New Forest Leader

  • Home
  • LAG Member’s Area
  • Log In
  • Contact
  • Home
  • What is LEADER?
    • What is LEADER?
    • Approved Projects
    • Which areas are eligible for LEADER funding?
  • Who are the LAG?
    • Who are the LAG?
    • LAG member profiles
  • Applying for a Grant
    • Applying for a Grant
    • Which areas are eligible for LEADER funding?
    • Help and Support
    • What if my Project is not eligible?
  • Resources for Approved Projects
    • Resources for Approved Projects
    • Project Managers Guide
    • How to Claim your Grant
    • How to Publicise your Grant
  • News
  • Contact

The New Forest LEADER Programme is now closed

August 21, 2021 By Sally Igra

The New Forest LEADER Programme ran from 2015 – and will close in December 2021. The scheme is not accepting further applications.

The New Forest has benefitted from three LEADER programmes and combined, by the end of the current LEADER Programme (2015-2020), New Forest LEADER will have:

  • Awarded grants worth more than £3million supporting sustainable economic growth in the area.
  • Benefitted, directly or indirectly, more than 500 small rural-based businesses in the New Forest.
  • Created and safeguarded over 300 jobs in small rural businesses. This is particularly important in an area which has high proportion of micro & small businesses.
  • Provided over 170 small rural businesses with one to one business and project development support.
  • Generated private sector investment of £1.50 for every £1 of LEADER invested in local businesses. Many of these businesses in turn spent their grant locally, helping to sustain other businesses within the supply chain.

Funding decisions in the New Forest LEADER area were made by the twenty volunteer members of the Local Action Group (LAG).  The LAG’s skills and knowledge of the local area ensure that LEADER funding was used to fund local responses to identified local needs.

LEADER was funded by the EU; with the UK’s departure from the EU there will be no further LEADER Programmes

For information on other grant schemes visit the Business Support pages of the New Forest District Council website

New Forest District Council provides business support updates via their eNews: you can sign up to receive these updates here or the Twitter Feed (@NFBPBizUpdates)

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

LEADER Grants: Now Almost Fully Allocated

February 5, 2020 By Sally Igra

The New Forest LEADER programme has been supporting New Forest businesses and community projects since 2015 and is due to finish in 2020. We anticipate that the remaining grant budget could be fully allocated by Spring 2020 with all successful projects completed, and grant claims submitted, by Autumn 2020.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Christmas and New Year office closure 2018/19

November 28, 2018 By Sally Igra

Please note that the New Forest LEADER office will be closed for Christmas from the afternoon of Friday 14th December until Thursday 3 January 2019.

Information about the scheme and how to apply can be found on this website.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish applicants and LAG members a very happy Christmas and New Year.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Reopening for New Applications for a limited period – New Forest LEADER Business Grants

October 18, 2018 By Sally Igra

The New Forest LEADER Programme is re-opening to new Expressions of Interest (the first stage in the application process) –initially until 28 Feb 2019 or until remaining funding is allocated, whichever is sooner.

The EU’s New Forest LEADER grants can be used to fund investment in certain types of buildings, equipment and machinery to help small businesses grow and/or create jobs.

However there is now very limited grant budget still available, so businesses are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

LEADER can grant fund up to 40% of the investment cost (for commercial projects) up to a maximum grant amount of £75,000. The minimum grant amount you can apply for is £5,000. Applications must be approved before the project can start.

Examples of the types of project LEADER can fund include:

• Investment in technology to improve the performance and sustainability of an agricultural/horticultural or forestry holding;

• Construction or conversion of buildings, or the purchase of machinery and equipment, to help small businesses in rural areas to grow or offer new services or products;

• Investment in equipment, technologies or processes to save resources or reduce waste;

• Investment to develop culture, leisure, heritage, visitor activities or attractions

• Investment to develop farm diversification activities;

• Investment in businesses or not for profit organisations which provide services for rural communities i.e. rural retailers, transport etc.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Horticultural artists benefit from New Forest LEADER grant scheme

November 25, 2016 By Sally Igra

New Forest farmers, foresters and rural businesses are benefiting from a £1.4 million EU grant scheme.

The New Forest LEADER Local Action Group, in partnership with New Forest District Council, has recently awarded a £45,000 LEADER grant to Tiptoe based wholesale nursery and horticultural artist Agrumi Ltd.

Agrumi are custom topiary, topiary frame and hedge sculpture experts – creating everything from a replica of Lady Gaga’s stiletto shoes to designs incorporating wifi and 4G relay transmitters at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. Closer to home, Agrumi created the life-sized topiary animals on show at Paultons Park.

