Community Learning Innovation Fund: now open for applications

The Community Learning Innovation Fund (CLIF), a new £4million grants fund from the Skills Funding Agency, administered by NIACE, is now open for applications.

The CLIF will provide grants of between £10,000 and £65,000, to organisations from across England for new and imaginative community learning opportunities to encourage adults to take up, succeed and progress in learning.

The purpose of the CLIF is to support new and creative community learning opportunities, particularly for disadvantaged people, in line with the objectives set out in New Challenges, New Chances Further Education and Skills Reform Plan: Building a World Class System (BIS, December 2011). The Fund will draw on the experience of previous government funds such as the; Adult and Community Learning Fund (ACLF) (2011-12), Transformation Fund (2009-10) and Adult and Community Learning Fund (1998-2004) in supporting innovative social partnerships, curriculum innovation and strategies to engage under-represented groups.

Projects will be funded to run from September 2012 to 31st July 2013.

The Fund is open for applications until:

■ 12 noon, Thursday 28th June 2012 for applications for £50,000 and over
■ 12 noon, Thursday 5th July 2012 for applications for less than £50,000.

Please note that this fund is open to organisations in England only. Projects should be designed to support the development and delivery of community learning for people aged 19 and over. The application process is online and only online submissions will be accepted. Applications submitted in hard copy or by email will not be accepted.

Full information about the Fund is available in the Prospectus which can be downloaded here (pdf). There is also a list of Frequently Asked Questions which is being added to on a regular basis.

If you have an enquiry about the CLIF please email clif@niace.org.uk. Please do not telephone NIACE as they are not able to deal with enquiries over the telephone. Please read through the Prospectus, the FAQs and the accompanying guidance documents in full before emailing any queries.

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