Blaenau Gwent organisations are being invited to apply for funding to help local people develop skills in digital and creative industries, as part of efforts to boost employment opportunities and support future economic growth.
The funding is being made available through the Local Growth Fund Priority 2 grant, backed by the UK Government, and is aimed at projects that can help residents gain the skills, confidence and experience needed to access meaningful employment.
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is particularly interested in supporting initiatives that address identified local skills gaps in the digital and creative sectors, which have been highlighted as key growth areas for the future economy.
The Local Growth Fund is designed to strengthen local economies by helping people access employment opportunities, develop new skills and contribute to more prosperous communities.
Cabinet Member for Economy and Place, Cllr John Morgan said:
“This funding is designed to support projects that help people gain the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to move into work and progress in their careers and complements much of the work we are doing with local partners through our employability programmes.
“We are also developing an exciting Blueprint for Growth, ‘Thriving Together’ with our federated partners Torfaen Council. This will set out how we plan to work across the region to support economic growth, which is inclusive and sustainable and will benefit communities, help address inequality and provide more opportunities for residents in the future.
“For this fund, we are particularly keen to hear from organisations with ideas that respond to local skills gaps in digital and creative and support inclusive economic growth.”
The UK Government has set two key strategic outcomes for the Local Growth Fund: increasing Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per head and boosting Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head.
In Wales, the programme aligns with a focus on several high-growth sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energies, Digital and Technologies, and Creative Industries. Life Sciences and Financial Services have also been identified as sectors with strong future growth potential.
The Priority 2 strand of the fund aims to support more people into economic activity, with a particular focus on young people, disabled people, women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds. It also seeks to strengthen workforce skills through flexible, demand-led education and training that meets the needs of high-growth and regionally important industries.
The Local Growth Fund includes both capital and revenue funding to support projects that can help increase economic productivity while improving living standards across communities.
Organisations interested in applying are encouraged to review the application guidance and submit a completed application form before the deadline.
Applications should be sent to [email protected] by 5pm on 26 June 2026.
For further information or to discuss a potential application, organisations can contact the council via the same email address.
