communities) contact Merseyside Expanding Horizons (MEH) to receive support.

More information:

• download the application guidance notes here
• see the presentation by the Community Foundation for Merseyside made at the launch of the funding in October 2008 
• contact us at MDF to register your interest, to get a copy of the application form, and to arrange the required discussion about your project. We will allocate a reference number to your proposal. Applications will not be accepted without that reference number.

The next deadline for applications to reach the Community Foundation for Merseyside:

11/9/09

(this information was last updated: 31/7/09)

E: ecf@merseydisability.org.uk
T: (0151) 291-9570
F: (0151) 291-9569 (and textphone)