Rural Grant Barnsley

What is the Rural Grant?

The Rural Business Grant project is supported by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and has attracted investment through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).  UKSPF is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda.  The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local businesses, and people and skills.

The grant will be run as a competition with an Open Call inviting businesses to apply for grants between 23rd April and 30th September 2024 (the fund will close sooner if all funding is allocated).

For more information contact us

Interested in the Rural Grant?
Complete the form below and a member of our team will get back to you.

AIM OF THE FUND

The fund supports activities that specifically address the particular challenges faced by small businesses in local rural areas. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

Barnsley has been allocated £625,000 for 2023-2025.  This is to provide capital grant funding (investment in buildings, plant, equipment and machinery), such as:

  • Capital grant funding for small scale investment in SMEs in rural areas, including capital funding for net zero infrastructure and diversification outside of agriculture to encourage start up, expansion or scale up of these businesses where this involves converting farm buildings into other commercial or business use
  • Capital grant funding for developing and promoting the visitor economy (including local attractions, trails and tourism products more generally)

Grants of between £2,500 - £12,499 will be available, but you must be able to match any funding that you are applying for with your own funds. Payments are made at the end of the process, so you will need to be able to fund the project fully by yourself before any reimbursements are made.

See how Premier Fleet Solutions in Penistone used the grant here. 

 

Farm diversification

Who is it for?

Only businesses that fall into specified rural post codes* will be eligible to apply (see “Before you apply” below for further details)

Your project must be located within the administrative boundary of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

You will not be eligible to apply for funding for projects that are already receiving grant funding from other DEFRA schemes or

You will not be eligible to apply for grant funding for any projects that have already been committed to.


*Rural areas are:

  • towns, villages, and hamlets with populations below 10,000 and the wider countryside.
  • market or ‘hub towns’ with populations of up to 30,000 that serve their surrounding rural areas as centres of employment and in providing services.

Eligible areas for the Rural Fund can be identified using DEFRA’s ‘Magic Maps’ tool (see below ‘Before you Apply?’ )

See how Lower Coates farm used the grant for their business here. 

woman in farm shop

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Please ensure that you have read and understood the accompanying guidance document

Please check that the location of your project is eligible for this grant by using the Magic Maps application.

The Rural Grant Application Guidance document (download above) explains how to use the Magic Maps application on page 3.

 

WHAT IS IT GOING TO COST?

There is no charge to complete the application form however you must be able to match any funding that you are applying for with your own funds. Payments are made at the end of the process, so you will need to be able to fund the project fully by yourself before any reimbursements are made.

 

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU?

  • Details about your business including turnover, number of employees, which sector you operate in and any relevant reference numbers (such as VAT ref, Companies House ref, Unique Taxpayer Ref etc).

  • Details of your project including location of the project, whether the project requires planning permission, associated costs, expected start and end dates etc.

  • Competitive quotes for any works being undertaken/goods purchased, preferably from local suppliers/contractors where possible (NB: your chosen contractor/supplier cannot be linked to you or your business).

 

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT FROM US

  • A Key Account Manager/Business Advisor will discuss your project with you and work with you to review your current situation. This will help diagnose the essential areas of support to ensure your business has the foundations in place to take advantage of the grant and potentially other complimentary business support products that are available within South Yorkshire. 
  • Following submission of your application, the team will undertake financial due diligence checks against your business.

  • A grant assessment panel, consisting of three members, will review your application.

  • If your grant application is successful, you will be sent a funding agreement, vendor form and any other necessary documents to complete and return to us.

  • Once you have signed and returned the necessary documents and these have been acknowledged, you will be authorised to proceed with any works.

  • If there are any unauthorised changes to your project, the grant offer may be withdrawn and no funding will be paid.

  • If you cannot provide the necessary evidence (such as paid invoices and evidence of defrayal within the timescales required) this also may result in the grant offer being withdrawn and no funding being paid.

 

APPLICATION WINDOWS

Application submission deadline 2 is 28th June 2024

Businesses will be notified if successful or not by Friday 12th July 2024

 

Application submission deadline 3 is 31st July 2024

Businesses will be notified if successful or not by Friday 16th August 2024

 

Application submission deadline 4 is 30th August 2024

Businesses will be notified if successful or not by 13th September 2024

 

Application submission deadline 5 is 30th September 2024

Businesses will be notified if successful or not by 11th October 2024

Apply for the Rural grant

If you meet the above criteria, please get in touch to begin the application process

Contact us to find out more

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