East Coast Skills Fund Grants Awarded
The following projects have been supported through the Fund. Grant amounts are shown as the total amount awarded at the time the grant offer was made. All awards made are subject to contract.
2026 – Round 10
In May 2026, a total of £75,000 was awarded through the East Coast Skills Fund to support the following projects:
£17,619 to Outdoor Learning Schools CIC to deliver The Cleethorpes Wind & Solar Race Project. The project will engage young people aged 7-16 in a six-week STEM programme exploring renewable energy through the design and construction of solar-powered beach buggies and wind-powered boats. The programme will culminate in a public race event on Cleethorpes Beach, helping participants develop practical STEM skills while learning about careers in the green energy sector.
£47,381 to Lab Rascals to deliver a sustainability-focused STEM programme in primary schools and community settings across North East Lincolnshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire. The project will combine interactive workshops, planetarium shows and renewable energy activities with the development of six STEM loan kits that schools and community groups can continue to use long after the project has ended, helping inspire future scientists, engineers and innovators.
£10,000 to Curieus Games CIC to deliver the Megawatt STEM programme in four schools across the East Coast region. Through hands-on workshops, teacher training and interactive learning resources, the project will help young people develop their understanding of renewable energy, sustainability and green careers, while building the skills and confidence needed to support the transition to a low-carbon future.
2025 – Round 9
In May 2025, a total of £75,000 was awarded through the East Coast Skills Fund to support the following projects:
£27,900 to Complete-Career LLP for their Sparks to Success project, with a focus on STEM. The initiative aims to upskill educators, employers, and parents/carers so they can broaden learners’ horizons, raise aspirations, challenge stereotypes, and support social mobility. The project will deliver:
- At least five training sessions for educators and employers to support careers and employability for learners.
- Financial support for a minimum of 10 schools across South Holland, Boston District, and East Lindsey to help them achieve formal accreditation for their careers programmes.
- Collaboration with key partners (such as the Careers & Enterprise Company, Career Development Institute, and Skills Builder) to identify and fill resource gaps, producing an introductory guide to careers work at primary level, linked to national frameworks.
£47,100 to TEC Partnership to deliver the STEM Quest festival. This multi-day event will take place over two days in Skegness and Bridlington, and four days in Grimsby, coinciding with National STEM Week. It will feature a wide range of engaging sessions aimed at primary and secondary school pupils, FE and HE learners, and employers. The festival will highlight STEM subjects and their importance in the region’s greener future, raise awareness of in-demand but less well-known STEM roles, and improve skills and employment opportunities across the coastal area.
2024 – Round 8
In June 2024, £83,000 was awarded through the East Coast Skills Fund, as follows:
£15,000 was awarded to the Cambridge Science Centre for their ‘Science Hack Days’ project.
This project will see Cambridge Science Centre deploy an immersive STEM Innovation Centre experience across (up to) 15 selected schools within the East Coast Skills Fund eligible area. Under the guidance of their skilled facilitators, children will engage in an immersive day-long challenge. They’ll analyse data to trace the origins of a new disease, conduct experiments mirroring real laboratory experiences, and design advertising for a novel medicine. This multifaceted activity encourages critical thinking, analytical skills, and fosters creativity through artistic expression.
£14,902 was awarded to National Careers Week CIC for their ‘Green Careers: Nurturing Sustainable Futures and inspiring STEM’ project based on the following key underpinning themes: Inspire; Engage; Learn.
INSPIRE: Look at a brief history of the diverse range of careers including STEM, advanced manufacturing, innovation, technology and the search for meaning in the universe.
ENGAGE: Downloadable resources to explore some of the fascinating concepts behind and understanding chemistry careers with the goal being to ignite interest and enthusiasm to pupils of all ages.
LEARN: About pathways / careers linked to sustainability and STEM – design, maths, manufacturing, materials science, innovation, logistics, creativity.
The East Coast Community Fund Skills Fund grant is to be utilised towards development, programme planning and school delivery costs.
£42,083 was awarded to Stemettes for their ‘Stemettes in Offshore Wind’ project.
