Multiply is a national three-year £560 million UK government programme launched last year to help adults improve their numeracy skills and confidence in everyday life, at home, and at work.
The programme is being delivered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is entering its second year of delivery. Devon County Council (DCC) is the managing authority for Multiply across the Devon County Council administrative area.
Under the Multiply programme, we are running the Devon Multiply revenue grant scheme which supports projects to widen maths delivery and introduce innovative opportunities for improving adults’ functional numeracy skills. The overall aim of Devon Multiply is to increase the levels of functional numeracy in the adult population across Devon, particularly within harder-to-reach audiences.
Devon Multiply is now in the second year of delivery. Based on the year one delivery and lessons learned, we are opening a new call for applications. The call will be focused on reaching harder-to-reach groups.
We will fund successful projects for an initial period of eight months (until 31 March 2024) – this is phase one. Based on performance achieved in phase one and confirmation of 2024/25 funding, successful projects will be able to submit a further proposal for scaling up the project in phase two.
New call for applications
We are opening a new Devon Multiply call for applications for projects between £15,000 and £50,000.
All applicants must only support adults (19+) in Devon without a Level 2 qualification or equivalent in maths. This call is focused on reaching those harder-to-reach groups that are finding maths a barrier. Therefore, the projects will be asked to show that at least 50% of their Multiply participants are part of hard-to-reach groups which may include:
- disabled individuals –including those with neurodivergent characteristics or who are experiencing mental health issues
- people who are Deaf and use British Sign Language
- minority ethnic groups
- young people and those who live in relative rural isolation
- care-experienced individuals
- people who are long-term unemployed
- other evidenced harder-to-reach groups
Devon Multiply is subject to Ofsted. Learn Devon, Devon County Council’s adult education provider follows the standards as given in the Education Inspection Framework and will provide guidance to all projects.
Read on for a summary of the scheme and to find details on how to submit an expression of interest. Alternatively, a full applicant guide with more details is available here.
Eligible organisations are invited to submit innovative project proposals that support at least one of the interventions:
- Courses designed to increase confidence with numbers for those needing the first steps towards formal numeracy qualifications.
- Courses designed to help people use numeracy to manage their money.
- Innovative numeracy programmes delivered together with employers – including courses designed to cover specific numeracy skills required in the workplace.
- Courses aimed at people who can’t apply for certain jobs because of lack of numeracy skills and/or to encourage people to upskill in numeracy order to access a certain job/career.
- Courses for parents wanting to increase their numeracy skills to help their children and help with their own progression.
- Numeracy courses aimed at those 19 or over that are leaving, or have just left, the care system.
- Numeracy activities, courses or provision developed in partnership with community organisations and other partners aimed at engaging the hardest-to-reach learners – for example, those not in the labour market or other groups identified locally as in need.
Interventions should not displace, replace, or duplicate any existing adult numeracy provision, such as activity funded through the existing Adult Education Budget (AEB) statutory entitlement for maths qualifications.
Eligible organisations
Organisations that can apply include:
- charities
- limited companies
- community interest groups
- partnerships
- private limited companies
- local authorities
This list is not exhaustive and other organisation types may also be considered.
Geographical area
The geographical area covered by the programme will support adults who live in the Devon County Council administrative area: Exeter, Teignbridge, Torridge, North Devon, Mid Devon, South Hams, East Devon, and West Devon.
Grant amounts
The project offers revenue grants with 100% intervention rate.
The minimum amount you can apply for is £15,000 and the maximum is £50,000.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs include:
- staff costs – salaries, National Insurance, and pension contributions
- training costs, including:
- a trainer salary
- training materials
- training systems and licences where necessary and well justified
- costs of business travel, subsistence, and accommodation
- contractors and consultants procured to:
- deliver project activity
- undertake evaluation work
- undertake audit work if requested by the Secretary of State
- undertake feasibility studies or market research or both to inform potential future projects
- marketing and publicity costs
- training participant costs, for example, allowances and travel expenses
- dependent care costs of training participants
- small items of equipment (below £2000) – clear evidence of need will be required with approval from the DfE
- overheads – ongoing costs to support project delivery and can include utilities, stationary, office equipment, and supplies – is calculated at maximum of 15% of the direct salary costs for the project
Target beneficiaries
All applicants must show how their projects will only support individuals aged 19 + who have not previously attained a Level 2 maths qualification or higher (GCSE Grade 4 or C or higher).
The Multiply learners can either be working towards a maths GCSE or functional skills qualification, need specific numeracy skills for their work or progression, or just want to brush up on the skills to help them get on in life and work.
In the current call, projects will be asked to show that at least 50% of their Multiply participants are part of hard-to-reach groups which may include:
- disabled individuals –including those with neurodivergent characteristics or who are experiencing mental health issues
- people who are Deaf and use British Sign Language
- minority ethnic groups
- young people and those who live in relative rural isolation
- care-experienced individuals
- people who are long-term unemployed
- other evidenced harder-to-reach groups
Register your interest
Organisations and businesses who have an innovative project to deliver and support maths skills should complete our expression of interest form.
The closing date for submission is 22 June 2023.
If you have specific requirements when submitting the expression of interest please email devon.multiply@devon.gov.uk.
Please note that interventions through Devon Multiply must not displace, replace or duplicate any existing adult education numeracy provision.
Applicant journey
1. Submission of expression of interest
- Applicants submit an expression of interest form.
- Applications will be assessed within 10 days. If successful, applicants will be invited to submit a full application.
2. Submission of a full application
- Invited applicants will submit a full application form.
3. Assessment of full application
- We will assess full applications within three weeks.
- The applicant will be contacted if there are any queries.
4. Delivery
- The successful applicants (approved projects) will be required to enter into a grant funding agreement with Devon County Council.
- Once the grant funding agreement is signed, contracted projects can start project delivery.
If you have any more questions, please email devon.multiply@devon.gov.uk.