More than a dozen colleges who missed out in the share of £100 million worth of capital funding have been handed a lifeline. Skills Funding Agency chief executive Geoff Russell has written to 19 colleges that applied for the Enhanced Renewal Grant advising them that the Agency, in agreement with BIS, is now able to fund their proposals. Their proposals exceeded the Agency’s quality threshold but could not be funded with the main allocation, revealed in December, of £100 million. The Agency says it has been able to “re-prioritise its own budgets” to fund these 19 new projects, which amount to just under £29 million. Geoff Russell said: “We are delighted that we can provide Enhanced Renewal Grant allocations to an additional 19 colleges. “These grants are part of our continuing support and commitment to colleges and the modernisation of the FE estate. “This investment reflects the crucial role that further education colleges have to play in providing skills to young people, adults and businesses, providing regeneration to local communities and the economy.” The Agency received more than 129 applications totalling more than £200 million, for the initial fund. The 19 colleges that will now receive an Enhanced Renewal Grant are: Abingdon and Witney College Berkshire College of Agriculture Bury College City College Plymouth Dudley College Grimsby Institute of Further and Higher Education Henley College Coventry Knowsley Community College Lancaster and Morecambe College Leek College of Further Education & School of Art Leicester College North Hertfordshire College Oxford and Cherwell Valley College Plumpton College South Devon College Stafford College Truro and Penwith College Westminster Kingsway College Wiltshire College