Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
The Government is giving rural businesses a guaranteed £35m to create new jobs, boost tourism and unlock growth.
This figure could rise to £50m if there are enough high-quality applications.
The funding is part of the Government’s Growth Programme and is open for expressions of interest from Monday 4 November. The programme provides grants for rural start-ups and businesses to buy equipment and machinery to grow their business or to open up opportunities for tourism.
A substantial £99m has been granted to 546 local businesses across England so far, creating 3,771 new jobs in rural areas. What’s more, the threshold for minimum grants has come down from £35,000 to £20,000, so more small and micro businesses can be eligible for funding.
Farming minister George Eustice said:
“Our dedicated fund for rural businesses has created more than 3,700 jobs and supported a diverse group of businesses, tourism operations and start-ups to unlock their full potential.
“This next round of funding will help more businesses to grow and local areas to prosper – and I would urge any rural enterprise to look into what this scheme could do for them.”
Paul Caldwell, chief executive of the Rural Payments Agency, added:
“The Growth Programme

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