Tourism priorities under Rural Development Programme in England 2014-20 Chris Elms and Andy Tordoff
2. What we plan to cover 1. RDPE: what it does and the main funding schemes 2. LEADER and Growth Programmes: why rural tourism is a priority under the RDPE relationship between the two programmes 3. Delivery Phase LEADER LEADER approach Grants available Tourism projects How to Apply Growth Programme: Role of LEPs Grants available Tourism projects How to Apply 4. Any questions? 2
3. What is the RDPE? The Rural Development Programme for England 2014-2020 provides EU funding to improve the environment increase the productivity of farming and forestry grow the rural economy Improve the quality of life in rural areas 3
4. Funding schemes and programmes CAP 2014-2020 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 - RDP scmo Direct payments Greening Environmental schemes 3.1 billion Growth 177m Farming Competitiveness 141m LEADER 138m investing at least 3.5 billion from 2014 to 2020.
5. Tourism under the RDPE Tourism features as priority under: EAFRD Growth Programme Delivered via Local Enterprise Partnership areas. LEADER Delivered via Local Action Groups
WHY RURAL TOURISM IS A PRIORITY UNDER THE RDPE
6. Why a priority? Contributes 10.7 bn to the rural economy; accounts for 13% employment and 10% rural businesses; has multiplier effects to other parts of the rural economy Helps rural communities diversify and become more resilient Economists predict spending in the UK will reach 120 bn this year and then rise to around 174 bn by 2020 (faster than the rest of the UK economy) We want rural economies to benefit from that projected growth
7. Long term Strategy Long term sustainability means promoting and improving domestic destinations to visitors. In the rural context: diversification year round visitor offer less weather dependent skilled work force better communications and infrastructure (without adverse impacts on the natural and historic environment)
8. Relationship between LEADER and Growth Programmes LEADER (delivered via Local Action Groups) aimed at helping a range of businesses, sectors and communities in rural areas Emphasis is on smaller scale initiatives benefitting local communities GROWTH (delivered via Local Enterprise Partnerships) Aimed at rural businesses (though not exclusively) possibly working on larger capital projects Programme allows for flexibility on how projects are funded on the ground LEPs and LAGs should work together to deliver local strategic priorities for growth and developing the destination For further advice contact RPA teams and see separate list of RPA contacts
LEADER
9. LEADER Approach Six areas: Farm productivity Micro and small enterprises and farm diversification Rural tourism Rural services Culture and heritage Forestry Job and growth - each LEADER group will deliver at least 70% of project activity directly in support of jobs and growth 11
10. LEADER - overview The LEADER approach is a well-established, mandatory element of the EU s Rural Development Programme LEADER is a (French) acronym which roughly translates as Liaison Among Actors in Rural Economic Development This LEADER budget is 138m scheme Funding is aimed to help a range of businesses, sectors and communities in rural areas It is delivered through LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) in rural areas to meet locally identified priorities 80 LAGs covering 85% of rural England 12
11. Role of LEADER Local Action Groups (LAG) A LAG is made up of local public, private and civil society representatives Has delegated powers to bring forward and fund projects in line with their Local Development Strategy (LDS) An LDS is created by the local group for their area and describes what it aims to achieve based on locally identified priorities and actions Complementarity between LEP and LEADER activity/strategies tourism an ideal opportunity 13
12. LEADER grants for tourism projects Grants available to: Micro or small business incl. farm businesses diversifying into tourism activities Community groups Groups of rural tourist businesses Small scale infrastructure e.g. small tourist information/visitor centres, signage along trails or small scale IT infrastructure such as e- booking systems 14
13. How to Apply Check that a LEADER group operates in your area, and if so that your project ties in with its local priorities List of groups and link to mapping on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/rural-development-programme-for-england-leader-funding LEADER expected to be fully open in Summer - when groups will begin to accept outline applications for funding All applicants will need to submit an outline application Subject to assessment the applicant will be invited to submit a full application (although this is no guarantee of grant funding) Application considered by LAG 15
Growth Programme
14. Rural Development Growth Programme offer Renewables ( 37m) Broadband infrastructure for hard-to-reach rural areas Grants for renewable heat and energy projects Training and skills for rural businesses ( 24m) Capital or revenue grants Procured business advice services Micro, small and medium-sized business support ( 96m) Capital or revenue grants to individual SMEs Procured business advice services Promoting rural tourism ( 20m) Develop collaborative destination management Grants for individual tourist attractions, initiatives and businesses
15. Role of LEPs under the Growth Programme and more widely LEPs decide what the priorities should be for investment in roads, buildings and facilities in their area and have drawn up Strategic Economic Plans setting out their plans and priorities for growing their local economies. Under the RDPE LEPs will be playing a key role in looking for projects that will deliver growth in their areas and developing calls in conjunction with the RPA
16. Grants available for rural tourism Business grants for small businesses active in the tourism sector. Grants for small scale tourism infrastructure and activities. Co-operation grants
17. Projects most likely to attract funding Those that create growth through increased visitor spend and new jobs develop the destination through high quality visitor products and services that link tourism providers, extend the tourism season and encourage visitors to stay longer provide well evidenced business cases
18. Business Grant Projects Your project could be developing: Visitor attractions, including niche products and services, that encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more; Quality accommodation, where this will create wider benefits for the local tourism economy in line with a destination plan, and where this does not displace existing provision; Innovative ways of providing information.
19. Grants for small scale tourist infrastructure and activities Your project could be: developing access infrastructure to help people connect to the natural environment such as paths and cycleways developing and associated marketing and signposting of culture, leisure, heritage, visitor activities or attractions supporting events and festivals supporting tourism information centres and associated visitor information
20. Co-operation grants Co-operation grants are available to support the following types of activity ie developing: a destination organisation a destination plan the supply chain through co-operative activity eg local speciality food tourism
21. Local calls for projects Calls will be published by the RPA on an area by area basis The first tourism calls are expected from July 2015, but they will continue throughout the life of the Programme. The main driver for the issuing of calls will be local needs, as put forward by LEPs and local partners Individual rural tourism businesses need to look out for calls for project funding on Gov.UK Guidance for applicants is on Gov.UK and will be updated to cover tourism in July.
22. Match funding There will usually be a requirement to provide private sector match funding for Growth Programme projects. The amount of match funding required will vary, depending on the kind of project to be supported. As a general rule, those grants provided to businesses will require a substantial match funding contribution, with a guideline contribution of 40% of project costs. Where grants are made to support community investments or collaborative activity that are not in themselves profit making, a higher level of support may be provided by EAFRD. In some cases, this support rate may be up to 100%. Details are set out fully in the guidance on Gov.UK.
23. How to Apply Applicants wishing to respond to a call for applications will need to verify their identity on gov.uk; register with the Rural Payments Service; complete and submit an outline application form RPA make the decision on which applications proceed to full application and send a grant funding agreement to successful applicants. RPA arrange a meeting with the applicant to ensure that the grant recipient is aware of the terms and conditions set out in the grant funding agreement. Applicants will need to monitor and report any agreed outputs from the project eg jobs and visitor spend.