Submit Applications for Rural England Prosperity Fund (UK)

Themes

• Type of projects to be funded should align with one or more of the following themes of the REPF programme:
  • Small scale investment in micro and small enterprises
  • Developing and promoting the visitor economy
  • Farm diversification to generate new income streams.
  • Improving digital connectivity infrastructure
  • Growing the local social economy
  • Supporting new to firm innovation to energy efficient and low carbon technologies
  • Improving land & premises security

Funding Information

• Grant funding will be between £1,000 – £5,000 for revenue projects and £3,000 – £25,000 for capital projects, with the applicant needing to provide at least 20% of the total project costs (match funding).

Outcomes

• The desired outcomes from grant funded projects would include:
  • Creation of new jobs
  • Improved business productivity
  • Business growth
  • Greenhouse gas reductions
  • Improved perceived or experienced accessibility
  • Business adopting new to the firm technologies or processes
  • Increased footfall or visitor spend
  • Inward Investment
  • Jobs Safeguarded

Eligibility Criteria

• The Rural Based Grant (RBG) scheme is open to existing micro-businesses (fewer than 10 employees), small businesses (fewer than 250 employees) and social enterprises that have been registered with Companies House or have a Partnership registered with HMRC for at least 3 years.
• The business must be based and trading from a business premises (i.e. subject to business rates or an agricultural premises that is exempt from business rates) within the Forest of Dean District Council area.
• The grants are not available to sole traders, or public or private organisations that are predominantly public funded.

Ineligible Projects

• Examples of what the grant CANNOT support:
  • Working capital, e.g. rent payments, hire costs, stock purchases,
  • Any motorised vehicles
  • Funding for the payment of wage subsidies
  • Activities which would contradict, duplicate, or undermine HM Government domestic initiatives.
  • VAT payments (other than project costs where VAT cannot be recovered from
  • HMRC or for non-VAT registered businesses)
  • Paying off debts or refinancing
  • Purchase of financial investments
  • Any statutory or legislative obligations, duties, or requirements (including statutory training)
  • Hire purchases and/or asset finance arrangements.
  • “Like-for-like” replacement of obsolete equipment with little or no added value.

For more information, visit Forest of Dean District Council.