Funding available for tourism, business development and food processing growth
A workshop is being held to support micro, small and medium sized businesses looking for grant funding to help then expand and grow.
Held jointly by the Leeds City Region (LCR) Enterprise Partnership and the Rural Development Programme for England Network (RDPE), the workshop will provide businesses with details on the funding available.
In the workshop applicants will be taken through the priorities for the funding including the process of going through and submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) application form.
The workshop will take place on Monday 9 December 2019 at 9am to 11am at West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Wellington House address:
Wellington House
Committee Room A
40-50 Wellington Street
Leeds
LS1 2DE
Please register to attend the event through Eventbrite here.
The grants are from the RDPE Growth Programme and are available for investments in Tourism Infrastructure, Business Development and Food Processing using European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
Grants from £20,000 are available across all three elements of the growth programme.
- For the Tourism Infrastructure grants are available where investment in capital assets will increase the number of visitors, increase the length of stay and/or increase the amount of money spent in the City Region. Priority will be given where businesses can demonstrate that grant funding will extend the tourism season between October and March, create quality accommodation, footpaths or cycle ways, and start or expand events and festivals with legacy potential.
- The Business Development grants are available where investment will create new higher skilled jobs, implement new innovative technologies, processes or equipment to improve productivity and competitiveness, provide wider benefits to the rural economy and allow farming businesses to diversify into non-agricultural activities. Priority will be given to applicants in manufacturing, health and life sciences and digital and creative industries.
- The Food Processing grants are available where capital investment will increase the productivity of a business by introducing new equipment, techniques or technologies, implement automation in micro and small businesses and create new higher skilled jobs. Priority will be given to projects that bring new products to the market and open or expand new markets – including export markets. The Food Processing Grant eligibility does not require the applicant to be in a rural area.