How much funding is available?

Grants are available to the partnership for up to three years. A total of £15,000 is available to each partnership each year; and it is up to the partnership to decide how the grant will be managed and allocated across the partnership. Each group of three schools can therefore receive £5000 each year if the partnership decided to share the funding equally. However if schools agree to meet, the two clusters travelling in a particular year may need more than the cluster which is receiving the visitors.

Eligible expenditure

Money may be claimed for:

• a maximum of £3000 for travel expenses to visit the partner cluster e.g. airfares, train/bus, visas, insurance, inoculations, accommodation and subsistence. Travel for sightseeing/leisure activities is not eligible.
• resources for the project e.g. paper, pens, fabric, art materials and other resources used in the classroom for project activities, hire of equipment, photocopying, printing
• information about the partner countries e.g. books, maps, cd-roms, DVDs
• communication costs e.g. postage, telephone, e-mail, fax, line rental
• dissemination events e.g. hire of venue, newsletter, website costs

Often, schools will arrange for visiting teachers to be accommodated by a host family or member of staff. Incidental expenses may be claimed for a maximum of £10 per person per day for up to 7 days to cover food and living expenses during a visit to the partner cluster. Receipts are not required for claiming incidental costs but teachers should complete and sign a declaration that indicates the amount received.

Other costs

Some smaller items of hardware may be necessary for project work. Funding is not available for the purchase of whole computer systems. Eligible expenses in Southern partner clusters only include the following; - modem, web-cam, camera, CD-writer, fax machine, telephone (including mobile phone), some reprographic machines. The grant cannot be used for the purchase of similar equipment for UK schools.