Lancashire County Council is delighted to announce that the Lancashire LEADER programme is now officially open for business from December 2015. The LEADER scheme is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and is part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The aim of LEADER is to create jobs and help businesses grow, which will then benefit the rural economy. LEADER is a French acronym, which roughly translates as 'Liaison among Actors in Rural Economic Development'.
In February 2014 each of the three Local Action Groups (LAGs) nominated an Executive Group, made up of up of 16-18 individuals / organisations from the public, private and voluntary / community sectors. The LAG Executive will act as the decision making body for all applications. All LAG Executive Group members have undertaken a rigorous training programme to enable them to make informed decisions regarding each application.
Types of funding available
The first round of funding is aimed at Enterprises and Farming businesses and the focus is very much on job creation and growth of the business. Full details of the eligibility criteria can be found on our Rural Development Fund website in the relevant applicant handbook, which is also available from your Project Manager.
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Application process
The application process is competitive and therefore there are no guarantees that an application for funding will be successful. Applications will be appraised and assessed against a broad range of criteria but the primary focus will be the creation of jobs, how the business will grow and the impact upon the local rural community.
Timescales
The first applications will be considered at the end of April 2016, which means that no project will be able to start until mid-May following receipt of an offer letter.
In order for your application to be considered at this meeting an outline application needs to be submitted by 31 January 2016
Other funding priorities
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For more information contact Louise Kite ruralfunding@lancashire.gov.uk.