Fens LeAP LEADER+

Fens LeAP		LEADER+
Location	The Fens Leader Plus area covers certain areas of Cambridgeshire and Nofolk. For a map showing eligible areas, see Application Advice and Guidance
Dates	The Fens LeAP LEADER+ partnership has until December 2006 to allocate its funds. However, successful applicants can claim the funds up until December 2008. Applications can be made at any time but the application process will take a minimum of three months.
Aims	Objective of the funding opportunity: "To improve the quality of life in the Fens" Leader+ themes include Access, Aspirations and communications and the funding aims to improve access to services, information and opportunities; identify and tackle rural needs, increase awareness of work and education opportunities; increase confidence levels and tackle isolation and communication issues. The funding is targeted at programmes supporting young people (11-25) and/or those over 55. The funders aim to test new and innovative projects that will improve skill levels and be sustainable after the funding stops.
	It aims to help the following client groups:
	Young people	Older workers
FRESA priorities	The funding opportunity fits with the following FRESA priorities:
	Top priorities: Young people and career choices	Medium priorities: Access to learning and ICT Increasing employment rates
	More information on the FRESA The following labour market factsheets contain evidence to support bids for this funding: Young people and career choices
Eligibility	Eligible Organisations: Any organisation
Accreditation	Organisations must have the following accreditation to bid: No acreditation is needed
Amount available	Funding available: The Fens LeAP LEADER+ partnership have been allocated £1.5 million from the EU and £265,000 from DEFRA. There is no limit on the amount that can be offered to any one project but they would have to be pursuaded that there were special circumstances to justify an amount of over £30,000 per year. Match funding of around 50% is usually required. However, voluntary and community groups can apply to the FastTrack funding stream, which can fund 100% of the total project costs, up to a maximum of £3,000. Leader+ funds are always paid out retrospectively, which means that the money must be spent first, then claimed back at the end of each quarter.Therefore, applicants need to be financially viable bodies that can support this kind of funding proceedure.
Previous bids	For details of previous successful bids, see Fens LeAP Projects
Application	Application is a two-stage process. Applicants with projects that fit with the funders' strategy, themes and target groups will be invited to make a fuller application. You will need the following documents to apply : 1st stage Application form Guidance notes For the FastTrack funding stream you will need: FastTrack application form
Contact	For further information contact:
	LEADER+ Programme Team c/o Cambridgeshire ACRE 32 Main Street Littleport Ely Cambridgeshire CB6 1PJ Tel: (01353) 860850 Fax: (01353) 862040 E-mail: marianne.baker@cambsacre.org.uk or mark.hodgkinson@cambsacre.org.uk www.fens-leader.org.uk
Weblinks	Other useful websites: Cambridgeshire ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) - www.cambsacre.org.uk LEADER+ website - www.defra.gov.uk/rural/leader/default.htm UK LEADER+ network website - www.ukleader.org.uk