Rural Development

The Prince’s Countryside Fund has made grants of up to £2,500 available to charities, community benefit societies and social enterprises that are supporting rural communities, and farm businesses or other rural businesses who are affected by the coronavirus. The focus of the Rural Response Emergency Grants Programme will be on providing emergency relief to vulnerable or isolated people in rural or farming communities, and farmers and farm b...

Undergraduate students starting university in September 2020 can now apply for a £5,000 bursary from the Jordans and The Prince’s Countryside Fund to promote sustainable farming. The Sustainable Agriculture Bursary is available to prospective undergraduate students who have a genuine interest in a career in farming, agriculture or a related field and have confirmed the Royal Agricultural University or the University of Reading as their firs...

Community groups as well as schools located in an area that is off the mains gas grid can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for projects that benefit the local community. Grants can support a wide range of projects that benefit the wider community from redecorating a community centre or village hall to new equipment for youth clubs, schools, sports teams or scout groups. Initial application is followed by a public vote on the Calor Rural Comm...

The Department for Transport is inviting applications from Local Authorities under the Rural Mobility Fund to trial on-demand bus services in rural or suburban areas. The focus of the fund is on setting up services where they do not already exist. A total of £20 million available and the DfT expect to see a range of project sizes coming forward, many of which would receive funding of between £500,000 and £1.5 million. All tiers of local g...

A £2 million fund to support farmers who suffered uninsurable damage to their property in the devastating floods in November has opened for applications. The Farming Recovery Fund is open for applications from farmers with affected land in parts of South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and the Midlands. Farmers can apply for grants of between £5,000 and £25,000. The closing date for applications is the 31st July 2020.

Charities working in rural areas to support the education of young people or relief of poverty can apply for grants of up to £50,000. The funding is available for mainly larger projects that would have a significant impact upon rural economies. Projects supported in the past have ranged from City farms, Federations of Young Farmers Clubs and farming Community Networks. The funding is being made available through the NFU Mutual Charitable Trus...

Grants of between £10,000 and £1million are currently available to allow voluntary, community and public sector organisations in Scotland to take ownership of land and buildings to help urban and rural communities to become more resilient and sustainable. The Scottish Land Fund is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund and Highland and Islands Enterprise. Priority will be given...

Businesses and residents in some of the hardest-to-reach places in the UK are eligible for additional funding towards the cost of installing new gigabit-capable broadband to their premises when part of a group project. Two or more businesses applying together can use vouchers worth up to £3,500 for each small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), and up to £1,500 per residential premise to support the cost of installing new gigabit-capable con...