Minnygap Education & Training Fund
| Grant size | Up to £1,500 |
| Area |
Dumfries and Galloway
|
| Key dates | |
| Application deadline: | Applications are welcome at any time. |
About this fund
This fund provides bursaries to residents of the Johnstone, Templand and Kirkpatrick Juxta community council areas to help overcome any financial barriers they face in acquiring new skills, knowledge and qualifications which will enable them to enter into, retain and enhance employment. This fund is provided by the Minnygap Community Fund.
The maximum award is:
- First time applicants: up to £1,500
- Second time applicants: up to £1,000
- Any further applications: up to £300 per year.
Similarly, if your course runs over several years, any award will be capped at:
- First year of study: up to £1,500
- Second year of study: up to £1,000
- Any further year of study: up to £300 per year
Purpose of this fund
The purpose of Minnygap Education & Training Fund is to improve the opportunities and livelihoods of people living in Johnstone, Templand and Kirkpatrick Juxta, geographically defined by community council boundaries. This includes the villages of Johnstonebridge, Templand and Beattock.
Courses leading to formal or recognised qualifications will be favoured, however other courses will also be considered where you can demonstrate how the skills and knowledge gained will realistically support you in securing or retaining a job.
Courses supported can be on a full time or part-time basis and may be: Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships, Foundation Apprenticeships, SVQs, NCs, HNCs, HNDs, undergraduate degrees, postgraduate qualifications (excludes PhDs), short vocational courses and other courses that meet the fund purpose.
Additional criteria
You must provide information on the full costs you require in relation to the course. For example, if you are a first-time applicant taking a week-long course that costs £400, you will only be able to apply for £400 plus related travel & subsistence. And if you receive funding from elsewhere, for example, £100 towards the course fees, you will only be able to apply for £300.
We recognise that the fund area has limited further education opportunities; however, any course taken locally will be looked upon more favourably than a course that requires you to leave the area. By local, we would generally mean south and central Scotland
If you are applying for costs linked with an Apprenticeship arrangement, you must be employed within the fund area.
Who can apply?
The fund is open to individuals aged 16 or over and living in the Johnstone, Templand or Kirkpatrick Juxta Community Council areas.
The Education & Training Fund can also support individuals who live out with the area of benefit depending on the circumstances. For example, someone who lives outside the area but works at a business within the area may be eligible for an award.
What can’t be funded?
You cannot apply for funding for any costs incurred before a decision is made on your application (retrospective funding).
We cannot fund training or equipment that your employer should be providing for you or that is necessary for you to carry out your current job.
If you're an apprentice, you cannot apply for any costs that you could claim back from your employer or another source.
How are decisions made?
Foundation Scotland will review your application and may contact you for further information. It is then passed to the Minnygap Community Fund Panel for decision. The result will be sent to you by email.
Frequently asked questions
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When should I apply?
You should apply as soon as you are sure that you will take the course and have been accepted onto it. We will normally respond to your application between six and eight weeks after the application deadline. Please tell us about any important dates relating to your course, for example, registration or start date, or the date for a decision about any other funding towards it. If you need a response sooner than this, please get in touch with us as soon as you can. We will do our best to turn your application around in good time.
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What evidence do I need to provide?
This will depend on the course you are looking to take. Some may need to be provided to us along with your application (as set out in the application form), some periodically through the term of your award and some upon completion of your course. Examples include:
- Your offer letter or confirmation of a place on the course.
- A copy of your attendance record or statement by someone from the educational institution confirming you have been attending regularly, and
- A copy of your qualification certificate.
You may not have these documents at the time of application but will need to provide them when you can. Evidence of expenditure (receipts or invoices) will not be required as a matter of course but may be requested in some circumstances, for example, if you are awarded funding to buy a laptop. Please keep any relevant receipts for up to 12 months.
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How likely am I to get this award?
If the fund is oversubscribed, we may not be able to offer an award to every applicant, or we may not award everyone the full amount requested.
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What are my responsibilities?
If you are offered an award, you will need to sign and return a Grant Acceptance Form. This states that you must spend the award as described in your application form. If your plans change, you will need to let us know as soon as possible. It may be possible for you to retain the award, for example, if you intend to switch courses or if you fund another training provider offering a better deal. But you must tell us your circumstances have changed in the first instance. You will also be required to provide some feedback on your experiences to demonstrate the impact of the support you received from the fund.
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How is the grand award paid?
We will pay your award to you electronically by bank transfer so, you will need to provide a bank statement that shows your name, address, account number and sort code. In some cases, we can pay your education or training provider directly; if this would suit your circumstances, please let us know.
How to apply
Applications are submitted online using the link below. You will need:
- A working email account that you can access - to set up an online portal account through which applications are submitted online.
- A recent bank statement - because we often need to check account details are correct before we can pay out a grant. A scanned or photographed or electronic copy will need to be uploaded during the application process.
- Evidence of your home address - this could include a driving licence, SAAS letter or a bill (for example for your mobile phone). Any official letter (for example from the Scottish Exam Board, school correspondence, NHS appointment letters, tax letters or a payslip). If you are at college or university, they may be able to provide something suitable.
If you would like to review the questions you will be asked to answer before starting the form, you can see them here.
If you have any problems applying online or setting up your portal, please email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk or call 0131 524 0300 (during office hours) and we will be pleased to help.
If you have already started an application and not completed it, please login here to resume.
The fund operates on a rolling basis until further notice, which means that you can apply as soon as you're sure you're going to do the course.
Contact information
Central Systems Support
Sam Bramwell, Community Funds Adviser
Useful links
- Careers advice and training course listings at Skills Development Scotland (SDS) (My World of Work)
- Information about Individual Training Accounts which can also cover the costs of some courses (SDS Individual Training Accounts (ITA) | My World of Work).
- Minnygap Community Fund.