Government announces new £1.8m grant for farmers in Bucks

The Government has announced a new funding initiative which is providing a £1.8 million kitty for projects in Bucks.

It is aimed at small businesses and community groups and has been allocated by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Named the England Prosperity Fund (REPF) in total £110 million has been made available nationally.

The money will be sent out to Bucks Council and made available to community organisations between April 2023 and March 2025.

DEFRA has revealed in its criteria that the funding must go towards capital projects in rural areas such as constructing buildings and equipment that will improve rural productivity.

A DEFRA spokesperson said: “For the purposes of the grant, a rural area is defined as:

“1. Towns, villages and hamlets with populations below 10,000 and the wider countryside

“2. Market or ‘hub’ towns with populations of up to 30,000 that serve their surrounding rural areas as centres of employment and in providing services

“Example projects which could be funded include food processing equipment, converting farm buildings to other uses or rural tourism diversification such as event venues.”

Bucks Council will receive £1,828,695, Bedford Borough Council gets £552,352, Central Bedfordshire Council receives £1,061,854, North Northamptonshire Council was allocated £1,161,812, and £1,367,953 to West Northamptonshire Council.

On 3 October, the REPF submission window opens, businesses have until 30 November to apply.

Currently, it is hoped that organisations will find out whether or not their appeal has been successful in January 2023.

Further details can be found on the Government website.