UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in Sunderland

Introduction to UKSPF

Sunderland, as a lead authority area, has been allocated an indicative total of £16,577,891 to invest over three years with the majority of activity and funding in 2023-24 and 2024-25. This is broken down into £14,936,161 of UKSPF core funding and £1,641,730 for the Multiply programme.

Sunderland is in a strong position to use UKSPF alongside other funding streams and has identified priority interventions for support to maximise outcomes for its residents, communities, and businesses.

The Investment Plan for Sunderland builds on the existing priorities set out in the City Plan 2023-2035.

UKSPF and the Sunderland City Plan

Sunderland already has an ambitious City Plan that sets out the longer term vision for Sunderland to be 'a connected, international city with opportunities for all.'

To achieve this, the City Plan has three key themes: 

• Sunderland will be a dynamic smart city with more and better jobs, a low-carbon economy and a great choice of housing. It will be a leading digital city, deploying smart and sustainable technologies for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors;
• it will be a healthy smart city where people will live healthier, independent lives for longer. It will be a clean and attractive city with great transport and travel links;
• and it will be a vibrant smart city with more resilient people feeling safe in their homes and neighbourhoods. There will be a range of opportunities for people to participate in their communities and in cultural events and activities

The UKSPF investment plan supports the overarching City Plan vision and the three themes, and has identified early priority interventions and activities that can be delivered between now and March 2025.

The UKSPF Investment priorities

The investment plan has considered the challenges and opportunities for Sunderland in the context of three investment priorities set out by Government in the UKSPF prospectus:

• Communities and Place
• Supporting Local Business
• People and Skills

The investment plan aligns with the overall fund objectives which are to:

• Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards, especially in those places where they are lagging
• Spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest
• Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost
• Empower local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency

UKSPF in the North East

Discussions continue to take place across the North East region, and with neighbouring local authorities, to explore areas where we have common challenges and opportunities, and where it makes sense to think regionally to potentially create a bigger impact.

Contact details

Please contact us at ukspf@sunderland.gov.uk for any general enquiries on UKSPF or if you have any questions or require further information.

UKSPF Programme updates:

Update - 08 July 2024

Approved Project - Skills for growth and development of the workforce

We are pleased to announce that the local delivery partnership is led by the University of Sunderland with the following partners:

• Access Training Ltd
• British Esports Federation
• Media Savvy CIC
• MTC Training
• NBSL
• SETA
• Sunderland College
• Sunderland Software City
• TDR Training
• Training in Care Ltd
• Uplift Training

Further information can be found here: Sunderland UKSPF Approved Project - People & Skills: Skills for growth and development of the workforce

Update - 26 February 2024

Sunderland's fourth targeted UKSPF call for projects, which invited organisations and partnerships to submit proposals that would deliver key priorities for People & Skills as set out in Sunderland's UKSPF Investment Plan closed for submissions at 23:59 on Friday 23 February 2024.

There are currently no open calls for projects. Details of any future calls will be published on this page.

Update - 18 January 2024

An overview of the approved Sunderland UKSPF projects can be found here: Sunderland UKSPF Projects

Update - 04 December 2023

A list of Supporting Local Business eligibility FAQs can be found here.

Supporting Local Business Eligibility FAQs (PDF) [122KB]

Update - 22 November 2023

Approved Supporting Local Business projects

We are pleased to announce a package of business support projects to support enterprise development and growth across the city. Over £5m of UKSPF grant will be invested in the following projects:

• North East Screen Industries Partnership
• Business Growth Grant
• Business Intellectual Property Centre
• Wear Together Initiative
• Enterprising Sunderland
• Sunderland Innovate & Grow
• ESports Business Cluster
• Local Automotive Business Support
• Business Decarbonisation Project

Further information can be found here: Sunderland UKSPF Approved Projects - Supporting Local Business

Update - 17 November 2023

Approved Project - Support for Residents who are Economically Inactive and Seeking Work

We are pleased to announce that the local delivery partnership is led by The Wise Group with the following partners:

• Humankind
• Springboard Sunderland Trust
• Pallion Action Group
• Foundation of Light

Further information can be found here: Sunderland UKSPF Approved Project - People & Skills: Support for residents who are economically inactive

Update - 24 July 2023

Sunderland's third targeted UKSPF call for projects, which invited organisations and partnerships to submit proposals that will deliver the key objectives of the Supporting Local Business investment priority closed for submissions at 23:59 on Friday 21 July 2023.

There are currently no open calls for projects. We expect to issue a further call in respect of People & Skills - Skills for growth and development of the workforce in due course. Details of future calls will be published on this page.

Update - 23 June 2023

Approved Communities and Place Projects

We are pleased to announce the first approved projects under the Communities and Place call for projects. Further information can be found here: Sunderland UKSPF Approved Communities and Place Projects