European Social Fund in England

2007 - 2013

2007-2013 ESF Funding Opportunities

ESF funds are distributed through 'Co-financing Organisations' (CFOs). CFOs are public bodies which bring together ESF and domestic funding for employment and skills so that ESF complements national programmes. The Skills Funding Agency, the Department for Work and Pensions Delivery Directorate and the National Offender Management Service are CFOs in every region of England. In some regions, Regional Development Agencies and some local authorities are also CFOs.

CFOs contract with the providers that deliver ESF projects on the ground. Providers can be from the private, public or voluntary sectors. CFOs make ESF available through a process of open and competitive tendering. Successful providers do not have to find their own 'match funding', as CFOs are responsible for both the ESF money and match funding.

During 2010, CFOs are launching tendering rounds for the second phase of the programme (2011 – 2013). Details of these can be found below.

Details of previous tendering rounds under the first half of the programme (2007 – 2010) can be viewed via the National Archives website.

Projects funded so far under the 2007-2013 ESF programme are available on this website.

Skills Funding Agency

The Skills Funding Agency has been granted ESF Co-financing Organisation status and also operates ESF as a shared service for the Young People's Learning Agency. The Skills Funding Agency will procure ESF funded learning provision using methods such as open and competitive tendering and negotiated funding. Providers wishing to deliver ESF provision for the Skills Funding Agency must register their details on the Qualified Provider Framework and apply to pre-qualify. Successfully qualified providers will be eligible to receive invitations to tender in ESF procurements rounds.

Department for Work and Pensions

DWP Framework Agreement for the provision of employment related support services including the new Work Programme and the next round of ESF contracts.

The move to the new arrangements will be facilitated via a two stage process. The first stage was launched 29 June 2010 and will conclude towards the end of the year. Details of suppliers who are successful, and their associated lots, will be published on the DWP website. The second stage of transition will see the commissioning of Work Programme contracts from the Framework. Activity here is likely to commence late 2010 with contracts expected to be in place by spring 2011.

National Offender Management Service (NOMS)

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is running a tendering exercise with the aim to commence project delivery from January 2011. PQQs have been evaluated and further information can be found on the NOMS CFO website.

More information on the exercise and an indicative procurement timetable.

London Development Agency (LDA)

There are further funding rounds for Community Grants under the LDA ESF Programme 2007-2010, which provides grants of up to £12,000 to third sector providers. Community Grants is being managed by Greater London Enterprise on behalf of the LDA. More information on the Community Grants programme.

East Midlands Local Authority Consortium

The East Midlands Local Authority Consortium (LAC) has launched on Friday 9 July 2010 a new European Social Fund (ESF) tender. This Tender round will support activity from January 2011 to the end of December 2013.

Following a review of the Regional ESF Framework document for the East Midlands in December 2009, each Co-financing Organisation has produced a revised plan of activity for the 2011-2013 period.

The LAC has revised its plan, and has now produced a series of tender activities that it wishes to fulfil.

Tendering details and a number of documents of potential interest to applicants are available on the following local authority websites;

Lincolnshire County Council
Derbyshire County Council
Leicester City Council
Derby City Council

Information contained on the website includes;

Tendering information & protocols
Tender specifications
The Local Authority Consortium ESF Co-financing Plan 2011 – 13
The Local Authority Consortium ESF Co-financing Prospectus 2011 – 13
ESF Co-financing tender forms and guidance

The Local Authority Consortium Plan and the activities within this tender align with current government policy, and the priorities of the Consortium members. However, it may be necessary to revisit the detail of the Local Authority Consortium plan, as government policy develops, and in response to the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review.

London Councils