Roadshow delivery of four offshore wind & STEAM events, engaging young women and non-binary people aged 12-16 years old. Each event will engage participants into understanding more about STEAM and the offshore wind industry. Participants will hear from a panel of diverse role models and then take part in a hackathon session. The hack will be an opportunity for participants to learn a new skill, using TinkerCAD and 3D modelling software to respond to an offshore wind/renewable energy theme.
£11,015 was awarded to Franklin College for their ‘Regional STEM Conference and Exhibition for Lincolnshire 2025’.
To host Lincolnshire’s annual regional STEM conference and exhibition at Franklin College, inviting 15 local schools to bring Year 10 students, plus their own Year 12 STEM students to attend a number of interactive workshops, delivered by employers, universities and apprenticeship providers to spark interest and for young people to find out about the STEM career opportunities and pathways available locally, regionally and nationally.
2023 – Round 7
In June 2023, £118,496 was awarded through the East Coast Skills Fund, as follows:
£23,238 was awarded to the College of West Anglia for its students to undertake off site experiential learning relating to offshore wind technology.
Constructionarium, a local not for profit organisation, has developed a 7.7m, 4t offshore floating wind turbine which can be built in a dry dock, floated into position, connected to a house that the students also build and when commissioned into use, powers a small domestic appliance in the middle of their 19-acre unique learning facility. This unique project enables students to learn about wind technology, construction skills (importance of risk assessments, method statements, surveying, how to use hand tools) along with gaining numerous employability skills.
£16,010 was awarded to The Teacher Scientist Network to establish a Science Kit Club to serve schools in the Kings Lynn area.
It will work like a lending library for high-quality science resources, that encourage and enable a very practical approach to enhance science lessons.
£30,077 was awarded to Lab Rascals to fund a three-part sustainability project in eight Northeast Lincolnshire schools.
- Workshop 1 – Viewing a planetarium show ‘Atlas of a Changing Earth’, exploring glacial melting and how rising oceans threaten the worlds coastlines;
- Workshop 2 – Molecular modelling will be used to investigate atmospheric gases, exploring the properties of CO2 in order to gain a greater understanding of greenhouse gasses and ways to reduce the worlds carbon footprint.
- Workshop 3 – The renewable energy industry on their doorstep. The children will build LEGO® wind turbines in teams and assess multiple impacting factors on energy generation. They will also discuss careers within the sector and talk to visiting engineers in the field.
£49,171 was awarded to the University of Hull to set-up a free education Centre in Bridlington to support 1,000 disadvantaged schoolchildren.
The IntoUniversity Centre will provide local children with a safe, friendly place to study after school to include a significant number of STEM specific sessions/workshops to help inspire students to consider STEM career opportunities.
2022 – Round 6
In June 2022, £100,000 was awarded to four successful projects as follows:
£39,800 was awarded to Positive Footprints.
The grant will allow 25 primary schools in the fund’s area of benefit to receive its ‘Raising Aspirations’ programme where pupils in key stage 2 discover their potential, explore the world of work and develop the skills they need for the future. Over 925 children will take part in 300 hours of learning across one and a half academic years.
£10,000 was awarded to Primary Engineer who will be delivering their ‘Primary Engineer Construction Project’ in up to 10 schools in and around the Kings Lynn area.
Teachers attend a practical, online CPD course and are provided with sets of tools and consumables to deliver both the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 projects.
£24,005 was awarded to TEC Partnership.
The funding will be used to engage key stage 2 and 4 students from schools across the North East Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire coastal strip. With a programme of innovative student events, the project aims to spark awareness and interest in rewarding careers in renewables/STEM sectors to students of all backgrounds with a range of characteristics, especially those under-represented in these industries (e.g. females).
2021 – Round 5
In June 2021, £76,617 was awarded to four successful projects as follows:
£39,050 was awarded to Stemettes to help engage, inspire and educate nearly 600 young women.
Showing the breadth of diversity and opportunities that exist within the Offshore Wind Sector STEM, across 12 inspirational events throughout the funds benefit area.
£10,384 was awarded to the Haven High Academy, in Boston, Lincolnshire, to deliver a series of ten in-school STEM workshops to students in each year group.
