European Funding Available for Cumbrian Businesses

There are currently three RDPE Growth Programme calls are currently open for Cumbrian businesses to apply for. For more info click here.

There are currently three RDPE Growth Programme calls are currently open for Cumbrian businesses to apply for:

• Rural Tourism Infrastructure - A £1.2m investment is available to support the development of tourism infrastructure throughout rural Cumbria.  The aim is to support projects that will encourage more tourists to visit Cumbria, stay longer and spend more money in rural areas – particularly to encourage international tourists to visit.
• Rural Business Development - Funding of £1.5m is to assist rural business development with grants to enable farm diversification or business innovation and growth.  Grant funding can help pay for constructing or improving buildings and/or buying new equipment and machinery or to increase building productivity. Minimum grant is £35,000 up to maximum £170,000 (dependent on deminimis levels); and
• Food Processing - £1.4m – capital grants available to help food processing businesses to develop and extend supply chains, enabling them to export their goods as well as achieving business growth, investment in new techniques and processes.  It is aimed at food and drink businesses which process agricultural and horticultural products.

It is a two stage application process with an expression of interest submitted and thereafter a detailed application. This is a competitive process and whilst expressions of interest are invited until 31 January 2018, it is advisable that applications are submitted well in advance of this deadline as the funding may be committed much sooner.

This fund is for creating genuine additionally and growth and that the funding is secure despite it being EU funding – the treasury has committed to funding any shortfall if a project is not completed at the time the UK leaves the EU. In addition, grant funds will only support up to a certain percentage.

Advice on each of the grants is available at www.cumbriaesif.co.uk, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA)  on: 03000 200 301 or [email protected]. 

For further information about the specifications of the ‘tourism infrastructure’ investment call, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586201/RDPE_Growth_Programme_rural_tourism_infrastructure_handbook_v1.0.pdf

For further information about the specifications of the ‘rural business development’ investment call, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586202/RDPE_Growth_Programme_business_development_handbook_v1.0.pdf

For further information about the specifications of the ‘food processing’ investment call, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586200/RDPE_Growth_Programme_food_processing_handbook_v1.0.pdf