/ Key Initiatives / European Structural Funds

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:

Please click on the link for general information on the ESIF programme.

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;

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 – Please check the relevant call specification for details of how to apply.

ERDF

There are currently no live calls for ERDF funding applications.

 ESF

The following call for applications is currently open for ESF.  Please note that the deadline for applications is midnight 7 January 2020.

IP 2.2 Enabling SMEs to engage in Technical Education

EAFRD

The following calls for applications are currently open as part of a National Reserve Fund:

Food Processing

Rural Business Development

Rural Tourism Infrastructure

To access the information relating to the current calls, please see the link below:

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

Previous Open ERDF and ESF Calls

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

ERDF

ESF

 

ESIF Partnership committee

The ESIF Partnership Committee is run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

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

The draft version of the Lancashire ESIF Strategy can be accessed by clicking on the links below:

Draft European Structural & Investment Funds 2014-20 Strategy for Lancashire part 1

Draft European Structural & Investment Funds 2014-20 Strategy for Lancashire part 2

 

Resources Draft Lancashire European Structural and Investment Funds Strategy February 2016 Submission part 1 Draft Lancashire European Structural and Investment Funds Strategy February 2016 Submission part 2 Read next Lancashire’s Local Industrial Strategy