CLA Webinar: Rural England Prosperity Fund

In September 2022, the government announced the creation of the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), a £110m fund in capital grants aimed at boosting the rural economy. Over the course of two years (April 2023 – March 2025) the fund is to be administered and delivered by local authorities who have been allocated funding, to support their rural communities.

The REPF is targeted towards businesses seeking to diversify or expand their reach. Each local authority is responsible for determining which types of capital projects will be eligible but there does need to be a balance between rural business and rural community projects.

To prepare our members better, this joint CLA and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) webinar aims to shed more light on the REPF. The webinar also includes a Q&A period towards the end.

The webinar covers:
• the priorities of the REPF
• how the fund will be administered and delivered
• the guidance issued by Defra
• the eligibility criteria
• the grant application process
• a member checklist to avoid any pitfalls

Chaired by Judicaelle Hammond, CLA Director of Policy and Advice, you will also hear from:
• Charles Trotman (CLA Senior Economist)
• Tim Goodship (Defra, Head of Rural and Place)
• Rachel Linehan (Defra, Team leader, Rural Economy)