LEADER funding for Agrumi means they can build a new, dedicated topiary workshop where the giant topiary structures will be created. The workshop will provide the business with the room to grow and to create an additional two full time jobs. Stanley Jackson, director of Agrumi Ltd said “the grant will be a game changer for us. We’re a small firm with big ambitions. Our success so far has been built from hard work and good market knowledge. Now we’re ready to move to the next level and LEADER is helping us achieve our goals”.

Gerald Lewis, Chairman of the New Forest LEADER Local Action Group commented that “We are pleased to be able to offer financial support to an innovative and expanding local business like Agrumi. Despite the current uncertain economic outlook, we have been very encouraged by the steady stream of enquiries that the New Forest LEADER programme has been receiving from local companies looking to develop their products and services and grow their business. There are a lot of interesting and well researched projects coming forward, each of them representing an investment opportunity that could benefit the local economy for many years to come.”

For further details of other grants awarded to date click here

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Businesses can continue to benefit from LEADER funding; despite Brexit

November 9, 2016 By Sally Igra

We are very pleased to report that HM Government has today confirmed that UK businesses will continue to benefit from European-funded grant programmes until the UK formally leaves the EU. This means that farmers, foresters and small rural businesses in the New Forest LEADER area still can take advantage of the LEADER grant scheme. However it is likely that the scheme will finish earlier than planned; we await confirmation of this date.

The LEADER Programme is a source of capital investment funding to promote economic growth and job creation in rural areas. LEADER grants – ranging in value from £2,500 to £50,000 – can be used to fund up to 40% of investment in certain types machinery, equipment and buildings, with successful applicants being required to provide their own match funding for the balance of each project’s costs. LEADER funds originate from the EU and DEFRA, but individual grant applications are assessed and approved locally by independent panels (known as Local Action Groups) representing all facets of the rural community. The New Forest LEADER area includes most of the rural New Forest, together with some adjoining areas in East Dorset (Burton), Southern Test Valley and South Wiltshire.

Since its launch in January 2016, the New Forest LEADER Local Action Group, in partnership with New Forest District Council, has already awarded grants totalling £110,000, with a further £470,000 of outline applications pending. 

We are therefore encouraging potential applicants not to leave it too late to apply. Grant bids cannot be submitted or approved retrospectively for items that have already been purchased or work that has already commenced – and the application process takes approximately 6 months from start to finish – so potential applicants need to plan well ahead in order to submit their grant bids as early as possible in their project’s life-cycle.

The LEADER grant budget is an ever-diminishing pot; so if you are running or starting-up a rural business and are looking to invest in certain types of equipment, machinery or buildings – don’t delay, visit our website at www.newforestleader.org.uk for information on what we can fund and how to apply.  Some types of not-for-profit organisations and activities are also eligible to apply for grant support – again, further information is available on our website.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Attend a LEADER funding advice clinic at the New Forest Show

May 16, 2016 By Sally Igra

New Forest LEADER will be part of New Forest District Council’s ‘Helping Local Business Grow’ stand at the New Forest Show on 26th, 27th & 28th July 2016.

As well as information on the support available for anyone wishing to start or grow a business in the New Forest, there will be a ‘Business Drop in Zone’ where you can talk with business experts, or network with other businesses.

Staff from the New Forest LEADER programme will also be on the stand to advise you on your project’s eligibility for a LEADER grant and to talk you through the application process.

Further details to follow….

New Forest District Council’s ‘Helping Local Business Grow’ will be in Block 24, adjacent to the Hoburne Ring.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Hear about LEADER funding for the Forestry Sector

February 5, 2016 By Sally Igra

A question and answer session on LEADER funding for the forestry sector will be part of the ‘Pie and Pint’ evenings run by the Forest Commission. New Forest LEADER will be attending the event at Broughton, in Hampshire on 10th February 2016.

The ‘Pie and Pint’ evenings are a series of local events for forestry contractors and owner-producers to provide a detailed overview of the grants available via the Rural Development Programme for England (2014 – 2010) and practical advice on how to apply.

To register, go to the Forestry Commission website at http://www.forestry.gov.uk

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Eligible Areas


more information

If you are not in the New Forest LEADER area click here for alternative LEADER areas

Sign up for our newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for latest news of grants and projects

sign up 

Grant Recipients

Businesses in the New Forest are already benefitting from LEADER grants to help their business to grow and create jobs...find out more >

RSS Latest News

  • The New Forest LEADER Programme is now closed
    The New Forest LEADER Programme ran from 2015 – and will close in December 2021. The scheme is not accepting further applications. The New Forest has benefitted from three LEADER programmes and combined, by the end of the current LEADER Programme (2015-2020), New Forest LEADER will have: Awarded grants worth more than £3million supporting sustainable […]
Tweets by @NewForestLeader

leader_logoNFDC logo 2eulogoTest Valley Borough Council

Copyright © 2022 New Forest Local Action Group · Privacy Policy
Website by Northerwood

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT