CFAs: Ashford Rural Boost Grant (Third Round) – United Kingdom

This grant will support businesses to improve productivity, operational processes and support their viability and growth.

This grant cannot be used in conjunction with the Ashford Rural Investment Grant. It can be used in conjunction with other financial support schemes available, subject to those other schemes allowing this, except any funding deriving from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Funding Information

• Applicants are required to provide fully costed quotes of the works being proposed. The assessment will consider this and, if successful, applicants will receive a grant equivalent to 80% of the cost of works (excluding VAT). The minimum level of grant allowed under this scheme is £500 and the maximum level is £3,000.
• In exceptional circumstances the council reserves the right to award a higher level of grant where this may be necessary and where there is supporting and significant additional evidence have been submitted.

Eligible Projects

• Through this grant, Ashford Borough Council will support the purchase and installation of assets such as buildings or equipment that improves a business’ productivity and growth in the rural area.
• Examples of capital projects that the grant could support include:
  • New commercial ovens for a rural bakery
  • New signage or interpretation boards for a tourism venue
  • Purchase and installation of new IT or epos equipment
• Works that may require Planning Applications (such as Listed Building Consent, Advertising Consent or similar) can be considered. Applicants will need to submit their Planning Application, if required, before submitting the grant application.

Eligibility Criteria

• The applicant is a commercial entity registered in the Ashford Borough. This includes but is not limited to, micro, small and medium businesses.
• The subject commercial premises must be located within the designated Rural area as defined under ‘Rural England Prosperity Fund’ by the Department for Environmental and Rural Affairs (Defra). Where the site or the wider land crosses across the designated area the Council reserves the right to assess these on a case-by-case basis.
• The business can demonstrate the need and the expected benefits of the works proposed.
• Only capital projects for business purposes are eligible.
• Applications from non-profits or voluntary organisations may be considered subject to the proposal clearly benefitting commercial businesses directly.

Exclusions

• For the avoidance of doubt, businesses that are in administration, insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made, are not eligible for funding under this scheme.
• Projects or work that has already been undertaken will not be eligible. This funding is not retrospective.
• Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum permitted levels of subsidy will not be eligible to receive funding.
• Project proposals that have already received, or are eligible to apply for, funding from Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are not eligible.
• Businesses or organisations that have already received funding from another REPF funded grant programme, or projects that are eligible for another REPF grant programme, as administered by Ashford Borough Council, will not be eligible for this scheme.
• Sites that are located outside of the designated Rural area as defined by Defra for the purposes of this funding.
• This funding should not be used as a wage support mechanism or for revenue costs such as ongoing maintenance or utilities costs.
• This funding cannot be used to pay for costs directly to Ashford Borough Council (for example Planning applications) or for significant work to the Council’s land/property that falls within a schedule of maintenance and for which the council is responsible as owner.

For more information, visit Ashford Borough Council.