The Reach Fund 2023 (Formerly the MAEDF – Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund)

MSLETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service, in conjunction with SOLAS, invites local community education providers/groups to apply for funding under the REACH Fund 2023.

The aim of the Reach Fund is to provide funding to support educationally disadvantaged learners in accessing and participating in community education. It aims to increase the participation of disadvantaged learners, particularly those who are undertaking literacy and skills programmes.

The fund has a strong focus on building the digital infrastructure of community education providers, including providing devices and software, and increasing their capacity to deliver learning. The fund was specifically designed to tackle inequalities and support access to community education and intended to address specific actions in the Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy to target funding on access to technology and devices, expand community access to wi-fi and broadband resources and to directly address unmet literacy needs.

Funding Categories

1. Learner assistance fund – initiatives that will support learners to engage/participate in educational programmes

2. Innovative green projects.

3. Projects focused on increasing participation in learning with target cohorts (For a full list of target groups, please see Point 5, Page 1 of the Application Form.)

4. Events/awareness campaigns that contribute to equality policy and legislation.

5. In line with the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy specific actions that;

• directly address those experiencing unmet literacy needs
• target funding on access to technology and devices
• expand community access to Wi-Fi and broadband resources

6. Community groups in pre-development phase to support the most marginalised and disadvantaged groups.

7. Support for refugee groups to support education and training delivery and promote/ support cultural and social inclusion, including research and/or needs analysis.

The closing date for submission of applications is 4pm on Tuesday 16th May, 2023.

Applications to be submitted by 4pm on 16/05/2023 to [email protected]

For a copy of the guidelines and application form for REACH 2023 click here

General Enquiries to the relevant county contact below:

Mayo	Sligo	Leitrim
Máirtin O’Moráin  MSLETB Lucan Street, Castlebar F23 FW70	Anna-Marie Kinsella MSLETB Quay Street Sligo F91 XH96	Paul Hamilton MSLETB St. George’s Terrace Carrick-on-Shannon N41 W2X7
[email protected]	[email protected]	[email protected]