Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund
Apply for up to £100,000 in funding to boost apprenticeship uptake from underrepresented groups.
The Department for the Economy (DfE) has launched the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund, worth £600,000, to increase the number of apprentices from underrepresented cohorts.
The Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund aims to promote apprenticeship uptake and participation from:
- women;
- people with disabilities; and,
- people from disadvantaged areas.
The Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund approach will seek to drive innovative collaboration projects across:
- education;
- business; and,
- voluntary and community sectors.
Why a challenge fund?
Challenge funds promote collaboration to resolve specific challenges and develop ideas that provide local solutions to local problems, stimulating greater social impact.
The challenge fund will deliver short to medium-term benefits within the project's timeframe and additionally support DfE's strategic longer-term objective of increasing participation across underrepresented cohorts in the apprenticeship system.
What support is available?
The Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund will support up to six projects with allocations of around £100,000 per project over 18 months.
DfE aims to support two projects under each key theme: women, people with disabilities; and those from disadvantaged areas.
Successful applicants will be grant-funded following a competitive selection process. Eligible costs will be identified in a letter of offer to successful applicants, but could typically include: staff costs; the costs involved in collaboration/engagement; mentoring; marketing, etc.
How do I apply?
The deadline for applications to the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund is 4pm on Friday 6 December 2024.
Successful applicants must commence delivery on all funded projects in January 2025 and activity must be completed by 30 June 2026.
Complete the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund application form (DOC, 181K).
Queries
You can contact DfE with any queries regarding the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund by emailing apprenticeshippolicyinnovation@economy-ni.gov.uk.
First published 30 October 2024
Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund - Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply to the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund?
The fund is open to any organisation that has experience or an interest in the Northern Ireland apprenticeships system, however, all activity funded under the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund must promote or broaden access to DfE-funded apprenticeship programmes across the underrepresented cohorts of women; people with disabilities; and those from disadvantaged areas.
How much funding is available?
DfE has allocated a budget of £600,000 for the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund. Successful applicants could receive one-off awards of around £100,000 each for the development of their proposal.
What can be funded under the Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund?
Successful applicants will be funded to undertake activity to develop new or innovative solutions to grow and maintain the supply of apprenticeship opportunities under the three key themes of: women; people with disabilities; and those from areas of disadvantage. The nature of activity funded will differ depending on the activity involved. Eligible costs will be identified in the letter of offer to successful applicants, but could typically include staff costs; the costs involved in collaboration/engagement; marketing, etc.
Is there a maximum number of applications that would be accepted from one organisation?
The challenge fund approach will seek to drive collaboration on a “three-partner” basis between education, business, and voluntary and community sectors, ensuring that all projects are embedded in their contexts, developed in line with available evidence, and guided by DfE policy.
There is no maximum number of applications per consortium or organisation.
Is there a limit on the number of awards that could be made to one collaboration?
There is no limit on the number of awards that could be made to one consortium or organisation.
If a consortium decides to submit more than one proposal (as there are many areas of interest), should they instead submit one overall organisational proposal, but with a separate section within it for each project?
No, as each application will be assessed and scored individually, you should complete a full, separate application form for each area of interest. While this may involve some duplication, it will ensure that all information for the application is assessed.
Are capital costs eligible?
No.
Please send any further questions to DfE by emailing apprenticeshippolicyinnovation@economy-ni.gov.uk.
All questions and answers will be posted above.