The RDPE Growth Programme provides funding for projects in England which create jobs and growth in the rural economy. 

Under the RDPE Growth Programme, there are grants for:

Business Development: Helping small rural businesses grow and create more jobs. SEMLEP's local priorities are:

-enabling farming businesses to diversify into non-agricultural activities
-creating new services or manufacture of new products
-creating one full-time equivalent job for every £25,000 or less of grant investment
-creating apprenticeship jobs, lasting for a minimum of one year


Food Processing: Helping businesses to grow and creating more jobs. SEMLEP priorities are:

-introducing new technologies, techniques or processes, -increasing the productivity of the business
-creating new higher-skilled jobs above the current average skill level of jobs in the applicant business
-creating at least 1 full-time equivalent job for each £20,000 of grant investment
-bringing locally distinctive foods to the market, that contribute to the unique food and drink offering of the SEMLEP area
-opening new product markets to the business, potentially reducing the need for imports


Rural Tourism Infrastructure: encouraging more tourists to come, to stay longer and to spend more money in rural areas.

-creating new visitor attractions and/or leisure activities, to increase the range and quality of the rural tourism offer including the use of local suppliers, particularly for local food and drink
-creating economic benefits to a number of business, not just the applicant business
-increasing the dwell-time of visitors
-extend the visitor season between the months of October to March
-developing infrastructure to connect rural tourism businesses, including - cycleways, footpaths and local tourism signage
-creating long term sustainable jobs in the applicant business
-creating quality serviced tourist accommodation, where there is clear evidence of need and will achieve formal accreditation through industry bodies
-upgrading existing tourism accommodation to increase the current accreditation rating of the accommodation

For more information such as who can apply or how to apply, click here