Ufi VocTech Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Ufi suits digital technology projects that improve adult vocational learning in the UK and show a credible route to more learners.
- It does not fund generic access-to-work skills, careers advice, research, individual training places, or projects where most costs are equipment, so organisations doing those should not apply.
- Its stated amounts vary by programme: VocTech Together Support Programme up to £10,000, VocTech Activate £30,000 to £60,000, and VocTech Challenge £200,000 to £250,000, so pitch your request to the programme you are targeting.
- The charity says applicants who attend a pre-application workshop are proportionally more successful, so book one, and note that VocTech Activate's Stage 1 window opens on 5 January and closes on 25 January, while VocTech Challenge's Stage 1 opens in June and closes in July.
- Applications are made through a MyUfi account and start at Stage 1, with Stage 2 by invitation.
Overview
Ufi VocTech Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1081028).
Ufi VocTech Trust exists to improve vocational skills in the UK's workforce by funding digital solutions for vocational learning. It works through three mechanisms: grant funding calls, working with partners to address specific challenges, and commercial investment in line with its charitable aims. Its funding is focused on three areas: Seeding the market, Market test projects and Large scale partnerships. It paid £2,509,000 in total, per the annual report.
What they fund
Priority Areas
Ufi VocTech Trust provides grant funding for digital technology that improves vocational learning and the skills people need for work, particularly adult vocational learning in the UK. It backs organisations developing, testing, adopting and scaling technology-based learning solutions that address evidenced workforce skills needs. Its grants can support work from early-stage design and prototyping through learner testing and adoption to routes to market and sustainable scale. Ufi looks for practical, innovative responses to existing vocational learning problems, with a credible prospect of better learner outcomes at scale. It focuses on learners, professions, communities, industries and skill levels that are undervalued or under-supported, and values strong connections with learners involved in design and testing. Its support pairs funding with expert guidance.
Themes
- Digital vocational learning
Geographic Focus
UK.
What they don't fund
- Projects which address generic ‘access to work’ skills, such as time management, CV building or interview skills training
- Basic digital skills training aimed at enabling generic digital capability and overcoming digital exclusion, but not specific digital vocational skills required in the workplace
- Generally, skills that are above level 3 or equivalent
- Projects in HE, but HEIs can be involved in project delivery where the project beneficiaries are adult workplace learners
- Research projects
- Projects in schools, unless these can demonstrate that they are addressing specific workplace skills provision to those aged over 16, where there is an identifiable employer need
- Projects for which the majority of the costs are equipment purchases
- Standard content development work that aims, for example, to simply digitise existing content or add further content to an existing platform; content development necessary to develop, test and demonstrate an innovative approach may be funded
- Generic enterprise or entrepreneurship skills to support people to set up or run a business
- Projects aimed at improving the mental health or well-being of the workforce
- Applications around careers advice or matching
- Training places for individuals
- Projects that do not represent a step change in how vocational learning happens; an incremental improvement in vocational learning is not sufficient
- Projects which do not support the digital delivery of adult vocational learning
- VocTech Activate only:
- projects for school-age children or projects which are not focused on helping adults of working age gain or improve their skills for work
- learners must be in the UK
- projects for learners who are already well-served by current mainstream provision, for example projects aimed at graduates or providing graduate-level learning
How to apply
For grant calls, organisations register for a MyUfi account and complete an online application during the open round. Applications start at Stage 1; successful applicants are invited to submit a Stage 2 application.
Application windows:
- VocTech Activate Stage 1: Opens on 5 January and closes on 25 January
- VocTech Activate Stage 2: Closes in late March
- VocTech Challenge Stage 1: Opens in June and closes in July
- VocTech Challenge Stage 2: Opens in August and closes in September
Who can apply:
- VocTech Activate
- Ufi funding is open to all organisations, including charities, trade bodies, learning providers, employers, private companies, community interest companies and other not for profit organisations. Individuals can apply, but must become an incorporated organisation before funding can be awarded.
- Projects must focus on adult vocational learning in the UK and be aimed at adults 16+.
What to send:
- VocTech Activate
- At Stage 1, provide an outline of the vocational learning problem, intended audience or market, potential for scale, information about the organisation and funding requested.
- At Stage 2, provide a technical description of the idea, a project plan and a budget.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applicants are encouraged to attend a pre-application workshop and read the supporting information to understand the priorities and present a strong project.
- Applicants who attend a workshop are proportionally more successful in their grant applications.
- Applications are assessed for fit with Ufi’s mission and the specific objectives of the funding call.
- Applicants should show ambition and a credible route to market and scale, reaching many learners if the proof of concept succeeds.
- Ufi particularly values learners in sectors and locations underserved by mainstream provision, and asks applicants to explain why their target learners have been overlooked.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Ufi VocTech Trust.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £533,000 | £4,982,000 | £2,356,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £366,000 | £4,863,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £557,000 | £5,253,000 | £2,818,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £602,000 | £5,470,000 | £2,228,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £828,000 | £6,034,000 | £2,509,000 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
In 4 of the 4 years shown, grants paid exceeded income.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants paid out in the year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- ufi.co.uk
- ufi.co.uk/grant-funding/voctech-activate · read on 30 October 2026
- ufi.co.uk/grant-funding · read on 30 October 2026
- ufi.co.uk/grant-funding/faqs · read on 30 October 2026
- ufi.co.uk/grant-funding/voctech-ignite · read on 30 October 2026
- ufi.co.uk/grant-funding/voctech-challenge · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Ufi VocTech Trust?
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Applying to Ufi VocTech Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required