Community Renewal Fund

In March 2021, the Government launched the Community Renewal Fund (CRF).

The CRF included a list of priority places for funding projects. High quality project applications in these areas were more likely to get funding.

Norfolk covers four priority places:

Norwich
North Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Great Yarmouth

Bid shortlisting

Following a rigorous application and appraisal process, in June 2021, we submitted bids to the Community Renewal Fund on behalf of 26 projects from across the county. The bidding round for the UK Community Renewal Fund has now closed.

Funding for Norfolk

We are pleased to announce that Norfolk achieved more than half of our ask of government, being the most successful English local authority in terms of projects approved (14) and being awarded the fourth largest amount of funding for any lead authority (£6m).

The successful projects will be delivered by us, along with Norwich City Council, Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk and a range of charity and non-profit organisations. They will have a wide-reaching impact across the county on skills, employment, communities and place, business and net zero goals.

Norfolk projects funded by Community Renewal Fund

New-U In the Community - New-U Enterprises

Innovative approach to engage and support 60 economically inactive and unemployed young people into employment through a range of skills and confidence-building activities.

Includes work placements across New-U swap shops, creation of three new pop-up community hubs, signposting volunteering opportunities, providing one-to-one support. Supports ten businesses and 12 other organisations.

Progression to Apprenticeships (P2A) - Norfolk County Council

Three strands of support to 40 SMEs recruiting a new apprentice:

Phased £1,500 incentive payment
Six-month wage contribution totalling £4,192 (at apprenticeship national minimum wage, 37.5 hours x 26 weeks)
Wrap-around support for employers/apprentices - Apprenticeships Norfolk tailored training from a menu including mentoring and remote learning skills

The Skill Mill in Norfolk - The Skill Mill

A six-month, paid, work-based, skills development programme including an education and training component for 8-12 prolific young offenders, delivered with Norfolk Youth Offending Team.

The young people are all vulnerable to, or already entangled in, criminal exploitation. The project aims to break the cycle, moving young people away from criminality.

100 Day Challenge Norwich - Norwich City Council

Supporting people to move closer to or progress within work via community development.

Creates eight part-time community connector posts to improve community assets and green spaces, ensuring future development is demand-led. Delivers a series of workshops, linking skills development to motivation of beneficiaries to transform neighbourhoods.

NCC Construction and Environment Skills Hub - Norfolk County Council

Establishes a sustainable construction/environmental skills training programme for Norfolk adults.

Five project strands:

Establish two sustainable construction/environmental skills hubs in Norfolk
Develop construction/environmental skills curriculum
Recruit staff to manage the hubs
Engage initially 300 residents
Move 225 of those into further education/training

Volunteer It Yourself - Volunteer It Yourself

360 Young people aged 16-24 learn/apply vocational construction skills renovating valued community buildings/green spaces.

The young people will be mentored on the job by professional tradespeople, and 60% (215) will gain entry level City and Guilds skills qualifications, with at least 10% progressing into employment or higher-level training.

Norfolk BIDs - Norwich BIDs Ltd

Norfolk Business Improvement Districts (Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn) jointly deliver post-COVID growth and adaptation, confidence in high streets, and trial new approaches and innovative ideas.

Four strands:

Digital/media skills training for businesses
Upskilling local businesses
Platform for local products
Providing in-work support for employees to retrain
445 people and 530 businesses in total will engage with the project across the strands

Energy Solutions at Hethel - Norfolk County Council

Feasibility study addressing current/future energy constraints enabling expansion of key employment sites including Lotus Cars and Hethel Engineering Centre.

Creating 1350 additional high-value jobs building on the engineering excellence of the existing enterprises.

Identifies the energy solutions to unlock planned growth and support 30 businesses.

YES (Youth Enterprise Scheme) - Norfolk County Council

Design and deliver an innovative public sector training academy model, realising a sustainable employment/enterprise training programme for 80 young people.

Pilot a co-working space for young people, offering career pathway and business mentors alongside a workplace setting, and a start-up grant for young entrepreneurs.

Net Zero Norfolk - Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk

A multi-faceted research agenda identifying options to tackle the two largest emissions sources in Norfolk.

Two feasibility studies examining options for emissions reductions in each key emissions source:

Moving away from using internal combustion engine HGVs
Reducing the barriers to community energy schemes

Enabling Self Employment in Norfolk - New Anglia LEP

A comprehensive self-employment support programme for those considering routes into self-employment, through to support to successfully set up a business.

Builds on established business start-up support locally but places a new emphasis on individuals and their self-employment needs, rather than the business growth focus of traditional business funding.

220 people engaged and 60 new businesses as a result.

Inclusive Economy Project - East Coast College

Creating work-based opportunities for people disconnected from the labour market. Informed by the experiences of Norfolk's ESF providers, voluntary groups and longer term unemployed.

Three strands:

Piloting an integrated gateway for Norfolk's existing employment services
250 people encouraged in to work-based opportunities
Providing grants and support to 40 community-led projects to create work-based opportunities

Road to Net Zero - New Anglia LEP

Pilot's net zero-focused business support from the Growth Hub (GH) in Norfolk prior to UK SPF.

Includes dedicated GH resource; online toolkits linked to Norfolk Knowledge Hub; grants (£1k and £25k) to businesses moving towards net zero; consultancy support for at least 270 SMEs; creation of a Challenge Fund.

Net Zero Norfolk: Sustainable Transport Network - Norfolk County Council

Creates a sustainable travel network (STN) around Norfolk via route development, transport hubs and low-carbon vehicle development. Will create an unbroken STN through: King's Lynn, Hunstanton, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Gressenhall and back.

Includes future transport feasibility and demonstrators at the hubs identified, including electric vehicles and micro-mobility.