1. one agency EAFRD / RDP overview (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development) Michael Stubbs Rural Development Team – East Midlands 26 March 2015 1

2. PROTECT one agency Aims of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2015-20 Total investment at least £3.5 billion in rural development schemes (breakdown on next slide) Supporting Defra’s aims: lead the world in food and farming protect the country from floods and animal and plant disease improve the environment and champion the countryside. 2

3. PROTECT one agency Elements of the RDP 2015-20 3 Countryside Stewardship £3.1bn Countryside Productivity £141m Growth Programme £177m Growth Programme £177m LEADER £138m Funding to protect and manage the environment. Replaces existing ELS and HLS scheme. Will include both high and mid-tier agreements and one-off small-scale capital grants. Some advice, and grants to facilitate applicants for mid- tier scheme. Capital grants for farming and forestry businesses. Start-up grants, advice and training for new entrants. Grants to support adoption of new technologies. Skills and knowledge exchange Targeted support for priority objectives, e.g. animal disease. Growing the rural economy Grants, advice and training for SMEs and start-up businesses in rural areas. Grant support for specific sectors including tourism, broadband, renewable energy and food. Growing the rural economy Grants, advice and training for SMEs and start-up businesses in rural areas. Grant support for specific sectors including tourism, broadband, renewable energy and food. Growing the rural economy Grants for smaller projects in rural areas. Can include grants for farming or forestry businesses. Can include grants for SMEs and start- up businesses in rural areas.

4. PROTECT one agency EU Growth Programme : The Contribution of Rural Development 4 CAP 2014-2020 Pillar 1 sCMO Direct payments Greening Pillar 2 - RDP Countryside Stewardship £3.1 billion Growth £177m Countryside Productivity £141m LEADER £138m ERDF ESF Structural Funds RDP (EAFRD) Growth Programme £177m

5. PROTECT one agency Countryside Stewardship £3.1bn Largest part of RDP Delivered through NE and FC Around £2.1bn will pay farmers and foresters already in environmental schemes from the previous programme. c. £900m under the new Countryside Stewardship scheme for farmers and land managers who voluntarily manage their land to benefit the environment. 5

6. PROTECT one agency Countryside Productivity (CP) - £141m Aim To increase the productivity of farm and forestry businesses (improve ratio of outputs to inputs) Focus on: Innovation – new technology Improving resource efficiency; environmental sustainability; animal health and welfare Improving the skills base of the sector Increasing business income and profit Creating employment Resilience – to mitigate against external impacts Succession – support for new entrants 6

7. PROTECT one agency CP Capital Grants – Round 1 Delivered by RPA direct to applicants Round 1: March 2015 - 30 June 2015 For farm businesses, woodland owners and forestry contractors Capital Investments – supported by business plan Small Grants £2,500 to £35,000 Large Grants £35,000 to £500,000 40% intervention rate Other scheme components due later in 2015 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/countryside- productivity-schemehttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/countryside- productivity-scheme

8. PROTECT one agency LEADER 2015 – 2020 £138m (80 groups) LEADER will focus support on jobs and growth 70% of projects directly supporting the rural economy, with the remaining 30% making a contribution 4 groups in D2N2 area: North Nottinghamshire£1,853,000 South Nottinghamshire£1,555,000 Peak District£1,753,000 Bolsover / NE Derbyshire£1,370,000 8

9. PROTECT one agency Growth Programme (GP): £177m Priorities for Rural Development funding 9 Micro, small and medium-sized business support Capital or revenue grants to individual SMEs including those in the food and drink sector Procured business advice services, where ERDF is not available Promoting rural tourism Support for collaborative Destination Management Grants for individual tourist attractions, initiatives and businesses Investments in rural broadband and renewables Broadband infrastructure for hard- to-reach rural areas Grants for renewable heat and energy projects Training and skills for rural businesses Capital or revenue grants Procured business skills services, where ESF is not available

10. PROTECT one agency Growth Programme: Delivery Two main mechanisms: –‘Calls’ for activity (approx. 3 months): grants for capital investment for small businesses, tourism, agri-food/drink, broadband, renewables –Procurement – skills, business advice, DMOs Two stage competitive process in response to calls: –Outline application – assessed before invitation to submit –Full application –Applications appraised and processed by RPA 10

11. PROTECT one agency Role of LEPs and local partners for EAFRD Define rural priorities for the Growth Programme Develop ESIF Strategy and Implementation Plan for EU funds including EAFRD Establish LEP Area ESIF sub-committees that will: –Maintain an overview of the performance of Rural Development Funding in the Growth Programme –Agree calls to be published and timeframe –Provide advice to RPA on applications for Rural Development funding 11

12. PROTECT one agency EAFRD in Growth Programme - summary 12 First calls for EAFRD activity 23 March - 19 June 2015 Only 5 LEPs nationally; limited range of activity First EAFRD call for D2N2 later this year (today’s event can help to define first calls) All funding streams should cover rural areas EAFRD should only be used where there is an identified rural ‘gap’ D2N2 EAFRD allocation = £5,523,249 Information available on https://www.gov.uk/european-structural-investment-funds https://www.gov.uk/european-structural-investment-funds