Supports employment, social inclusion, education, and skills development.
The ESF+ has a budget of almost EUR 99.3 billion for 2021-2027.
**Summary of the European Social Fund+ (ESF+):** The European Social Fund+ (ESF+) is the European Union's main instrument for investing in people, aiming to support employment, social inclusion, education, and skills policies across the EU. The ESF+ combines four previous funding instruments: the European Social Fund (ESF), the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD), the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), and the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). **Focus Areas:** - Promoting sustainable and quality employment and supporting labor mobility - Supporting social inclusion and combating poverty and discrimination - Investing in education, training, and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning - Enhancing institutional capacity and efficient public administration **Financial Resources:** - The ESF+ has a budget of almost EUR 99.3 billion for the period of 2021-2027. **Project Financing:** - The funding is not provided directly to individuals but through selected projects or responsible institutions in the respective programs. The amount for a typical project financing varies and is determined by the specific program and the co-financing requirements of the Member States. **Criteria for Funding:** - Projects must align with the ESF+ objectives and the specific priorities of the Member States. The ESF+ particularly supports disadvantaged groups, including the long-term unemployed, young people, and migrants. **Recent Projects:** - Examples include projects in Ireland focusing on employability, inclusion, and learning, and initiatives in Germany supporting job-related language training and skills development for disadvantaged groups.