Employability Service

Local Employability Partnership Grant Scheme 2026/27

The Local Employability Partnership is inviting applications for funding to support activities that improve job readiness and help local residents move closer to employment. Funding is provided through the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind programme.

This grant scheme is designed to support projects that assist unemployed and economically inactive people of all ages to progress towards work. It also aims to help parents who are out of work or on low incomes, contributing to wider efforts to reduce child poverty across the region.

Funding may also support sector based training and upskilling activity that responds directly to employer needs in priority industries. These include areas such as health and social care, early years, hospitality, retail, information technology and construction.

Key outcomes

Key outcomes that the scheme aims to achieve include:

  • reducing levels of child poverty by supporting parents—particularly those in priority family groups—to increase their income through employment
  • supporting unemployed people of all ages to overcome barriers that prevent them from entering the labour market
  • improving the health, wellbeing and employment prospects of people with long-term health conditions, mental health challenges or disabilities
  • delivering sector specific training that prepares individuals for roles in industries where there is strong and sustained demand for skilled workers.

Only direct delivery costs will be eligible for grant support.

All funded activity must be completed by 31 March 2027.

The closing date for applications is Friday 6 March 2026.

How to apply

More information about the scheme and how to apply is available to download as follows:

Information sessions

The following information sessions are being held via Microsoft Teams where you can find out more about the Grants Scheme:

  • Thursday 12 February, 3.30pm
  • Friday 13 February, 10am 

To register for the online sessions, or if you’d like to arrange an informal discussion about projects that might fit the Grant Scheme, please email LEP@scotborders.gov.uk