Raising Aspirations Fund

Designed to raise the aspirations of young people through good quality and meaningful careers activity.

The Raising Aspirations Fund is an exciting opportunity to help take your schools career programme to the next level by including additional careers activities in your careers plan. With thanks to the JD Foundation, the fund offers an opportunity for Greater Manchester secondary schools to apply for one fully-funded careers activity delivered by Salford Foundation.

What does the fund provide?

The Raising Aspirations Fund provides one fully-funded careers activity for your school. The activities provided within the fund are designed around supporting frameworks like The Gatsby Benchmarks, The Equalex Framework and The Skills Builder Framework to help schools meet the standards set for a good quality and meaningful careers plan.

The activities we provide also help schools promote the MBacc, providing a clear line-of-sight to opportunities in the local Greater Manchester economy, developing skills to meet the expectations of employers and highlight some of the fastest growing careers connected to the ‘Seven Gateways‘.

  • YR10 or YR11 Mock Interviews (One full year group)
  • YR8, YR9 or YR10 World of Work (One full year group)
  • YR8 or YR9 Raising Aspirations Mentoring Programme (16 students – selected by the school)
  • YR9, YR10 or YR11 Personal Finance Day (One full year group)
  • YR8, YR9 or YR10 STEM Day (One full year group)
  • YR8, YR9 or YR10 Workplace Visits (4 visits per school – groups of 16 max per visit).

Please visit our Kickstart Your Future page for more activity information.

How do I apply?

We are not currently accepting applications. The Raising Aspiration Fund opens for applications on 1st March 2026.

When the applications become live, you will be able to submit an online application from this page. A funding decision will be provided by 31st March 2026.

Activities will be delivered between 1st April 2026 and 31st March 2027.

More information will be available here, including an application link, closer to the time of the fund becoming live.

What people are saying

"I enjoyed my experience on NCS because I was challenged by myself and others around me. I had a lot of inspiration to carry on and do better. I mixed with people from different backgrounds."

"Without Salford Foundation's support I'd be homeless. You've changed my life and I would never be able to continue my studies without your help."

"Coming here has changed my life around for the better. It has helped me stop offending by looking at why I did it in the first place and helping get things sorted out."

"I am now much more confident in my schoolwork and I listen more and my organisational skills are getting better each day."

"You would not believe the difference coming to Salford Foundation has made. I was sitting in my house, not speaking to anyone for days. My life has changed for the better. I have a life again."

"I can now start living my life again and not be afraid to open my front door. Thank you so much."

"Thank you so much for going above and beyond for my child. Your help and support has helped make such a difference in her life in such a small amount of time. I am truly grateful."

If you would like to find more about the Raising Aspirations Fund, please get in touch.

Jason King

Senior Team Leader

Our fantastic partners

JD Foundation