The Royal Countryside Fund - Supporting Rural Communities
Our new UK-wide Supporting Rural Communities grant programme is now open for expressions of interest. This new differentiated funding will support transformative, community-led initiatives across the UK, unlocking the huge potential for positive change in rural communities. Our aim is to support innovative solutions that will “power up, not prop up” communities, inspiring change and encouraging economic vibrancy.
Organisations can apply for grants of up to £25,000 over a period of 24 months to deliver activities along the themes of:
Keeping young people in the countryside
Powering up rural communities
Increasing environmental sustainability
Building emergency resilience in rural areas.
Support will be focused on isolated rural areas where the activity is required due to a lack of alternative services. Projects must be community led and show that they actively listen to, understand and respond to the needs of their local community. We are also looking for community organisations that demonstrate one or more of the following characteristics:
Working towards a long-term vision
Facilitating collaboration/connectedness
Demonstrating innovation.
Communities are invited to bid for funding that will create tangible change. This could be a project that generates a new income stream for the local community, or the delivery of training to develop skills opportunities for young people. It could also be activities to increase community awareness and engagement in the local environment, or an initiative to bring the community together to plan for the impacts of climate change.
The RCF is particularly seeking innovative solutions to the challenges facing rural areas. Is there a project that hasn’t been done before that could be replicated in other rural communities, helping to increase the scale of change?
Who can apply?
This funding is available to community organisations, not individuals or private businesses. You can apply if your organisation has an income of less than £500,000 a year and is a:
constituted voluntary or community organisation
registered, exempt or excepted charity
charitable incorporated organisation (CIO)
not-for-profit company limited by guarantee
community interest company (CIC)
community benefit society
co-operative society
Organisation types we are unable to fund include (but are not limited to):
Care Farms or similar activities where the beneficiaries are drawn from a larger area than just the local community.
Local Authorities, including Town and Parish Councils.
Hospitals and Schools.
Private companies, sole traders and individuals.
Youth clubs.
Organisations that look to make profits and share these profits out privately – including companies limited by shares, organisations without the right asset locks, or organisations that can pay profits to directors or shareholders.
Organisations applying to more than one of our funds for the same project over the same period. This is because you cannot get duplicate funding for something we’re already funding you to do. It’s OK to apply to another programme if you’ve already had an unsuccessful decision though.
Uniformed groups such as scouts, guides and sea cadets.
Sports clubs and associations.
For more information, and to apply, visit: https://www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/how-we-help/rural-communities/supporting-rural-communities-uk/