Each workshop will provide equipment and training on STEMbotics, using robotics and coding to ignite a passion for STEM and Computing.
£16,900 was awarded to Franklin College, in Grimsby, to deliver a programme of learning to sixth form students.
Exploring the emerging hydrogen industry.
£10,283 was awarded to the Independent educational charity, Cambridge Science Centre.
To deliver a regional STEM Roadshow.
2020 – Round 4
In 2020, £77,851 was awarded to two successful projects as follows:
£26,851 was awarded to Boston College to deliver their ‘Improving STEM Engagement Opportunities.
For 5-18 year olds’ project in Boston.
As Boston’s Enthuse Partnership leader, the College will deliver a twelve month project based on the established Formula 1 in Schools programme and will utilise existing kit alongside new resources to maximise reach and value for money. The project staff will visit schools in the eligible area with a trailer filled with resources to engage with children in age appropriate STEM-based activities and competitions. A challenge brief and appropriate resources will then be left with the school so that they can continue the work on the competition until the set deadline. The schools will attend a “finals” event where their solutions will be evaluated.
The project will run throughout the academic year 2020/2021.
£51,000 was awarded to Primary Engineer for their ‘East Coast Skills Primary Engineer Project’.
The group will deliver Primary Engineer Structures and Mechanisms with Basic Electrics (SME1) projects at up to 60 schools in six locations within the East Coast Community Fund boundary over a 12 month period.
2019 – Round 3
In 2019, £47,760 was divided into the following two strands:
1. Hardship Fund – £15,000 was set aside to help support students facing financial difficulties for course fees or transport to courses. This Fund was split equally between three colleges within the funding area as follows:
- Boston College – £5,000
- College of West Anglia – £5,000
- Grimsby Institute – £5,000
2. STEM Educational Fund – £32,760
3D Web Technologies Ltd – a grant of £32,760 to deliver twelve STEM skill-focused workshops for year eight pupils.
This project aims to give students an engaging, balanced and educationally valuable bigger picture insight into the complexities of offshore wind farm design. In small teams, pupils will be experiencing what it’s like to work on a wind farm development for the day. The teams will create their own ‘company’ with each member having a specific role such as Project Manager, Financial Manager, Technical Adviser or Public Relations (PR) Consultant. They will have to plan and design a wind farm layout considering real-life constraints and obstacles.
2018 – Round 2
In 2018, £75,000 was divided into the following two strands:
1. Hardship Fund – £10,000 was set aside to help support students facing financial difficulties for course fees or transport to courses. This Fund was split equally between two colleges within the funding area as follows:
- College of West Anglia – £5,000
- Grimsby Institute – £5,000
2. STEM Educational Fund – £65,000
The Teacher Scientist Network was awarded £22,985.
To provide 12 schools, in the funding area, free access to all the necessary components to run a four week, after-school STEM club, focused on the assembly of a working wind turbine.
£20,000 went to STEM Learning to fund an ENTHUSE Partnership in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Franklin College was awarded £12,015.
To support students, in their STEM academy, to undertake paid internships, enabling them to gain vital work experience.
£10,000 was awarded to support West Norfolk Academies Trust schools in King’s Lynn, Hunstanton and West Walton, through the West Norfolk STEM Catalyst project.
2017 – Round 1
In 2017, the first £75,000 was divided into the following two strands:
1. Hardship Fund – £20,000 was set aside to help support students facing financial difficulties for course fees or transport to courses. This Fund was split equally between four colleges within the funding area as follows:
- East Riding College – £5,000
- Boston College – £5,000
- College of West Anglia – £5,000
- Grimsby Institute – £5,000
2. STEM Educational Fund – £45,075
Grimsby Institute was awarded a grant of £41,675 to build on existing investment and expertise.
Create an annual programme of events designed to excite, inform and spark curiosity to over 2000 students in junior, secondary, higher education across the coastal zones of North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and East Lincolnshire.
Alderman Peel High School was awarded a grant of £3,400 develop a sustainable STEM development and outreach project over a two-year period.
STEM teachers will work with employers to embed real life project activities into the National Curriculum. It will involve Year 7 and Year 8 students, local employers, teachers and relevant external mentors.