The Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA) has opened three funding windows for the 2026/27 financial year, inviting eligible organisations and institutions to apply for skills development and projects to support economic participation.
The three funding opportunities cater to Discretionary Grants, Strategic Projects and Strategic Partnerships for Public Institutions and each have different eligibility criteria, funding focus areas and required documents.
According to the official announcements, the closing date for all three funding windows is on 6 November 2026 and prospective applicants can view the relevant advertisements, application templates and evaluation criteria on the Services SETA website.
Services SETA Grant Windows 2026/27: Overview
Funding window Eligible applicants Purpose
Discretionary Grants Eligible employers, sectoral associations, professional bodies, trade unions and federations, and accredited Skills Development Providers (within the SETA’s scope) Support priority skills development and workplace-based learning
Strategic Projects Eligible registered non-profit organisations Support projects with measurable social and economic impact
Strategic Partnerships for Public Institutions Eligible public institutions, including government bodies, municipalities, TVET colleges and CET colleges Support projects aligned to sector priorities and public service needs
Applicants should study the advertisement for their specific funding window since eligibility and application requirements differ.
- Services SETA Discretionary Grants 2026/27
The Discretionary Grant window supports learning programmes to address scarce and critical skills needs and enable workplace-based learning.
According to the official announcement, eligible applicants to this funding window include employers, sectoral associations, professional bodies, trade unions and federations, and accredited Skills Development Providers operating within the Services SETA’s scope.
Which programmes are supported?
The advertised types of grants include:
- Learnerships
- Apprenticeships
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Adult Education and Training (AET)
- Skills programmes
- Candidacy programmes
The application must be aligned to the SETA’s Sector Priority Occupations and Interventions List and the hard-to-fill vacancies identified in Annexure A and a maximum of two learning programmes can be applied for in this window.
How to apply?
Applicants should review the official advertisement, Annexure A, Discretionary Grant Policy, applicable unit costs and evaluation criteria before preparing the applications.
The SETA states that the application must be submitted online and compulsory supporting documents and signed declarations must be uploaded. The link and detailed instructions for submitting the application were to be published on the announcement page at the time of publication.
Official announcement: Discretionary Grant Funding Window 2026/27
Enquiries: [email protected]
Closing date: 6 November 2026.
- Services SETA Strategic Projects Grant 2026/27
The Strategic Projects funding window invites eligible non-profit organisations to submit proposals that address sector and community needs and have demonstrable social and economic impact.
The official announcement mentions the following types of organisations as potential applicants:
- Registered South African non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Non-profit organisations (NPOs)
- Non-profit companies (NPCs)
- Community-based organisations
- Community trusts
Applicants must comply with the detailed registration and eligibility requirements in the official grant advertisement.
What types of projects are prioritised?
The listed focus areas include:
- Rural and township development and revitalisation
- Youth and women empowerment
- Inclusion of persons with disabilities
- Support for military veterans and their dependants
- Enterprise development and self-employment
- Job creation and local economic development
The organisation should explain how the proposed activities address a need and how the outcomes will be measured.
Required documents
The official announcement mentions the following documents and templates:
- Strategic Projects Application Summary Form
- Learning Programme Project Plan and Budget Template
- Project proposal
- Declaration of Interest
- Declaration of Authorised Person
- POPI Declaration
Applicants should also consult the Strategic Projects Evaluation Criteria and the full advertisement to identify all compulsory documents to submit.
Official announcement: Strategic Projects Funding Window 2026/27
Enquiries: [email protected]
Closing date: 6 November 2026.
- Strategic Partnerships for Public Institutions 2026/27
The third funding opportunity is for eligible public institutions to implement projects aligned to Services SETA’s mandate and strategic priorities.
The official announcement mentions potential applicants such as national and provincial government departments, municipalities, TVET colleges, CET colleges and public entities in the three spheres of government.
What projects are supported?
Proposals must address at least one of the following focus areas:
- Rural and township development and revitalisation
- Youth and women empowerment
- Enterprise development and self-employment
- Job creation and local economic development
Projects should describe the problem to be addressed, planned activities, measurable outcomes and long-term benefits.
Application requirements
Applicants must prepare the following:
- Public Institutions Application Summary Form
- Project Implementation Template
- Budget Template
- Project proposal of no more than five A4 pages
- Declaration of Interest
- Declaration of Authorised Person
- POPI Declaration
- Other required supporting documents as specified in the advertisement
The institution must disclose any other funding or pending applications relating to the same learners, training interventions or project costs. The requested grant may not be duplicated for the same activities or costs.
The SETA announcement mentioned that details of the application platform and submission process would be published on the relevant page.
Official announcement: Strategic Partnership Funding Window 2026/27 for Public Entities
Enquiries: [email protected]
Closing date: 6 November 2026.
Services SETA Online Briefing Sessions
The Services SETA has scheduled two non-compulsory online briefing sessions to cover all three funding windows:
Date Time
Thursday, 22 October 2026 10:00 – 13:00
Friday, 23 October 2026 10:00 – 13:00
The sessions will explain eligibility requirements, documents to submit, grant types and the application system and the SETA recommends that applicants attend if possible.
Use the registration links on the relevant official funding-window announcement pages.
Important Information Before Applying
Opening a window does not ensure that all applicants will receive funding – the SETA states that applications are subject to compliance checks, evaluation, verification, due diligence, available budgets and the necessary approvals.
Organisations and institutions should therefore:
- Identify the grant window that applies to their legal status and activities
- Study the full advertisement and evaluation criteria
- Download and complete the correct application templates
- Prepare required documents and signed declarations
- Attend a briefing session if possible
- Confirm the online submission process and submit before the closing date
The funding announcements are intended for eligible organisations and institutions – individual jobseekers looking for bursaries, learnerships or internships should not assume that these grants are direct applications for them.
FAQs
When do the Services SETA grant windows close?
The published closing date for all three 2026/27 grant windows is 6 November 2026
Can individuals apply for these grants?
The three funding windows are for eligible organisations, employers, accredited skills development providers and public institutions, and are not advertised as direct individual bursaries or learnerships
Are all three grants for the same purpose?
No – Discretionary Grants support priority learning programmes and workplace-based learning, Strategic Projects support eligible non-profit organisations and Strategic Partnerships are for projects led by eligible public institutions
Where can applicants find the official documents?
Visit the Services SETA website and open the announcement for the relevant funding window. Review the advertisements, application forms, templates and evaluation criteria before preparing a submission.
Does submitting an application guarantee funding?
No – applications are evaluated according to the requirements and are subject to verification, available funding and required approvals.
Final Note
The three Services SETA grant windows offer different funding routes for eligible organisations and public institutions working in skills development, community initiatives and economic participation.
Applicants should select the appropriate funding window, study its requirements and confirm the submission process via the official SETA announcements before the 6 November 2026 closing date.
Sources and Verification: Information in this article was checked against the Services SETA’s official announcements published on 19 October 2026.
Editorial Note: Funding conditions, supporting documents and submission instructions may differ between grant windows. Applicants should use the official announcement for their selected opportunity as the final reference.
