RPA Rural Payments Agency : RDPE Growth Programme

You could be eligible for a Growth Programme grant if your business is carrying out a project to create jobs or bring more money into the rural economy.

There are 3 types of grant:

• Business development
• Food processing
• Rural tourism infrastructure

The grants are funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), which is part of the European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF).

Read the handbook(s)

The handbooks attached to this page will tell you more about each type of grant, including:

• who can apply
• how and when to apply
• which specific activities you can claim for (and which you can't)
• what grants are available in your area

How to apply

The application process is competitive. This means they are not awarded automatically to an applicant. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will assess all expressions of interest to see which best meet the criteria.

There is a rigorous 2-part application process (starting with submitting an 'expression of interest') to tell RPA about the work you're doing and how the grant could help you with it.

If RPA assesses that your expression of interest is suitable, they will invite you to submit a full application.

Top tips for applicants

Before you start an application, here are some important reminders…

Jobs + growth + rural

Every successful application starts with a good idea and a clear plan for how to make that idea a reality.

The whole aim of the RDPE Growth Programme is to create jobs and growth in the rural economy. Your application will need to show your project will help do this.

Sell your idea

Explain really clearly what your project does and how it will benefit the economy.

Show what the funding will mean to the success of your project. If you can show that your project is good value for money, and that you're planning to use the grant money to improve your project, you're more likely to get the grant.

Do the market research

You have to show that there is real demand for what you want to do, or you're unlikely to get a grant.

Be prepared

You will need to keep detailed records about your project, because you'll have to provide proof (including detailed quotes) of how much the various elements of your project will cost.