Training and Support through Community Sponsorship
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Home Office) and Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) (together, “the Authorities”) are seeking a sole provider to train and support Community Sponsorship Groups or Communities for Afghans Sponsor Groups to prepare and deliver high-quality resettlement and integration support for Resettled Refugees and households deemed eligible for the Afghan Resettlement Programme throughout their Community Sponsorship or Communities for Afghans journey. The Community Sponsorship scheme and Communities for Afghans scheme play an important part of the UK’s resettlement approach in strengthening safe and legal routes.
- Opening date:
- Closing date: (Midday)
Contents
Summary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Home Office) and Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) (together, “the Authorities”) are seeking a sole provider to train and support Community Sponsorship Groups and Communities for Afghans Sponsor Groups to prepare and deliver high-quality resettlement and integration support for Resettled Refugees or households eligible for the Afghan Resettlement Programme throughout their Community Sponsorship or Communities for Afghans journey. The Community Sponsorship scheme plays an important part of the UK’s resettlement approach in strengthening safe and legal routes. It seeks to strengthen the relationships between Community Sponsor Groups and Local Authorities, with a total budget of up to £731,304.00 from 01 September 2025.
This is a joint competition being commissioned by Secretary of State for the Home Department (Home Office (HO)) and MHCLG for ‘Community Sponsorship’ and ‘Communities for Afghans’ training and support provision. The Recipient shall deliver the full scope of training and support requirements across both departments across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The successful Bidder (Recipient) will be expected to start work no later than 01 September 2025.
The Grant Funding Agreements (or MOU) will be from 01 September 2025 and end on:
31 March 2028 – Home Office
31 March 2030 - MHCLG (subject to funding approval)
The Home Office Community Sponsorship scheme was launched on 19 July 2016. The scheme allows Community Sponsor Groups, charities and faith groups to support Resettled Refugees directly.
The Community Sponsorship scheme was established in response to the desire of civil society to support Resettled Refugees and is an example of effective government and civil society collaboration. The scheme enables Community Sponsor Groups to come together to provide housing and integration support to Resettled Refugee families resettled in the UK.
The scheme has also been extended to allow sponsors groups to support Afghan families through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) pathway. Community sponsorship has had a positive impact on the lives of refugees resettled in the UK, and the inspiring communities that support them.
The successful Bidder (Recipient) will be expected to deliver training provision for Lot A and B combined nationally across both departments.
Ministers have a desire to increase the role of Community Sponsorship and Communities for Afghans Sponsor Groups within the UK’s efforts in Resettlement schemes to allow Sponsor Groups, charities and faith groups to support Resettled Refugees and households eligible for the Afghan Resettlement Programme directly. Training and support for Community Sponsorship and Communities for Afghans Sponsor Groups is required as part of the Government’s efforts to deliver a high-quality resettlement and integration support for Resettled Refugees throughout their Community Sponsorship and Communities for Afghans journey.
Much of the training will be the same for Community Sponsorship Groups and Communities for Afghans Sponsor Groups. This is covered in
Lot A.
The Home Office
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
Home Office training:
The Home Office (only)
Lot B: Communities for Afghans training:
Lot B covers the training specific to Communities for Afghans:
for MHCLG (only)
Eligibility
The Authorities are seeking proposals from organisations that can deliver the outcomes as outlined in the advert. The Authorties welcome a broad range of Civil Society Groups to apply for funding through this grant scheme, which may include but not be limited to the following types of organisations:
be a Community Sponsor Group that meets the following criteria
established for charitable, benevolent, or philanthropic purposes
have a governing body with at least 3 members; and
be a Charity with a UK charity number; or
be a Community Interest Company (CIC): a special type of limited company which exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders; or
be a social enterprise: a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being drive by the need to maximise profit for shareholders or owners; or
Religious Organisation; or
Social Enterprises; or
Support Groups.
Bidders must:
have at least 2 years minimum of proven experience of delivering training to services or groups which provide high-quality resettlement support for refugees and/or migrants and/or supporting vulnerable and/or at-risk individuals in order to apply for this grant. (This will be tested at bid as a showstopper question); and
have established UK-wide reach across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland; and
have expertise in delivering training that addresses the needs of the group and relevant stakeholders with experience of working with central and local government; and
have ability to engage with and mobilise a broad and diverse range of community groups including faith groups, and ‘whole of society’ actors and local authorities; and
The following are not eligible to apply:
Local Authorities; or
Individuals; or
Private companies (i.e. organisations that do not meet the above criteria)
The Bidder is to note that any joint bid with multiple organisations must also be non-statutory sector organisations and be run on a not-for-profit basis.
Objectives
Outcome 1: Training: To provide high-quality training that addresses the needs of Community Sponsor Groups and CfA Sponsor Groups and relevant stakeholders, including Local Authorities. This will include training groups to identify appropriate housing and understand benefits entitlements. Training is comprised of core training sessions and training that is specific to the resettlement and integration journey of a Resettled Refugee.
Outcome 2: Support: To support Community Sponsor Groups and CfA Sponsor Groups to prepare and deliver high-quality resettlement and integration support for Resettled Refugees throughout their Community Sponsorship journey. This includes but not limited to provision of relevant training resources.
Outcome 3: Continuous Improvement: To continuously review of delivering training and supporting Community Sponsor Groups and CfA Sponsor Groups that ensures value for money is being delivered.
Dates
Competition opens 17/04/2025
Clarification open 17/04/2025
Clarification close 01/05/2025
Competition closes 09/05/2025 - 12pm (noon)
Funding start date 01/09/2025
How to apply
Please ignore the 'Start Application Now' button on the front page of Find a Grant.
Please follow the guidance below to bid.
To bid for funding, Bidders are to review if they are eligible via the criteria listed on this advert.
If eligible for funding Bidders will then need to register on the Home Office Jaggaer portal via the following link:
https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html
After clicking on the eSourcing portal link, it should take you to the home page. On the left-hand side of this page, just below the login boxes, there is an option to register.
To register as a supplier, you will need to provide information which will include:
· the full legal name of your organisation
· your DUNS number – a unique nine-digit number provided to organisations free of charge by Dun & Bradstreet
· profile information describing your organisation and the size of your business.
· Bidders should be approved for usage within 24 hours of registering on the system.
If you need further support please email:
Supplier eSourcing Helpdesk: customersupport@jaggaer.com
NOTE: To Confirm you would like to be added into the competition:
Please find below a link where you must register your interest You must do this to enable you to be given access to the Jaggaer portal. Only organisations that meet the eligible criteria will be given access to the ITT suite of documents.
Add link – https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/LR8BI3/