Heart of Bucks – Skills for Good Fund
Skills for Good offers funding to help charity staff and volunteers access training and formal qualifications that strengthen the services they deliver. The fund is designed for local charities and community groups that want to improve an existing service or develop a new one, but don’t have the resources to invest in professional development.
If you’re passionate about your community and have a clear idea of how developing skills would help your organisation deliver more effectively, Skills for Good could help you take the next step
How much can we apply for
- You can apply for funding up to £2,000 in total per organisation, per annum, subject to a maximum of £500 per person being trained.For example:
- you could apply for a group (4+) training session on developing a volunteer programme costing £2,000, or
- an App software development course for two members of staff costing £300pp plus Information & Advice training for a group of six volunteers at £1,400
Criteria
We’re looking to support learning that leads to real, practical change, whether that’s improving the quality of a current service or provision, responding to new or growing need, or building the skills required to launch something new.
Applications will be assessed on how clearly they show that training will:
- Strengthen the skills, confidence, or leadership of staff or volunteers
- Lead to practical changes in service delivery, not just individual development
- Improve outcomes for service users and the wider community
Strong applications will demonstrate:
- A clear link between the training requested and the service impact
- How learning will be applied in practice, not just gained in theory
- Benefits that extend beyond the individual to the organisation and its beneficiaries
- How the grant will support longer-term sustainability or growth
- Who can apply?
- Registered charities, community groups, social enterprises, Charitable Incorporated Organisations, Community Interest companies (limited by guarantee), Community Benefit Societies or other not for profit organisations which are based in or operate for the benefit of residents in the area administered by Buckinghamshire Council. The groups must be formally constituted and operate for public benefit.
What can we fund?
Grants should be used for formal training, accredited learning, or recognised qualifications that:
- Improve the quality, effectiveness, or sustainability of an existing service, or
- Enable an organisation to develop, expand, or introduce a new service
What can’t we fund?
- Training with no clear link to service delivery or community benefit
- One-off courses without plans to apply learning
- Professional development that primarily benefits individuals rather than services
- Renewals of standard business training, such as First Aid or Fire Marshal qualifications
- Applications from individual members of staff (applications should be made by the employing organisation).
Application Process:
Applications should be made by the employing organisation not by individual staff or volunteers.
Organisations may apply once per annum. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis as they are received.
We expect decisions to be made within two weeks of application (or receipt of any additional information requested by us if this is later).
