Community groups who have helped more than 1,500 disadvantaged people to get jobs or become self-employed say they are losing staff because of uncertainty over the future.
With their EU funding due to run out at the end of this year the groups - most of them set up as part of an EU local development programme - have still to find out whether they will be included in future EU programmes.
According to Dr Tony Crooks, chief executive officer of Area Development Management Ltd, which manages the programme of which they are part, their achievements in the past two years include:
Placing more than 1,500 disadvantaged people in full-time jobs or helping them to become self-employed.
Training and education programmes for 3,000 adults.
Programmes for 3,700 young people to prevent underachievement and exclusion.
Assistance for 800 local groups.
A budget of £17 million was allocated to the 33 groups between 1995 and 1999. The groups vary in their catchment areas from 2,000 to 65,000 people.