The skills champion grant is an opportunity for community groups and local businesses (with five or more employees or volunteers) to apply for a £1,000 grant. This opportunity aims to fund champions who will support the development of:
- literacy skills
- numeracy skills
- digital skills
A champion promotes literacy, numeracy, and digital skills by embedding them into everyday tasks like:
- cooking: reading and measuring
- shopping: budgeting and comparing prices
- crafting: planning materials
- gardening: calculating space use
The grant will be used to understand, promote, and support essential skills development in the workforce or wider community. The grant offers the following opportunities:
- literacy skills champion
- numeracy skills champion
- digital skills champion
Organisations can apply for a maximum of four champions in any combination of skills.
We will support our champions through our LinknLearn networking workshops held online on Microsoft Teams. We expect our champions to attend as they offer an opportunity to collaborate and share innovative ideas with other champions.
The grant is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and operates over a one stage application process. Applications close 17 November at 8am.
How to apply
The skills champion grant application forms can only be completed using the online form. Please note that the system will allow 20 minutes to complete each page before timing out. We therefore recommend preparing your answers to the questions
In your application please prepare answers for the following
Question: what essential skill challenges have you identified either in the community or within your organisation?
We are looking for clear explanations of the situation and the impact champions will make. We would expect this section of the application form to be no shorter than 350 words.
Question: how will you utilise the grant?
Your answer here will help us understand what your skills champion activity will be. In this section, please tell us about the following:
- describe your activity to us
- have you identified a need
- what difference do you expect to make as a result of undertaking this activity
We would expect this section of the application form to be no shorter than 350 words. We are more likely to fund applications that address more than one of the three essential skills.
Question: how many individuals you expect to work with?
We are looking to assess the impact of the champions that you are applying for. As part of UK Shared Prosperity Fund requirements, we need to show a demonstrable level of impact for each person claimed. Including the number of individuals who have improved their essential skills.
Question: how many Skills Champions will your organisation have?
You will need to tell us their names, positions and email addresses and which essential skill they will be addressing.
Question: details of how your Skills Champion will fulfil the role requirements
We are looking for confirmation that you understand the commitment required. Please include a short explanation on how you will achieve this.
The LinknLearn network meetings will be on 8 October 2025, 21 January 2026 and 18 March 2026.
Documentation required to support your application
- bank statement within last three months
- signed audited accounts for the last 12 months
- signed constitution if community organisation
Applicants must ensure that supporting evidence is accurate and complete when submitting. We will reject incomplete or incorrect applications, and you may not have the chance to reapply.
Eligibility criteria
You must:
- be a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), community interest company (CIC), company limited by guarantee, social enterprise, registered charity, public body which delivers or hosts community projects or a constituted body, a private company or business
- be located within, or deliver your services within the administrative area covered by Lincolnshire County Council
- have been in operation for at least 12 months
- not have an outstanding debt with the council
- employ more than five people, or have proof of more than five volunteers
- not be a statutory educational institution such as a school, college or other educational body which is established or governed by law
Fraud statement
The council will not accept deliberate manipulation and fraud. Any business or organisation caught falsifying their records to gain additional grant money will face prosecution and any funding issued will be subject to claw back any grants paid in error.
I have read and understood all documents about this scheme, including all information about eligibility
- I am providing true, accurate and complete information
- I understand that by giving wrong or incomplete information which I know to be misleading, I may be committing a criminal offence and could face prosecution
- I understand we will investigate all applications where it suspects fraud
- I understand that we will check all the information that I provide and may ask for further details, if necessary
- I understand that I must pay back any money I receive to which I am not entitled
I certify that:
- I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the conditions of this grant scheme as detailed in the guidance notes or other supporting documentation
- I understand and agree that if this application is successful, the organisation or individual will be bound to use the grant exclusively for the purpose specified in the application
- the information contained in this grant application is true and accurate and complete in all respects
- I can confirm that I am either the Business Owner, an authorised Business signatory or authorised Community Organisation signatory (as detailed in the Constitution), and I have due authority to submit this application on behalf of the organisation
I understand that:
- the acceptance of this application by Lincolnshire County Council does not in any way signify that they have agreed this grant will be awarded
- the full application may be declined, and that the decision of Lincolnshire County Council is final and that there is no appeal process
- any grant paid will become immediately repayable in the event of any material inaccuracy or submission of false information