The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) aims to improve competitiveness in the agriculture and forestry sector; safeguard and enhance the rural environment; foster competitive and sustainable rural businesses and thriving rural communities.

What do you want to do?

• Learn what RDPE is, how it is managed and delivered
• Apply for funding – learn about the grants available and how to apply for them on the RDPE Network pages
• Latest news across the Programme
• What’s on? – Find out about what events and activities are going on and how you can get involved.

Prior information notice – Administration of future CAP Schemes

Defra is seeking to explore opportunities for delivering Common Agricultural Policy systems beyond 2013.

A prior Information Notice has been issued, inviting potential suppliers to a Market Sounding event on 21 May in Reading in order to discuss emerging views on procurement options for delivery models.

Requirements for administering the new CAP schemes are being developed for Defra by the future Options Programme (FOP).

• The Prior Information Notice is now available to view

Those wishing to attend the Market Sounding event or wanting to request a copy of the Prospectus should email fop@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Paths for Communities

A £2 million grant fund has opened for applications from local communities to improve access to rural areas in ways that will grow the regional economy.

The Paths for Communities initiative is part of the Government’s £165 million Rural Economy Growth Review announced in November 2011.  Local volunteer groups are invited to bid for funding to create new rights of way or increase the accessibility of existing ones.   This may include making rights of way accessible for horses and bikes, improving way marking, creating maps and making better links with local transport services and tourist destinations.

• More information on Paths for Communities

Defra takes the lead on RDPE delivery

Since taking over responsibility for the delivery of the RDPE socio-economic elements, through the newly established RDPE delivery teams, Defra is providing a stronger lead on the priorities for delivery. In particular, Defra has refocused remaining socio-economic resources (circa £100 million) of RDPE at meeting the priorities of the Rural Economic Growth Review.

Following the launch of the Rural Economic Growth Review (29^th November 2011), the following grant schemes are or will be available.

AVAILABLE NOW:

The following Rural Development Programme for England grant schemes are currently available, with further information available on www.rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources

• Farm and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS)  -  the second round of FFIS was launched on the 10 May, providing small grants of between £2,500 to £25,000 to farm, forestry and horticulture businesses for nutrient management, energy efficiency, water management, animal health and welfare, and forestry projects.  Guidance as to what is available through the fund is available on  http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/farm-and-forestry-improvement-scheme, with the application form available from the 22 May.  The application round will close on the 17July 2012.
• Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF) – the second RCBF Expression of Interest application round was launched on the 10 May, providing grants to those communities located in the 10% hard to reach areas in each County (as defined in their Local Authority Broadband Plan) to access superfast broadband services subject to demonstration of need and demand.  The guidance and application form are available on  http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/rural-community-broadband-fund.  The Expression of Interest application round will close on the 6 July 2012.

TO BE LAUNCHED, with information available in due course:

The dates of the next application rounds for both the Farm and Forestry Improvement Scheme (small grants of between £2,500 and £25,000), and the Rural Community Broadband Fund (grants to establish Superfast Broadband in hard to reach locations) are due to be announced in the spring 2012.  Any future Rural Economy Grant (large grants of over £25,000) application round will be dependent on the outcome of the last round which closed on the 30th April 2012 (following very large number of applications received).

Skills and Knowledge Transfer (up to £20 million) – a flexible and locally targetable skills training programme to enable rural business growth. The fund will to be launched in the Autumn 2012 following completion of existing local skills programmes.

• Read the press release

An additional £3m will support schemes to improve footpaths and access, skills training for new entrants to the forestry workforce, and developing tourism support building on those being piloted by a leading AONB in the South East. The timing of the launch of these initiatives is to be confirmed.