A £1MILLION scheme to support farms and rural businesses in Cornwall launched yesterday (January 23). 

Cornwall Council has announced that the Growth Hub’s Rural Business Grant Scheme can help a business grow through diversification. 

The scheme is targeting tourism and leisure, food and drink as well as farm businesses looking to diversify income streams. 

Expressions of interest are now open. Businesses are being encouraged to submit details of projects through the Growth Hub website. 

The funding can support capital investments in areas such as nature recovery; improving the quality of tourism provision; food and drink processing for non-farmer owned businesses, and projects that grow the local social economy. 

Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, Louis Gardner, said: “Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is a very special place to live and work, with a wealth of invaluable assets. However, some of our unique characteristics also presents challenges and this funding seeks to help by co-investing in growth activity for rural businesses, which, in turn, will benefit rural communities.” 

Grants as part of the fund will start from £2,500. 

Types of activities that could be funded include: 

  • Commercial activity linked to nature recovery, such as wild seed harvesting. 
  • Projects from existing tourism or leisure businesses that will help to extend their season into the shoulder months. 
  • Capital funding for converting farm buildings to other commercial or business uses. 
  • Purchase of equipment for food and drink processing businesses that are non-farmer owned. 
  • Capital grants towards the establishment of rural community businesses. 

Interested businesses must provide a minimum of 50% match funding and demonstrate the capability to cashflow project costs as claim are submitted in arrears. 

 The Rural Business Grant scheme forms part of the rural prosperity fund for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The strongest projects will be invited to submit a full application. 

The deadlne for expressions of interest is 5pm on Monday, February 12.