The Rural England Prosperity Fund is part of the UKSPF which supports productivity and prosperity in places that need it most. The Rural Fund is a top-up to UKSPF allocations to complement existing UKSPF support. It supports activities that specifically address some of the challenges rural areas face including:
- Lower productivity rates
- Poorer connectivity
- Poorer access to key services
The Rural Fund in West Yorkshire is being operated as a capital grants project for small businesses of up to 50 employees to help to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities.
The fund aims to cover the following areas:
- Business development – £855,834 to implement new innovative technologies, processes, or equipment to improve productivity and competitiveness providing benefits to the wider rural economy,
- Food processing – £855,834 for business development but also implementing automation.
- Visitor economy / tourism infrastructure – £855,834 to support a mix of business and community infrastructure grants.
A total funding of £2,567,501 of UKSPF, subject to the development, submission, and approval of a suitable Investment Plan, has been allocated to West Yorkshire for the above areas.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority & Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) are leading an applicant workshop: on Tuesday, 25th April 2023 at 15.30pm – 17.30pm. The event will be held as an online meeting via Microsoft Teams.
