Community Access to Life-long Learning (CALL Programme)

The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) has recently launched a Community Access to
Life-long Learning programme. Under this initiative NOF will distribute £200
million in support of three new strands up to 2002. They are: the
development of a nationwide network of ICT learning centres, the creation of
the Public Library network (£100 million) and the creation of Community
Grids for Learning (CGfL) to provide community-based content for adult
learners. Although the NOF application pack covers all three strands it is
the last of these which I have set out below. 

NOF's aim in supporting the creation of Community Grids for Learning will be
to encourage more adults into learning through joined up community grids
(e.g. museums, libraries, archives) offering an educational and lifelong
learning base. Such grids can be developed at local or regional level and
need not be geographically based e.g. scattered communities representing
ethnic minority cultures and languages. NOF defines a Community Grid for
Learning as "an internet site holding information, advice and learning
materials of interest to specific communities, defined by geography or
shared characteristics. Community grids should be accessible in any part of
the UK through the Internet and the National Grid for Learning."

Funding is available to support infrastructure, software, content design and
development, initial staffing costs, training and marketing and may be used
to establish new provision or to expand existing provision. Partnership will
be particularly welcomed. NOF will not fund major capital expenditure,
project development costs or existing projects that do not specifically
include the creation of new or expanded activities.

In particular, NOF is keen to support projects that target social exclusion
and applicants will be expected to set out how they will engage particular
interest groups e.g. black and ethnic minorities, people in remote or rural
communities, people with little or no formal educational qualifications etc.
Applicants should demonstrate that their project supports and/or complements
regional or national strategies for lifelong learning and should have a
strategy for marketing and promoting their project to new users. Projects
will be expected to demonstrate how they allow progression into other
learning opportunities.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) projects must be compatible with
the People's network and the National Grid for Learning. Further details on
technical standards are available from BECTa (web site
www.becta.org.uk/call; help desk 02476 847127; email [log in to unmask]).
BECTa, the British Educational Communications and Technology agency, is a
government-funded agency and the lead agency for the National Grid for
Learning.

Grants will not normally exceed £250,000. Funding will be for a maximum of
three years and applicants will be expected to demonstrate a viable plan for
sustainability. There is no minimum requirement for financial or in-kind
partnership funding but NOF will expect some contribution where possible.

Local authorities, Higher education institutions, businesses, community
groups, voluntary organisations, museums and galleries, library authorities,
schools and non-geographic communities of interest are all eligible for
funding. Partnership arrangements will be preferred.

There are three funding cycles the deadlines of which are as follows: 5th
May 2000 submission for a November 2000 decision, 6th October 2000
submission for an April 2001 decision and 4th May 2001 submission for a
November 2001 decision. You may apply in more than one round but you should
have received a decision on any previous application before reapplying. To
request an application form telephone

England		0845 0000121
Wales		0845 0000122
Scotland		0845 0000123
Northern Ireland	0845 0000124

or visit the NOF website at www.nof.org.uk. Although the application form is
available on the web note that forms will not be accepted by fax or e-mail.

Enquiries from prospective applicants requiring advice, a personal
consultation or an application review are welcome. 

Cathrin Cassarchis
Archive Lottery Adviser
National Council on Archives

c/o  Public Record Office
Ruskin Avenue
Kew, Richmond
Surrey
TW9 4DU

Tel: 020 83925313
Fax: 020 83925280
email: [log in to unmask]


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