Deadline Date: July 17, 2026
The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is inviting applications under the PEACEPLUS Programme’s Investment Area 2.3 Programme Area Skills Development to address skills gaps, improve access to quality training, and strengthen cross-border labour mobility across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
Focus areas, objectives and priorities include developing cross-community and cross-border skills strategies, supporting skills development partnerships between further and higher education providers, promoting apprenticeships for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, supporting reskilling and upskilling opportunities, addressing skills gaps in key sectors such as ICT and digital, STEM, the green economy, entrepreneurship, and leadership and management, and improving access to inclusive education, training and lifelong learning.
The PEACEPLUS Programme is a cross-border structural funds programme focused on promoting peace, reconciliation, economic development and territorial cooperation. The programme represents an investment of €1.144 billion and is funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Under Theme 2: Delivering Economic Regeneration and Transformation, Investment Area 2.3 Programme Area Skills Development will support initiatives that create a skilled workforce aligned with current and future growth sectors while contributing to public policy goals.
The investment area aims to support area-based approaches that respond to identified skills gaps and encourage collaboration between education and training providers. It will enable cross-border partnerships, reduce duplication of resources, and support joint programmes that improve workforce development and employment opportunities.
The programme will fund activities including the development of cross-border skills strategies, creation of clusters addressing local skills gaps, joint educational programmes, and initiatives that reduce barriers to participation in skills development, particularly for marginalised and underrepresented groups.
The total indicative budget available for this second call is €4.9 million, consisting of €3.92 million from ERDF and UK ERDF equivalent funding and €980,000 in government match funding provided by the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive. Grants are available to cover 100% of eligible project costs.
Eligible applicants include national, regional and local authorities, development agencies, chambers of commerce, universities, further and higher education institutions, research organisations, NGOs, sectoral agencies, business support organisations, voluntary sector organisations, public-like organisations, and private sector organisations including SMEs and large companies.
Applications are particularly encouraged from organisations supporting the hospitality and tourism sector with a focus on AI adoption, people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), and organisations addressing cross-border labour market skills gaps through workforce development, upskilling and reskilling activities.
Projects must operate within the PEACEPLUS programme area, covering Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland including Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo. All funded projects must demonstrate a clear cross-border focus in their development or delivery.
For more information, visit SEUPB.
