PROJECTS to improve the look of Newport and bring more jobs into the city are set to receive nearly £2.8 million funding this week.

Newport City Council is expected to finalise the awarding of the pot, from the UK Government's Community Renewal Fund, today, Tuesday.

Seven organisations in the city were successful in bidding for a share of the cash, which they will spend on projects over the next six months.

Many of those initiatives will focus on improving skills and employment opportunities, especially for younger people in Newport.

Others will aim to breathe new life into city neighbourhoods by improving green spaces and reviving empty commercial properties.

The Community Renewal Fund, launched last March, invited councils around the UK to bid for a share of funding to support their local communities and economies. Each council could apply for up to £3 million for private and public sector projects.

You can read more about how the five councils in the Gwent area will be spending their share of the pot here – but let's take a look in more details at the seven successful projects in the Newport area:

Foot in the Door is aimed at building on South East Wales' blossoming film and TV industry, and will focus on giving 300 people in the Newport area better access to jobs and skills connected to this sector. Run by Ffilm Cymru Wales, the project is due to be awarded £841,000 from the Community Renewal Fund.

The Welsh Institute of Digital Information (WIDI) wants to invest in its research and development centre at the University of South Wales' Newport campus. It is due to receive £730,000 from the funding pot, which it will spend on advancing health research and building a prototype Digital Health Village, as well as working on artificial intelligence tools for medical care.

The Newport 360 project is designed to "upskill" people in the city who are not currently "economically active". Run by the organisation Volunteering Matters, the project aims to work with local businesses and "diversify" their hiring policies, as well as giving prospective workers better training for finding jobs, building their CVs and interview skills. The scheme has been awarded £400,000 from the UK Government fund.

The Sgiliau project, run by TGP Cymru, will receive £328,000 to provide education and job opportunities to young people aged 16-25 who have been in care and are currently not in education, employment or training. The project will "improve and enhance their prospects" of finding a place in education or training, as well as "appropriate housing and support", the council said.

Young Enterprise Newport is another scheme geared towards helping younger adults find work. Run by Business in Focus, the project is set to receive £213,000 funding, and will work with young people and women entrepreneurs on a pilot scheme for developing business skills.

Greening Maindee will continue its work to renovate that city neighbourhood by conducting a new feasibility study for future improvements. The project is run by Maindee Unlimited, the charity behind schemes like the renovation of Maindee Triangle, where a disused public toilet block is being transformed into a cafe.

It has been awarded £173,000 by the UK Government to continue its work, looking at other ways to develop Maindee into a greener, more sustainable area that also tie into wider plans for promoting active travel and public transport. 

Finally, the Business Support in Pillgwenlly project has been awarded £59,000 for the economic regeneration of the Pill area of Newport.

The scheme, by Pobl Cymru, will support high-street traders in a coordinated plan to bring empty shops back into us, create jobs and apprenticeships, organise events and develop a business support package for new and existing ventures.

Each of the organisations to receive funding will be expected to deliver their projects by the end of June.