GrantRadar

Foundation Scotland

Barr Education and Training Fund

Bursaries for individuals aged 16+ living in the Barr Community Council area (South Ayrshire) to help them access education and training that equips them to enter or keep employment. Awards step down with each application or year of study (up to £1,500 first time, £1,000 second, £500 thereafter), with a lifetime cap of £3,000 per person. Paid from the Barr Community Fund (SSE Hadyard Hill and Nadara Assel Valley wind farms), administered by Foundation Scotland; applications are accepted at any time.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £3,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Individuals aged 16 or over living in the Barr Community Council area (the community council boundary defines the fund area), in South Ayrshire
  • Apprentices can apply for costs they cannot claim back from their employer or another agency
  • Applicants can hold only one grant at a time and can receive up to £3,000 in total from the fund
  • Organisations cannot apply (groups should use the separate Barr Community Fund)

What it funds

Costs directly related to attending a course or apprenticeship:

  • Course fees where these cannot be waived or funded another way
  • Study aids and equipment (e.g. laptops, software, stationery)
  • Technical aids/equipment such as course-related specialist clothing, tools and other specialist equipment (up to £700)
  • Travel (bus, train, petrol)
  • Accommodation
  • Driving lessons and theory test (up to £1,200) where the course is distant and public transport is not viable

Full- or part-time courses including Apprenticeships, Modern and Foundation Apprenticeships, SVQs, NCs, HNCs, HNDs and short vocational courses.

Courses leading to formal or recognised qualifications are favoured; other courses are considered where you can show the skills will realistically help you get or keep a job.

Local courses (generally south and central Scotland) are looked on more favourably than those requiring you to leave the area.

Award caps: first application/year up to £1,500, second up to £1,000, any further up to £500 per year; only one grant held at a time and £3,000 in total.

What it will not fund

  • Costs incurred before a decision is made on your application (retrospective funding)
  • Training or equipment your employer should provide, or that is necessary to carry out your current job
  • Apprentice costs that can be claimed back from the employer or another source
  • Course fees that can be waived or funded through another means

How to apply

  1. Read Foundation Scotland's application criteria and the fund page, and optionally review the individual application form questions (PDF)
  2. Apply as soon as you are sure you are taking the course and have been accepted onto it, telling Foundation Scotland about key dates (registration, start date, other funding decisions)
  3. Set up an online portal account with a working email address and complete the online application form
  4. Upload a recent bank statement and evidence of your home address, plus course confirmation where available
  5. Foundation Scotland reviews the application, may contact you for more information, and emails the outcome
  6. If offered an award, sign and return a Grant Acceptance form; the award is paid by bank transfer (or directly to the training provider on request)
  7. Provide evidence during and after the course (e.g. attendance record, qualification certificate) and feedback on the impact of the support

If you need a quicker response, contact grants@foundationscotland.org.uk or 0131 524 0300 as soon as possible.

If the fund is oversubscribed, not every applicant may receive an award or the full amount requested.

Have ready

  • Recent bank statement showing your name, address, account number and sort code (scanned, photographed or electronic copy)
  • Evidence of your home address (e.g. driving licence, SAAS letter, a bill, or an official letter such as from the Scottish Exam Board, school, NHS, tax office or a payslip)
  • Confirmation of your course enrolment or offer letter / confirmation of a place

Some evidence (offer letter, attendance record, qualification certificate) can be provided later if not available at application; keep receipts for up to 12 months as they may be requested (e.g. for a laptop).

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