1. Contents.. Help Required Northumberland, Tyne and Wear District need your support in helping our unemployed customers move closer or into work before consideration to the Work Programme. The District is seeking single applications for grants of under £10,000 for partnership activity which will help improve employment outcomes across all parts of the District. This is your opportunity to develop ideas that could operate as a pilot or build upon current delivery. If you have an idea that you consider could be worth developing and want support with this please contact your Local Partnership Manager (Contact List included) who will be happy to assist. We are interested in bids that would address specific customer issues i.e. Lone parents Partners Carers Customers claiming ESA/IB In addition we welcome bids that would improve the employment prospects for customers claiming JSA. The awards will be determined by the District Manager at a local level and will be assessed on their individual merits. It is our aim to have a decision on your application within a month. We would appreciate applications within this current financial year. Northumberland, Tyne and Wear District Focus on Flexible Support Fund News Flash Flexible Support Fund Small grant opportunities

2. The Lead Accountable Body must be able to accept the conditions of grant (see sample document in panel alongside) Letters of support must be provided from all partners named in the proposal. Proposals should show how the Flexible Support Fund is being used as a catalyst to draw in other funding and/or is adding value to other funding streams All Grant Awards will compliment (and not replicate or duplicate) existing activity and must fall within the ambit of the Departments vote or the powers of section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973. Who can apply for Grant Funding A grant must be made to a recognised Lead Accountable Body (LAB) who will manage and be accountable for the money on behalf of the partnership. A LAB must be a legal, not for profit entity with auditable accounts and must be determined as eligible based on the Department’s Financial Viability and Risk assessment. Opportunities for working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus can be found at: www.dwp.gov.uk/opportunities Minimum requirements for Northumberland, Tyne & Wear FSF partnership opportunities Sample Conditions of Grant: Application Form

3. Process and Timetable Partners are invited to submit proposals on the FSF application form attached on page 2. Applications should be emailed to: NTW.FSF@JOBCENTREPLUS.GSI.GOV.UK Electronic signatures should be included at all relevant sections. Where these are unavailable, please confirm in the covering email that a signed, hard copy has been sent to the address below: FAO Mark Richardson Jobcentre Plus Northumberland, Tyne & Wear District Office Earlsway Gateshead NE92 1AL Applications can be submitted at any time up to close of business on 28 th February 2012. Applications will be assessed and awarded on an ongoing basis. There is no specification or ‘competition’. Applications will be assessed on their merits, by a panel of JCP staff, taking into account local partnership priorities. The expectation is that most of these applications will be for small amounts of funding not exceeding £10,000. Applicants may be required to provide clarification / additional information prior to recommendations being made for approval/endorsement. All Grant Awards will compliment (and not replicate or duplicate) existing activity and must fall within the ambit of the Departments vote or the powers of section 2 of the Employment and Training Act 1973. Once projects have approval they will be given support to comply with all monitoring requirements. Further information: Questions or requests for further information should be raised via email to the above mailbox, or by contacting a JCP Partnership manager – see contact details provided. Local Partnership Manager Contact details: Northumberland: Julia Knox Julia.knox@jobcentreplus. gsi.gov.uk 01670 395276 Newcastle Jon Clapham Jon.clapham@jobcentrep lus.gsi.gov.uk 0191 2038147 Gateshead: Clive Davies Clive.davies1@jobcentrepl us.gsi.gov.uk 0191 2038122 North Tyneside: Deborah Parmley Deborha.parmley@jobc entreplus.gsi.gov.uk 01670 395274 South Tyneside Martin Westgarth Martin.westgarth@jobc entreplus.gsi.gov.uk 0191 4513315 Sunderland Bernie Topham Bernadette.topham@jobc entreplus.gsi.gov.uk 0191 4513344