• Discretionary Grants are made available to employees in support of workplace skills development as well as to unemployed learners to assist them to gain access to skills development and improve their employment opportunities and/ or to support entrepreneurship.
• Preference will be given to applications that support the Agricultural Sector Scarce and Critical Skills reflected in the AgriSETA Sector Skills Plan.
• Applications should be properly completed and all required supporting documents must be attached. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• Applications should reach AgriSETA not later than 29 February 2012. No late applications will be considered.
• Application forms are available on the AgriSETA website (www.agriseta.co.za) or by clicking on the relevant funding window category.
• There is no seperate application form for Special Projects. Stakeholders should submit a memo to AgriSETA outlining the detail of the project e.g. what will be achieved and how it will be done, how many learners will benefit as well as a cost breakdown.
• Past experience has shown that the total value of applications each year, exceeds the available discretionary funds by far. Stakeholders are therefore encouraged to focus on actual needs when preparing applications.
• All discretionary grants are VAT zero rated.

The allocation of funds will be aligned to the AgriSETA strategic objectives with emphasis on the Sector Scarce and Critical Skills. Some of the training interventions that preference will be given to are amongst others, but not limited to, the following occupations/interventions:

• Artisan Development (Section 13 and Section 28 RPL)
• Occupational Based Foundational Learning Programs (Farm Maintenance & Repair Worker)
• Farm Manager NQF 4-5
• Food Technician NQF 5
• Food, Health, Safety and Quality occupations (Livestock Inspector, HACCP/Export Readiness)
• Veterinary and related occupations
• Support to Rural Structures (e.g. Mentorships, FarmTogether, Governance, Business Management )
• Farm Equipment/Machinery Operator
• Landscape Gardner NQF 3
• Forklift Driver NQF 2

FUNDING CATEGORIES
Learnerships

• The value of the Grant per learner for:
• Employed learners (18.1) - R16 500.00
• Unemployed learners (18.2) - R19 800.00
• Allowance per learner(18.2) - R8 250.00

• The number of learners per application should preferably not exceed 15 per application.

Skills Programmes

• The value of the Grant for both employed and unemployed learners is R165.00 per credit per learner.
• Applications should preferably not exceed 25 learners and 24 credits per application.

ABET

• The value of the Grant is R3 300.00 per learner per level for numeracy and literacy plus R560.00 for one additional subject on level 2 - 4.
• IEB Placement assessment tests shall be required for all AgriSETA approved applications.

Bursaries for employed Learners

• The value of the Grant for under-graduate as well as post-graduate learners at a Tertiary Institution, is actual study related costs to a maximum of R33 000.00 per academic year.

Bursaries for unemeployed Learners

• The value of the Grant for under-graduate as well as post-graduate learners at a Tertiary Institution, is a maximum of R33 000.00 per academic year.

Interns

• The value of the Grant is R33 000.00 (R2 750.00 per month to a maximum of 12 months) for learners who require work experience in order to complete a qualification.

Workplace Experience

• The value of the Grant is R33 000.00 (R2 750.00 per month to a maximum of 12 months) for unemployed learners who have completed their studies in a defined scarce skill in the Agri Sector and who needs workplace exposure to improve their employment opportunities.

Apprenticeships

• The value of the Grant is R37 620.00 (employed and unemployed) per learner per year for sector specific trades.
• Preference will be given to employed beneficiaries. Funding for Section 13 learners will be deemed for 2 years and funding for Section 28 learners will be deemed for 1 year.

Occupational Based Foundational Learning Programmes

• The value of the Grant is R30 000.00 per learner to a maximum of 12 months.

New Venture Creation Learnerships

• The value of the grant is R19 800.00 plus an allowance of R13 200.00.
• The number of learners per application should preferably not exceed 15.

SPECIAL PROJECTS/ SUPPORT TO RURAL STRUCTURES

• Training interventions in this category refer to training not covered in the above-mentioned categories. It can include but is not limited to support to Farmer Development, Mentorships, non-credit bearing training to rural communities like Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations / Co-operatives (CBOs / CBCs) and support to SMMEs.
• There is no specific Grant value in this category. You are therefore advised to submit a detailed proposal with a clear indication of unit costs for every expense item in the proposal. Each application will be evaluated on the value it will add to the Sector and a Grant amount will be determined accordingly, taking into account the amount that was applied for.
• Proposals should not exceed 10 pages.

COMMODITY ORGANISATIONS

• Commodity Organisations serving the Agricultural Sector are invited to submit an application.
• The training interventions applied for, may include the funding categories already mentioned in which instance the applicable Grant values will apply.
• The total value of applications per organization, should preferably not exceed R500 000.00.