Rural England Prosperity Fund

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The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) aims to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. The REPF is a top-up to and complementary to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and succeeds EU funding from LEADER and the Growth Programme which were part of the Rural Development Programme for England. To drawdown the funding, an addendum to the UKSPF Investment Plan was submitted to Government on 30 November 2022 by East Suffolk Council. The submitted and approved addendum identified the challenges and opportunities for the East Suffolk's rural businesses and communities through data driven evidence and stakeholder consultation to shape our priorities for REPF funding.

During the period 2023/24 – 2024/25 East Suffolk Council have successfully provided £1.129m in grant funding to 52 business and community organisations within the district.

For 2025/26, East Suffolk have a further REPF allocation of £338,897, which will provide capital grants to small businesses and community infrastructure in the district's rural area.

The following grant schemes are available during 2025:

Rural Business Investment Fund
Rural Business Investment Fund Grant guidance	Rural Business Investment Fund Grant application
East Suffolk Council are offering a unique opportunity for rural small-to-medium sized businesses within the district to access capital funding to support new and existing rural businesses to develop new products and facilities that will be of benefit to the local economy. We are seeking small to medium scale projects that will see one of the following priorities be met: Diversification of farm businesses outside of agriculture to encourage start-up, expansion, or scale-up of these businesses, including where this involves converting farm buildings into other commercial or business uses – i.e. rural leisure and tourism facilities. Development of local visitor experiences in rural areas based on the local offer. SME investments in new products or facilities to ensure the rural business offer and that meets an identified market demand. Please note: REPF must not be used to fund farming equipment or infrastructure or to diversify within agriculture. Applicants looking for funding for this type of activity must use existing Defra grant schemes, such as the Farming Investment Fund. Grants of between £10,000 - £30,000 per application are available. The maximum grant intervention will be for 75% of eligible costs. This means that the minimum project cost we can support is £12,500. Please carefully read the grant guidance before applying and apply using the e-form above.

Rural Business Investment Fund

Rural Business Investment Fund Grant guidance

Rural Business Investment Fund Grant application

East Suffolk Council are offering a unique opportunity for rural small-to-medium sized businesses within the district to access capital funding to support new and existing rural businesses to develop new products and facilities that will be of benefit to the local economy.

We are seeking small to medium scale projects that will see one of the following priorities be met:

Diversification of farm businesses outside of agriculture to encourage start-up, expansion, or scale-up of these businesses, including where this involves converting farm buildings into other commercial or business uses – i.e. rural leisure and tourism facilities.
Development of local visitor experiences in rural areas based on the local offer.
SME investments in new products or facilities to ensure the rural business offer and that meets an identified market demand.

Please note: REPF must not be used to fund farming equipment or infrastructure or to diversify within agriculture. Applicants looking for funding for this type of activity must use existing Defra grant schemes, such as the Farming Investment Fund.

Grants of between £10,000 - £30,000 per application are available.

The maximum grant intervention will be for 75% of eligible costs. This means that the minimum project cost we can support is £12,500.

Please carefully read the grant guidance before applying and apply using the e-form above.

Rural Village Hall and Community Centre Repairs and Improvement Fund
Rural Village Hall and Community Centre Repairs and Improvement Fund guidance	Rural Village Hall and Community Centre Repairs and Improvement Fund application
East Suffolk Council are offering a new Grant lifeline for Community Building Upgrades, Improvements & Essential Repairs. Village Halls, Community Centres and other ‘community hubs’ across East Suffolk are invited to apply for a grant of up to £15,000 to support projects that will enhance and/or maintain repair community spaces. This new grant scheme is funded through the REPF and the East Suffolk Community Partnership Board and will provide grants of up to 80% of the total cost of the project. Grants are aimed at local organisations that want to improve/repair, enhance or upgrade their building or what’s on offer in it for their building to their local community. For example: by increasing digital access by installing/improving broadband increasing accessibility to the building replacing the kitchen to support additional user groups installing sustainable energy solutions like PV cells or ground/air source heat pumps However, we also recognise that sometimes essential repairs and maintenance, for example to the roof, windows, doors or floors, are the priority to keep the doors open to the community. The fund launched on 4 June 2025 and will close on 16 September 2025 at 9.00am – and we welcome applications at any point between now and then. The total funding pot of funding is £190,000 and it will be a competitive process, with applications considered by a grant panel. All funding and the project must be spent completed by 31 March 2026. Please send your completed application to grants@eastsuffolk.gov.uk.

Rural Village Hall and Community Centre Repairs and Improvement Fund

Rural Village Hall and Community Centre Repairs and Improvement Fund guidance

Rural Village Hall and Community Centre Repairs and Improvement Fund application

East Suffolk Council are offering a new Grant lifeline for Community Building Upgrades, Improvements & Essential Repairs.

Village Halls, Community Centres and other ‘community hubs’ across East Suffolk are invited to apply for a grant of up to £15,000 to support projects that will enhance and/or maintain repair community spaces.

This new grant scheme is funded through the REPF and the East Suffolk Community Partnership Board and will provide grants of up to 80% of the total cost of the project. Grants are aimed at local organisations that want to improve/repair, enhance or upgrade their building or what’s on offer in it for their building to their local community.

For example:

by increasing digital access by installing/improving broadband
increasing accessibility to the building
replacing the kitchen to support additional user groups
installing sustainable energy solutions like PV cells or ground/air source heat pumps

However, we also recognise that sometimes essential repairs and maintenance, for example to the roof, windows, doors or floors, are the priority to keep the doors open to the community.

The fund launched on 4 June 2025 and will close on 16 September 2025 at 9.00am – and we welcome applications at any point between now and then. The total funding pot of funding is £190,000 and it will be a competitive process, with applications considered by a grant panel.

All funding and the project must be spent completed by 31 March 2026.

Please send your completed application to grants@eastsuffolk.gov.uk.

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