A new £110m Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) has been announced by Defra, to support projects that will boost the rural economy and create jobs.
The funding will be invested in projects which will increase productivity and create rural job opportunities. These could include farm businesses looking to diversify by opening a farm shop, wedding venue or tourism facilities. Grants are likely to be available to help convert farm buildings to other business uses, including visitor accommodation or events spaces.
REPF funding which will be available from April 2023 to March 2025 will be delivered by local authorities and give local leaders a greater say in investment than they previously had under EU schemes. This will be in addition to the £2.6 billion allocated via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support levelling up across the UK.
Find out more at Rural England Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
