Each year, the Tel mee met Taal (Count on skills) programme offers subsidies for activities aimed at preventing and reducing low literacy, with the Tel mee met Taal (Count on skills) subsidy scheme 2021-2024. The new application window is open between 1 January and 28 February 2023.
Which organizations can apply for subsidy again in 2023?
Schools, employers, libraries: all kinds of organizations can apply for a subsidy to reduce and prevent low literacy in 2023.
The new scheme
The Tel mee met Taal (Count on skills) subsidy scheme for 2021-2024 builds on its predecessor, which ran from 2017 to 2020, but has been extended and adapted in a number of areas. As a result of one of these changes, organizations which are based in the Caribbean Netherlands can apply for subsidy as well under the new scheme. The scheme was also revised slightly at the end of 2021.
Eligibility
The subsidy scheme consists of two sub-schemes:
- Low-literate employees: subsidy for employers to offer training to employees with low literacy or low digital literacy skills;
- Low-literate parents: subsidy for activities related to the promotion of an intellectually stimulating home environment, educational partnerships between parents and schools and the improvement of parents’ (digital) literacy;
The subsidy scheme for practical experiments is not available anymore in 2023.
Amounts available
The following applies for all subsidy sub-schemes: the maximum subsidy amount per application is €125,000, and applicants will be required to contribute to the costs themselves. If the subsidy budget is exceeded, we will draw lots.
PLEASE NOTE: The co-financing scheme for subsidy for low-literate parents in the Caribbean Netherlands is different from the one in the European Netherlands.
These are the amounts for the Netherlands (including the Caribbeans) in 2023:
Amounts available
| Category | Total amount available in 2023 | Min. amount per subsidy application | Max Amount per subsidy application | Max. amount per participant | Compensated up to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employees | € 3.35 mln | no minimal amount | € 125.000 | € 1.500 | 67% |
| Parents | € 1.75 mln | no minimal amount | €125,000 in case of 33% co-financing or €83,750 in case of 0% co-financing | € 600 | 67 or 100% |
In case lots are drawn
If the applications for low-literate employees and parents exceed the subsidy budget, we will draw lots to determine which subsidy applications will be approved. This will ensure that everyone is treated fairly. Once the application deadline has passed, a notary will draw lots, after which DUS-i (the Dutch subsidy implementation agency) will check the applications for completeness and validity. DUS-i’s website offers more information about the draw procedure. Read the information in Dutch or in English.
How to apply
You can apply for a subsidy from 1 January until 28 February 2023, Central European Time. DUS-i will implement the Tel mee met Taal (Count on skills) subsidy scheme. Read more about the scheme on their website, or go there to submit your application. DUS-i’s contact details are also listed on their website, should you have any questions.
Read the full amended 2021-2024 Tel mee met Taal (Count on skills) Subsidy Scheme.
New round, new opportunities
Would you like to apply for a subsidy to fund a project in or after 2023 to prevent or reduce low-literacy? Subscribe to our (Dutch) newsletter if you want to stay informed about application deadlines and any other relevant updates.