Rural England Prosperity Fund
In September 2022, the Forest of Dean district was identified by DEFRA as eligible for the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). REPF aims to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. Each district has been awarded an allocation of capital funding that will be available from April 2023 to March 2025. Follow this link to the REPF fund guidance/prospectus: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rural-england-prosperity-fund-prospectus/rural-england-prosperity-fund-prospectus
The REPF is linked with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Follow this link to the UKSPF fund guidance/prospectus: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus
Closed grants
Rural Business Grant
Grant scheme closed 7 October 2024.
The council is offering a third and final opportunity for businesses to apply for the Rural England Prosperity funding. The grant scheme specifically targets existing food, farming, and rural-based businesses. The grant will be open to existing microbusinesses (fewer than 10 employees), small businesses (fewer than 250 employees) and social enterprises:
- Grant funding will be between £1,000 - £5,000 for revenue projects and £3,000 - £25,000 for capital projects, with the applicant needing to provide at least 20% of the total project costs (match funding).
- HMRC registered for 3 years (funding not available to sole traders)
Approximately £274,000 has been allocated to businesses so far in the first two rounds of this grant scheme. This final round of funding has £61,000 available (£52,000 capital and £8,800 revenue) for projects that can start quickly and be completed by the end of February 2025.
Type of projects to be funded should align with one or more of the following themes of the REPF programme:
- Small scale investment in micro and small enterprises
- Developing and promoting the visitor economy
- Farm diversification to generate new income streams.
- Improving digital connectivity infrastructure
- Growing the local social economy
- Supporting new to firm innovation to energy efficient and low carbon technologies
- Improving land & premises security
ALP Synergy are administering the grant on behalf of the district council.
Community Space Grants
The grant application process for 2023/24 funding closed on 8 January 2024. The grant application process for 2024/25 funding closed on 15 April 2024. Panel Meeting – 8 May 2024.
Forest of Dean District Council has allocated over £100,000 from the government's Rural England Prosperity Fund towards improvements to village halls and community buildings with £25,000 for 2023/24 and £175,000 allocated in 2024/25.
Grants are to be between £3,000 and £25,000, with 20% match funding required from applicants. The council is particularly keen to support decarbonisation, energy efficiency and digital connectivity projects, but will consider any capital project to improve a community building.
Online information session
GRCC held an online event to talk about the process of applying to the Forest of Dean REPF, answer questions and get inspiration for your project. These are the presentation and Q&As from the event: