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Applications open for ?2.5m Natwest fund

By Laura Collacott  Monday Feb 1, 2016

Charities, community groups, and schools and colleges across Bristol are being invited to apply for a share of the third round of funding from NatWest’s £2.5million Skills and Opportunities Fund.

Applications are open from February 1 to February 19 for a grant of up to £35,000, won by public vote. The fund supports organisations that help people in disadvantaged communities develop, create or access the skills and opportunities they need to get into work or start a business.

Since launch in May last year, the fund has attracted more than 1,800 applications from around the UK. Seven regional judging panels review the entries and publish a shortlist. Voting will open to the public from April 8 to April 22. 

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Oliver Watts, Chairman of NatWest’s South West and Wales Regional Board, said: “We had tremendous success with the launch of the fund last year and supported a number of very worthy organisations across the UK.

“As a bank we are looking to support projects in our region that can deliver measurable social impact and make a real difference. We want to support projects that will help people investigate self-employment and start their own business, and we also want to support organisations that help to improve the financial education of disadvantaged people and help them manage their personal finances more effectively.

Read about Bristol’s other financial services in our sector spotlight. 

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