The Farm Business Grant Explained
The Welsh government’s Farm Business Grant (FBG) is still available for Welsh farmers. The scheme hopes to address the strategic and thematic objectives of the Welsh Government. The grant adds to their Rural Communities and Development Programme.
It’s a great opportunity for Welsh farmers, but you may have a few questions if you’re interested in getting involved. This blog hopes to answer some frequently asked questions regarding the FBG.
Why is there a grant?
The Farm Business Grant scheme was created by the Welsh government with the objectives of increasing on-farm:
- Technical performance
- Investment
- Production efficiencies
- Resource efficiencies.
When did the grant open?
This year’s grant applications opened on the 1st of March 2021.
When does it close?
It closes on 9th April 2021.
What can the Farm Business Grant be used for?
The Farm Business Grant can be used by farmers to cover the following five themes:
- Animal Health
- Performance and Genetics
- Crop Management
- Energy Efficiency
- ICT
- Resource Efficiency.
It could be used to support the purchase of farming equipment such as:
- Farm software
- Feed bins
- Mobile handling systems
- Cattle crush
- Water harvesting and filtering equipment
- Fuel tanks
- Yard coverings
- IT hardware
- Weather stations and more.
How much funding is available?
The minimum grant award is £3,000
The maximum grant award is £12,000
The Farm Business Grant provides a maximum 40% contribution towards capital investments. These should be in equipment and machinery that have been pre-identified as offering clear and quantifiable benefits to farm enterprises.
Who is eligible to apply?
In order to be eligible to apply for the FBG, you must:
- Have 3ha of eligible agricultural land registered with RPW in Wales
- Be a primary producer of agriculture products
- Be able to demonstrate over 550 standard labour hours.
The scheme is open to a wide range of businesses involved with the primary production of agricultural products such as:
- Private and public limited companies (SME and Large Enterprises)
- Voluntary sector organisations
- Sole traders
- Farming businesses and co-operatives
- New businesses including start-ups.
The primary production of agricultural products includes the following farming sectors:
- Beef
- Dairy
- Arable
- Goats
- Horticulture (including aquaponics and hydroponics)
- Poultry
- Sheep
- Pigs
- Apiculture.
How can I apply for the Farm Business Grant?
You will need to make an Expression of Interest (EOI) through RWP (Rural Payments Wales) Online. Contracts will be offered to successful applicants and must be accepted within 30 days of the contract offer date.
To accept or decline the FBG contract offer, you must click the ‘blue button’ on the RPW Online homepage. Items can’t be purchased until the contract is accepted. A 120-day timescale for purchasing and submitting a claim starts from the date the contract is offered. A Grant Writing Consultant can help improve your chances of success. They know how to best convey your business and its objectives to a funder, helping you bid for funding efficiently. You may want to consider working with one to help optimise your chances when applying for a grant for your business.
How can I claim the FBG payment?
In order to claim the FBG payment you need to submit the following:
- A Farm Business Grant claim through RPW Online using the Capital Works Claim page.
- Invoices for all claimed items.
- An accountant’s letter confirming business turnover of £1 million or less.
- Evidence that the purchased items meet the grant specification and are delivered to the holding.
Need help with writing your grant application?
Our Grant Writing Service is for businesses who want to start applying for grants, but don’t know where to start. If you don’t have the resources or the time in-house to write a winning grant – we can help. Our Grant Consultants have over 60 years of experience in bidding for funding and grants. They have experience in council business grants, start-up business grants, grants for charities and more. They can take care of the whole thing for you – they’ll even submit it on your behalf.
Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow!
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