Develop your rural business with a South Pennines LEADER grant

Participate in our free online workshop 5th - 15th February 2018 You can pick a time to suit yourself and you don't need to go anywhere.

Sign up for the workshop through Eventbrite by 2 nd February 2018

Why participate? If your new year’s resolution is to develop your business, this workshop could help you obtain a grant towards 40% of the costs of your expansion, if the cost of your project is over £6,400.

Who is it for? The workshop is for rural businesses located in the South Pennines LEADER area. Have a look at this map South Pennines LEADER Area to see if it includes your location. You can email your project postcode to [email protected] to check that you are in the area and you will find more information here- South Pennines LEADER Programme

LEADER is for projects which create jobs and economic growth in the following areas:

 Support for increasing farm productivity;  Support for micro and small enterprises and farm diversification;  Support for rural tourism;  Provision of rural services;  Support for cultural and heritage activity;  Support for increasing forestry productivity

Projects need to be completed and final grant claims submitted by March 2019.

What is the online workshop? You'll receive a number of emails, starting on the 5th February and finishing on the 15th, with time in between for you to develop your business ideas. Each email will give you information. There may be tasks to complete, such as filling in a draft expression of interest form. The workshop will cover:

 Background to LEADER grants and Pennine Prospects  The criteria for projects and what is expenditure is eligible for grant support  Commentary on the suitability of your business idea and its chance of success in getting a LEADER grant  An outline of the process and timescale  The importance of cashflow, as the grant is paid in arrears  Advice on developing your Expression of Interest  Who does what and next steps (including ongoing support for any grant applications)

You might find it helpful to look on our Facebook page LEADER Facebook

When? The programme starts on 5th February and will last for just 10 days.

How much time will it take? This is up to you, if you want to find out about LEADER grants and submit an expression of interest, it will take you a few hours. However the next stage, developing a full application can be time consuming.

How much does it cost? There is no charge for this workshop and you could benefit from having a grant to cover up to 40% of your eligible project costs.

What do you need to do now? Just sign up on Eventbrite and look out for an email from [email protected] on 5th February 2018. Please remember to check your spam folder, in case it ends up there.