Malvern Hills Rural Fund: Next round of funding open

Grants of £2,500 to £25,000 are being offered in the third round of the Malvern Hills Rural Fund.

This grant is aimed at supporting newly established small or micro businesses in rural areas.

It is especially beneficial for helping farmers diversify into different sectors and propelling the growth of tourism.

The grant money is specifically for funding physical projects such as constructions of new buildings or renovations.

However, it can not be used for staff wages or day-to-day running costs.

Approved projects should be delivered between July and December of this year.

The recipient businesses are expected to match 50 per cent of the total project cost.

Previous recipients include a vineyard expanding into holiday lets, a motor vehicle company reducing its carbon footprint while broadening its business services, and a wheelchair accessible log cabin for tourists.

Interested parties must submit their expressions of interest via the Malvern Hills District Council website's online form by February 23.

Selected bids will be invited to submit a full application by March 15.

Government funding for these grants comes from the Rural England Prosperity Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Cllr Beverley Nielsen, portfolio holder for tourism and economic development at Malvern Hills District Council, expressed her support for the scheme.

She said: "The third round of funding is now available for rural businesses and communities.

"We are pleased at the variety of projects that have applied over the past two rounds and it would be great to keep that variety and success going.

"The Malvern Hills Rural Fund is a brilliant opportunity to support some wonderful rural projects across the district".

More detailed information about the fund's qualification criteria and the application process can be found at www.malvernhills.gov.uk/rural-fund.