Applications for funding are accepted from the formal and non-formal education sector across the UK for young people aged 11-19.

We welcome applications from youth groups; sport, music and theatre groups; all schools and extra-curricular school groups; sixth form and FE colleges. Applications from cluster schools are also welcome.

In order to encourage more groups of young people with special needs to access this funding, groups can apply either without a partner in France but with a specific project, or without a specific project focus but significant time spent with a French partner.

Despite this we encourage all groups to identify a partner in France with whom to work in order that the project be as beneficial as possible for the young people.

Grants will be awarded to cover mobility costs of both one-way and reciprocal visits to France and its overseas departments (Martinique, Guadeloupe and Réunion) that form part of a bilateral project with a specific theme and aims.

Examples of possible themes include language learning, culture and the arts, energy and the environment, citizenship, science and technology, business and enterprise, multimedia and ICT, sports, vocational skills and cross-curricular themes.

Examples of activities include joint research work, entrepreneurial projects, development of new ideas, design, materials, scientific explorations, debating workshops, cultural events, exhibitions and productions, community projects, creation of websites or films, blogging, reporting or song-writing and sports activities within the framework of a specific project.

Please note that grants will not be awarded to fund:

• A traditional ‘school exchange’ without a specific theme and project
• Tours by music groups or sports teams
• Tourist visits
• Unilateral projects

Successful projects will receive grants to cover travel, accommodation and subsistence. Three levels of grants are available:

• Up to £5,000 for one-way UK-France visits
• Up to £10,000 for reciprocal visits between Metropolitan France and the UK
• Up to £10,000 for one-way or reciprocal UK – French départements d’outre-mer visits

Due to an ongoing review of the Lefèvre Trust grants no further grants will be awarded in the financial year 2009-2010.

We hope to resume activity on completion of the review and anticipate a deadline in February 2010 for projects starting in the new financial year beginning April 2010. We would encourage prospective applicants to contact us in advance of planning a bid for the most current advice on availability of awards. Contact details can be found below.

Please read the Application Guidelines thoroughly if you are thinking of applying in the future. You can download the Application Form here, which should be completed with reference to the guidelines.

If your application is successful you will enter into an agreement with the British Council and your institution will receive 80% of the amount awarded.  Within four weeks of the project finishing you must submit an evaluation and reconciliation form, after which the remaining 20% of the grant will be paid.

You can download the Evaluation and Reconciliation Form and Evaluation and Reconciliation Guidelines here.

Madame Nina Lefèvre established the Trust after the death of her husband, the leading London fine art dealer and publisher Ernest Albert Lefèvre, who died in 1940. Madame Lefèvre wished the memory of her husband to live on by promoting relations between the UK and France through partnership and the mutual learning of each others language and customs.

The British Council is the Trustee of the bequest and manages to the programme.