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Rural Businesses - How to Apply

Who can apply?
  Rural businesses which meet the criteria in the table below and which are in the project area

  The funded activity must contribute towards one of the New Forest Local Development Strategy objectives which are:
  • To support and encourage the production and promotion of New Forest wood products.
  • To support the development and marketing of New Forest farm products and rural micro-businesses.
  • To encourage and support sustainable land, farm and forestry management.


    • What is eligible for grant funding?
    Please refer to the relevant sections below, depending on whether you are applying as a farmer, forestry owner or as a small rural business

    CAN FUNDCAN’T FUND
      Eligible projects requiring between £2,000 - £50,000 of grant    Projects requiring less than £2,000 of grant or more than £50,000
    Farmers
      Farm diversification (by existing farmers) into, for e.g.
  • farm buildings into holiday accommodation
  • farm shop / retail outlets
  • butchery facilities
  • land-based contracting


    •   Renewable energy installations on farms, estates, horticultural sites e.g. wind, solar, woodfuel, heat pumps, anaerobic digestion (both to support the site itself and / or to sell back to the grid.)

      Adding value to agricultural produce i.e. processing equipment and buildings (for expansion or the development of new opportunities, not a straight-forward replacement of existing equipment.) for e.g.
  • cheese-making equipment
  • milk processing equipment
  • kitchens to make pies, sausages etc.
  • game storage / deer larders
  • commercial equipment for weaving
  • meat cutting rooms and processing facilities
  • packing and grading facilities
  • product development, branding and design
  • joint initiatives to add value to produce
    		•    General agricultural production equipment and buildings i.e. anything supporting production up to the point of harvest or slaughter:
  • tractors
  • hay making equipment
  • barns and other housing for livestock
  • equipment relating to the growing of crops


    •   The production costs for animal products that are produced while the animal is still alive e.g.:
  • Milk
  • Eggs


    •   Tourism projects where not linked to farm diversification
    Foresters / Woodland Owners
      The cost of producing management plans if leading to economic use of the woodland

      In-forest activities, up to and including harvesting (can include thinning)

      Costs of processing and marketing of forestry products, especially for wood fuel e.g. sawmill, chippers etc.

      Renewable energy installations on forestry holdings / estates e.g. wind, solar, woodfuel, heat pumps, anaerobic digestion (both to support the site itself and / or to sell back to the grid).    		   Industrial scale processing e.g. pressure treatment of timber

      Woodland management if not linked to an enhanced economic use i.e. if purely for conservation or recreational purposes.
    Rural Businesses
      Equipment and buildings for a new or existing land-based / producer-based businesses e.g. contractors, local products etc

      Training for people setting up or expanding a business in the land-based sector e.g.
  • forestry contracting
  • thatching
  • hedge-laying
  • charcoal production
    		•    Rural-based businesses which have no link to local products or land-based industries

    How much grant can we apply for?
    You can apply for a minimum grant of £2,000 up to a maximum of £50,000.

    However rural businesses will be required to provide their own ‘match funding’ alongside the RDPE (Leader) grant and this will need to be between 50-60% of the total cost of the project/activity. This might come from your own resources, bank loans etc but we will need to see evidence that this match funding is accessible before we release any grant monies.

    Our funding comes from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)

    How do I apply?
    The information above will help you to decide if you and your business is eligible for funding from New Forest RDPE (Leader)

    If you think it is eligible, you should read the guidance notes and then complete the Expression of Interest Form (E of I) for Rural Businesses. This is the first stage in the application process and allow our grant appraisal panel, the Local Action Group, to decide if your project proposal meets the criteria for the grant before you have completed the more detailed application form.

    You will be given feedback on your E of I and advice as to whether you should proceed to the next stage of completing the full application form.

    The full application may need to be supported by a business plan, architects plans, cash flow projections etc as appropriate and further guidance will be given on this.