Rural businesses to benefit from £35m government fund 05 November 2019 05 November 2019 0 3259 Rural businesses to benefit from £35m government fund Grants of up to £750,000 available to rural firms to boost productivity and create local jobs Rural businesses across the country are set to benefit from a guaranteed £35 million in government funding to create new jobs, boost tourism, and unlock growth in rural areas. This figure could be increased to £50 million if there are enough high-quality applications. The government’s Growth Programme, which opens for expressions of interest on Monday 4 November, provides grants for rural start-ups and businesses to purchase state-of-the-art equipment and machinery to grow their business or open up opportunities for tourism. The scheme has already granted £99 million to 546 local businesses across England, creating 3,771 new jobs in rural areas.