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Information 
News
Funding latest special - SRDP
The new Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) has now opened and communities can begin the application process to Rural Priorities. There's plenty of potential in the programme to fund community projects. To get started you'll need a BRN, so see below for how to get one. The Scotland Rural Development Programme is a £1.6 billion programme of economic, environmental and social measures designed to develop rural Scotland over the next seven years. Funding for communities is available in two measures, Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities and LEADER.
Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities
Rural Priorities is a competitive fund to deliver targeted environmental, social and economic benefits. For further details, please see the Rural Priorities information leaflet. The leaflet is also available in pdf format (315kb).
What will it Fund?
There are 75 different options you can apply for in Rural Priorities. Most are for farmers and foresters but there are a number that community projects may apply to. Options include:
- Support for Renewable Energy - Non Land-Based
- Development/Creation of Micro-Enterprises
- Community Services and Facilities
- Information & Awareness Raising
- Area Access Management
- Management of Archaeological or Historical Sites
- Management and Repair of Vernacular Buildings
- Enjoyment of Rural Landscapes
- Collaborative Local Development Strategies
- Skills Development to Improve Quality of Life
Options that fund, for example, habitat management and forestry are also available to communities that manage land such as community woodlands and community owned estates.
How to do I apply?
Applications to Rural Priorities can only be made online. But before you are able to apply online you must obtain a Business Reference Number (BRN). Click here for guidance on obtaining a BRN.
There is a 2-stage application process to Rural Priorities. The initial stage is the submission of a simple Statement of Intent. You will get feedback on whether your proposal has the potential to be successful. At the second stage applicants prepare a detailed Proposal, plus an Outcome Plan setting out how they would contribute to one or more 'regional priorities'. There is small amount of financial support available for applicants to prepare their proposals.
Challenge Funds
In the SRDP there are also two challenge funds "Woodlands In and Around Towns" and "Forestry for People" which aim to improve the condition of existing woodlands for the benefit of local people.
For further details, please see the Challenge Funds information leaflet. The leaflet is also available in pdf format (347kb).
LEADER
LEADER aims, using a bottom-up approach, to build stronger, richer local communities and business networks.
Constituted community groups, social enterprises, micro or small businesses, voluntary organisations or public sector bodies in rural areas (including towns up to a population of 10,000) can apply for up to 50% of project costs. For further details, please see the LEADER information leaflet. The leaflet is also available in pdf format (340kb).
LEADER programmes will open in early summer.
Support
Rural communities can get support to help them access funding through a new service to be offered by SCVO and the Crofters Commission. We will bring you news of this shortly. In the meantime if you'd like further information contact sandra.hogg@scvo.org.uk
We’ll keep you up to date with news of both the LEADER and Rural Priorities programmes as they develop.
- Source
- Rural Gateway
- Date
- 9-May-2008
- Categories
- COMMUNITIES, FUNDING, All Scotland, News - General, News - Top Story
10-May-2008 @ 10:11AM
Michael Johnston
Almost nothing in the above article is true. The sum available is not £1.6 billion once legacy schemes and ring fenced funding for NVZ areas is removed there will be around a £100 million a year available, this has to go to the "best value" projects so most will go to large estates who can pay consultants. At most 30 or 40 perhaps a 100 people a year will benefit from new schemes. This will be spun as a success as all the legacy schemes (RSS ESA etc ) will be added to make the total around a few thousand. It is still almost impossible to apply to the website and even if you do manage it the number of "real" applications (eligible for payment of the cost of application) has now been capped to a maximum of 6. LEADER is not for rural areas it will be spent on urban fringe areas almost exclusively. I have made repeated efforts to contact or find any information on what will be available for Moray without success. The whole scheme is a farcical con job which has bitterly disappointed me and frustrated any hope of real rural development.
SCAMS and FRAUDS
14-May-2008 @ 16:37PM
scott barker
I would be very interested to hear more from people who are discovering that these so called rural development projects/funds/services are in fact not what they seem.Getting the government to set funds aside in order to service rural requirements for development only to see these funds swallowed up by consultants and quangos is very frustrating and is something that should be documented and submitted to the government.