John Hacking – Network for Europe

 Introduction to Programmes  Outline of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and their role.  Opportunities for engagement & funding processes  Next Steps  Q and A

 Smart  Sustainable  Inclusive

 The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF),  The European Social Fund (ESF)  The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)  Have been brought together into a single ‘EU Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme’

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European Structural and Investment Funds

 ESF is there to support people at a disadvantage in the labour market;  ERDF is aimed at enterprises, including social enterprises and infrastructure investment  EAFRD combines support for people, small businesses and infrastructure in rural areas.  ESF will focus on the two main priorities:  Inclusive Labour Markets  Skills for Growth.

Inclusive Labour Markets  This will support projects working with:unemployed people and the economically inactive  young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs)  Active Inclusion targeting those furthest from the labour market with multiple barriers to engagement

Skills for Growth  This will support projects delivering:  training (formal and informal), advice and guidance focussing primarily on basic and intermediate skills  improving employer participation and engagement in learning so that it is responsive to the needs of the local economy and more individuals’ progress into or within learning – this is mainly about improving partnerships and systems.

 Voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses formed in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help determine local economic priorities and lead economic growth and job creation within its local area  There are 39 LEPs ◦ Growing Places Fund: delivering local infrastructure priorities ◦ Regional Growth Fund: drawing private sector leverage for job creation ◦ Enterprise Zones: growth stimulation via simplified planning and business tax breaks ◦ City Deals: Removing barriers to growth

 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have a rapidly expanding role in driving the local economic growth agenda.   LEPs were originally created as private sector-led public : private sector partnerships.  As a result previous VCSE engagement with LEPs has been minimal.  However, since they assumed responsibility for EU Funds their role has expanded into areas such as: Skills for employment; Social inclusion; Environment and climate change; Social innovation and Youth unemployment.

 Developing strategy, working with wide range of partners  Production of ESIF Investment Strategy*  Selecting projects (commissioning, bidding and co-financing)  Identification of match funding  Spend allocation (on time and in line with EU regulations)  Ensure outcomes delivered  Monitor delivery against strategy and programme priorities  Not responsible for administering the funds (remains with Managing Authorities)

 National ESIF Growth Programme Board ◦ development of the ESIF Growth Programme ◦ co-ordination with other programmes ◦ strategic and operational impact and alignment with complementary growth measures  Managing authority ◦ Overseeing application process, ensuring eligibility, ◦ Claims and payments ◦ Audit responsibility  Local ESIF Committee (each of the 39 LEPs to have one)

 Local Authority  Business partners (including small businesses and social enterprise as appropriate to the LEP area.  Equalities and non-discrimination  Environment (with relevant expertise in e.g. sustainable development)  Trade Union and employer representation  Higher Education  Education, skills & employment (eg Local Skills Partnership Board /Colleges)  Managing Authorities for each of the ESIF funds and BIS Local

2 routes for making funding available: ‘calls’ or ‘Opt-Ins’  Call: open invitation for applicants to submit proposals against a published specification issued by the Managing Authority  Opt-in: a procurement process undertaken by the Opt-In organisations working with LEPs  For ESF programmes delivered through Opt-in organisations, applications will go through the Opt-in Organisations who will be responsible for procuring ESF activity  Opt in organisations include ◦ DWP ◦ Skills Funding Agency ◦ Big Lottery Fund ◦ National Offender Management Service

What Are Opt-Ins?  They are national public bodies or equivalent to national public bodies.  They fulfil their statutory functions in relation to one or more of the activities described in the Operational Programme.  They have sufficient eligible match funding for an agreed duration within the time period of the Operational Programme.  They have sufficient infrastructure and expertise to carry out the duties.  The providers which will receive support from the European Social Fund are selected in accordance with open and competitive selection procedures.

Opt-Ins  About 80% of ESF will be spent through Opt-Ins  All will have different procurement/grant routes  DWP/SFA will be a procurement route similar to the current programme.  SFA wont have Minimum Level of Contracting  SFA will use ACTOR (Bravo) for most Adult Provision  SFA will have 2 or 3 procurement ‘rounds’ a year. Depending on LEP needs.

Opportunities for VCS to Get Access to Funds VCS Providers could access as: ◦ Lead providers ◦ Sub contractors ◦ Other supply chain provision ◦ Partnership ◦ Consortium

What Should We Do Next? (1)  Review project/activity fit with the LEP ESIF Strategy.  Local ESIF plans are usually available on the LEP website. The GM one is here for example GM EU ESIF GM EU ESIF  This link has separate links to most ESIF plans. ESIF PlansESIF Plans  LEPs have developing project pipelines and Opt In Call timetables.  Build relationships with the LEP team and existing funders esp. if they are Opt Ins.

◦ What Should We Do Next (2) ESIF Readiness!! ◦ Refresh/Check Organisational Details (Inc. some specific Opt In requirements such as SFA Provider Registration Number PRN) ◦ Insurance & Health and Safety Policies ◦ Training status (accredited? What QA? Matrix?) ◦ Equal Opportunities and Equality Policies. Are they in existence? Are they current?

Finances – Up to date financial accounts. Different situations will require different levels of accounts but minimum will be some externally verified financial statements of account. Audit and Record Keeping – “Simplification” is ambition of EU! – Varies according to Opt In and Status (eg partner/subcontractor etc) – Financial record keeping usually very stringent – Learner Beneficiary Records usually detailed.

 Look at the Calls/ITTs.  What can we offer in terms of: ◦ Activity  What do we do that meets aspirations of the calls? Eg Informal/Formal Learning-Training ? ◦ Target Group Engagement  Who do we do it to, and how do we engage? -Outputs, what do we offer.

Focus!  Which fund are we suited to ERDF/ESF?  Which ESF Opt-in(s) are we focussing on?  i.e. which Opt-in covers our activity/target group? SFA Mainly training and skills provision. DWP Employment Related Support BLF BBO Fund

 Both ERDF and ESF Operational Programmes now approved by European Commission  Both are available at  This means programmes are now officially ‘live’  Some LEPs have had some ERDF and ESF calls to date.  Now Opt-Ins will start their ESF procurement. ◦ BLF already underway (BBO Stage 1 live. ◦ SFA due to release first wave of Calls in next month (NEETs first) ◦ DWP will be releasing calls through LEPs on work related activity next.