Bucks Rural Business Grant

The Bucks Rural Business Grant (BRBG) is a capital grants programme for rural businesses funded through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) by Defra.

It follows on from the EU-funded LEADER Programme and Growth Programme, both of which were part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).

Just over £1.8 million has been allocated across the two-year programme to help Buckinghamshire's rural businesses with building costs and equipment.

The funding is delivered by Buckinghamshire Council, with Buckinghamshire Business First supporting businesses through the application process.

What is the aim of the programme?

To create opportunities for businesses to start, grow, and increase employment opportunities.

This will be achieved through small-scale investment in micro and small enterprises in rural areas, including capital funding for net-zero infrastructure for rural businesses, and diversification of farm businesses (non-agriculture), to encourage start-up, expansion or scale-up of these businesses where this involves converting farm buildings into other commercial or business uses.

What kinds of projects can be funded?

Typical projects eligible for funding include, but are not limited to:

• farm diversification
• tourism initiatives
• food and drink processing
• forestry
• other rural enterprises

Eligibility guidelines

Check that your business meets the below criteria before you apply.

• Businesses applying must be micro to small enterprises (0 to 50 employees with a turnover of less than €10 million).
• Projects need to be new and cannot have started already (no retrospective funding).
• Projects will need to be within an eligible geographic area (use this interactive map to check if you are located within an eligible area).

New or established businesses can apply.

What counts as a rural area?

For this fund, rural areas are defined as:

• towns, villages and hamlets (and the wider countryside) with populations below 10,000
• market or ‘hub towns’ with populations of up to 30,000 that serve their surrounding rural areas as centres of employment and providing services

Use this interactive map to check if you are located within an eligible area.

Grant information

• Individual grant amounts will be from £2,500 to £300,000
• Grants will initially be offered at 40% of the total eligible project value
• Projects will need to be approved before expenditure can be incurred
• This is a two-year scheme and projects will need to be completed, having evidenced spend and claimed funding awarded, by March 2025