Apply now for £10k to help your farm or business

Whether the capital investment is in farm diversification, a building project, new piece of equipment or in many other ways - farms and businesses can secure the easy-to-access Fenland Rural England Prosperity Fund government grant.

This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The grants are being delivered by Fenland District Council's economic growth team Fenland for Business thanks to funding awarded in a joint bid with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Eligible businesses:

• Have two to 19 employees.
• Can spend the grant by the end of January 2025.
• Can fund 50 per cent of their project themselves or with match-funding from elsewhere.
• Cannot have received funding for this project from another Defra scheme, including the Farming Investment Fund
• Are based in the Central Government defined Fenland Rural England Prosperity Fund area - this includes most of Fenland, but excludes Wisbech, Elm and Friday Bridge (check if your business is in the eligible area via the Government's map, accessible via the Fenland for Business website).

Businesses have until 23.59pm on Sunday, October 13, to lodge an expression of interest.

The fund aims to improve productivity and strengthen the economy in areas Government identified as being rural and facing potential challenges of lower productivity rates, poorer connectivity and poorer access to key services.

Discover if you are eligible and lodge your interest in a £10k business grant by completing a simple expression of interest form (now closed).  

Expressions of interest will be assessed using a standardised scoring process and those applicants that exceed the scoring threshold will be invited to complete the full grant application.

Several Fenland businesses have already qualified to receive grants in the first rounds of the scheme.

Cllr Ian Benney, Fenland District Council's portfolio holder for economic growth and skills, said: "This is a huge opportunity for farms and businesses to fund 50 per cent of the cost of a project with a grant of up to £10,000.

"We urge farms and businesses to get in touch and put forward an expression of interest to progress and grow.

"This is one of many recent grant funds we've supported, knowing that one of the best ways to support employment and prosperity for everyone in the district is to give a helping hand to our existing businesses and entrepreneurs."

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, said: "It is vitally important this money awarded to us by Government gets out to our businesses, supporting growth, jobs and the local economy. The Rural England Prosperity Fund has already made a real difference and I hope many more businesses will come forward to take advantage."

For an informal chat and guidance about the grants available contact Fenland for Business.

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September 2024