Building Skills for Better Futures Fund

The Building Skills for Better Futures Fund provides grants of up to £10,000 for activities that help young people up to the age of 25 build skills to improve their employability prospects and enable them to thrive. The fund was developed in response to the Flourish 2024 findings on what young people in Norfolk are experiencing, including concerns about school attendance and preparedness for life after leaving school. Funders are particularly interested in projects supporting young people facing additional barriers to education and employment, including those facing rural isolation, Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), and those from disadvantaged backgrounds such as Young Carers, Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Children in Care or Care Leavers, Children from low income families, and those with SEND. Fundable projects include supporting young people to access educational courses and apply for further education, developing employability skills such as CV and cover letter writing and interview preparation, accessing volunteering and work placements, developing life skills for independent living such as cooking and budgeting, and building soft skills like confidence, self-esteem and resilience to feel able to enter the workplace. Statutory education providers are not eligible to benefit from this funding. Outcomes are expected by late April 2026, so projects could expect to begin from May 2026. All applicants must meet Norfolk Community Foundation's general eligibility criteria.