The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF)

esif

 

The 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme provides funds to help local areas stimulate growth. The funds support investment in innovation, businesses, skills and employment to improve local growth and create jobs.

A single ESIF Growth Programme has been set up to combine three separate European Funds. The Growth Programme provides funding to help projects in England that create jobs and economic growth.
These are:

See further information on ESIF

The local priorities for the three funds are detailed in the Lancashire ESIF Strategy. Please note that the Strategy is currently still draft and is awaiting to be updated once Lancashire's programme outputs have been agreed and the Strategy approved by the National ESIF Growth Board.

These funds will be delivered in two main ways; Open Calls and Opt Ins.

Opt Ins

This is the mechanism for the local ESIF Partnership to utilise match funding from other organisations in order to be able to draw down ESIF resources. The Opt In organisations provide a level of match funding and are allocated a proportion of ESIF resources. The Opt In organisation then allocates funding using its own processes and monitors the performance of the activity it is funding.

Currently there are three ESF Opt Ins in operation and further details can be obtained via the following websites;

In order to support project development in Lancashire the Lottery established a Programme Development Fund (PDF) and this funding was awarded to One Lancashire who can be contacted to discuss any detailed issues.

More Opt Ins are planned throughout the life of the ESIF programme and further details will be made available when they are approved.

Open Calls

This is the more traditional method for allocating ESIF funds whereby providers are asked to submit proposals to deliver specific types of activity using their own match funding. The details of Open Calls will be agreed by the local ESIF Partnership; with the details on the relevant Government department websites.

 

Calls Currently Open for Applications

 

NOTE TO APPLICANTS - New Application Forms: The Managing Authorities have released updated versions of the outline and full application forms that must be completed when applying for funding. The new forms can be accessed here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-outline-application

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/european-structural-and-investment-funds-full-application

 

ERDF

Calls for outline applications are currently open for the following Priorities:

P1 - Promoting Research and Innovation

P2 - Enhancing access to, and use and quality of, Information & Communications Technology

P3 - Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs

P4 - Supporting the shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors

The deadline for applications is Friday 20 April 2018.

  

ESF

There are currently no calls open for applications. 

 

EAFRD

There are currently three EARFD calls open for applications:

  • Food Processing
  • Rural Tourism
  • Business Development.

Please use the link below to access the information relating to each of these calls, which can be found in the corresponding Handbook:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rdpe-growth-programme

 

Previous Open Calls

The following calls were launched earlier on in the programme and are now closed;

 

 

 

In addition the BIG Lottery held an application round for projects supporting Individuals 50+ with Low or No Skills and Young People who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET; this round is closed.

For further details please visit the biglotteryfund.org.uk website.

ESIF Partnership committee

The committee is run by Department of Communities and Local Government DCLG.

For further information please contact Neil Roberts, Sean McGrath or Shabana Patel,  External Funding and Investment, at Lancashire County Council.

Downloads

Draft ESIF Strategy For Lancashire 1 Oct 15