[PPT] - Information Sessions March 2016 RDP Presentation to cover: RDP PowerPoint Presentation

SLIDE 1

Rural Development Programme (RDP) Information Sessions – March 2016

SLIDE 2

RDP Presentation to cover:

RDP background – the LAG etc
Overview - 4 funding schemes
Summary plans for 2016
Rural Business Investment Scheme

– Available funding – Eligible and ineligible costs – Mandatory requirements – Pre-funding workshops

SLIDE 3

The LAG

Local Action Group (LAG) = Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership
24 board members (also a wider LAG membership)
13 social partners (community/voluntary, business & farming)
11 elected representative/councillors
Area aligned to new Council boundary
Derry City & Strabane District Council – administration & animation
Budget - £7.54 million (£6.18m for projects – primarily capital)
LAG established 2015. Funding 2016 to 2020

SLIDE 4

The LAG Area

Eligible area = core rural area outside Strabane town and city of Derry (plus Culmore, New Buildings, Strathfoyle, Drumahoe, Nixon’s Corner & Coshquin) Population 57,252

SLIDE 5

The Interim Strategy

Interim Rural Development Strategy - submitted December 2015
5 public workshops & other events/surveys – engaged 430 people
Approved by DARD February 2016
‘Interim’ - as will be reviewed once Community Plan finalised

DARD = Department of Agriculture & Rural Development

Overall aims: 1. Creating jobs and sustainable employment in rural Derry & Strabane 2. Improving the quality of life of the rural Derry and Strabane area 3. Improving the connectedness of the area to wider opportunities

SLIDE 6

The Funding Schemes

Four funding schemes:

1. Rural Business Investment Scheme
2. Rural Basic Services Scheme
3. Rural Village Renewal Scheme
4. Rural Broadband Scheme

And Rural Co-operation Scheme:

– All LAGs must spend minimum of 7% of budget on co-operation – Must include 2 cross-border projects. – Can also be joint projects with other LAGs in NI, GB and other EU.

SLIDE 7

Funding Allocation

SCHEME FUNDING %

TARGET NUMBERS

Rural Business Investment

£2,586,000 45%

29 businesses (68 jobs)

Rural Basic Services

£1,725,000 30%

11 projects

Rural Village Renewal

£1,206,400 21%

15 village plans 8 projects

Rural Broadband

£230,000 4%

1 scheme

Rural Co-operation

£432,600 7%

2-3 projects

TOTAL £6,180,000

(100%)

SLIDE 8

Summary of Funding Schemes

SCHEME WHAT APPLICANT GRANTS

Business Investment

Non-agricultural /non-food activities for micro and small enterprises Businesses £500 to £90k (50%)

Basic Services

Capital support for key service delivery community hubs where lack of services Community/ voluntary and public sector £5k to £500k (75%)

Village Renewal

Village plans & village capital projects (e.g. environmental, derelict buildings/ sites, shop fronts etc) Council (& community/ voluntary) £500 to £500k (75%)

Broadband

Small infrastructure schemes to help address ‘not spots’ not being addressed through any

ther government initiatives.

Community/ council/social enterprise

(Council as applicant)

£5k to £100k (75%)

SLIDE 9

Plans for 2016

SCHEME PROPOSED TIMESVALE

Business Investment

Mandatory pre-funding workshops – March 2016
Call for applications – April/May 2016
Potential 2nd call in September/October 2016

Basic Services

Scoping study to identify priority services/areas –

ensuring linkage with community planning

Expression of interest process

Village Renewal

Scoping study/animation to identify priorities & bring

together key players – ensuring linkage with community planning and local plans

Application process for new village plans
Expression of interest process for capital projects

Broadband

Further scoping and expression of interest process

SLIDE 10

Main changes from last RDP…

New mandatory pre-funding workshops (to address low

success rate in previous programme).

Primarily capital funding across all funding schemes.
More emphasis on project being ‘investment ready’ before

applying e.g. business plan, planning approval (if required), match funding and quotations all required when applying.

SLIDE 11

Rural Business Investment Scheme (RBIS)

SLIDE 12

RBIS - Overall

Primarily capital grants
Primary objective is to create new jobs.
Some resource funding for bespoke training & marketing
50% funding available
Only one application per business per call
Applicants – micro, small and social enterprises

AIM – to create additional sustainable employment in the rural

area that encourages young people to remain locally through support for viable businesses and enterprises in line with the Council’s Integrated Economic Strategy and the Community Plan

SLIDE 13

RBIS – Available funding

Activity Min Grant Max grant

Technical support and bespoke training £500 £5,000 Marketing support web based £500 £5,000 Marketing support non web based £500 £10,000 Capital Grant - new micro enterprise £5,000 £30,000 Capital Grant - existing micro enterprise £5,000 £50,000 Capital Grant - existing small enterprise £5,000 £90,000

Micro enterprise = employs under 10 persons and annual turnover under EUR 2M Small enterprise = employs 10-50 persons and annual turnover under EUR 10M

Note: maximum grant per enterprise will be inclusive of technical/marketing/training elements

SLIDE 14

RBIS – Eligible

Eligible Capital Costs:

Construction/improvement

f immovable property

Purchase of new machinery

r equipment

Intangible investments (e.g.

software, trademarks etc)

Technical support (e.g.

feasibility studies/fees etc) Examples of business/activities:

Rural tourism Caravan sites, campsites,

pod sites or bunkhouse

Craft businesses Leisure/recreation Social service provision I.T/digital Services Other (non-agricultural)

SLIDE 15

RBIS - Ineligible

Examples of Ineligible Costs:

Running costs
Purchase of land
Replacements
Vehicles
Meeting statutory

requirements

Work already started/

goods purchased

Examples of Ineligible Activities:

New tourism bed spaces
Traditional retail

businesses

Purchase & installation of

renewable energy technologies

Agricultural products

where output is for human

r animal consumption or

is wood processed

SLIDE 16

RBIS – Mandatory Requirements

Attendance at pre-funding workshop
Business Plan
Full planning permission (if applicable)*
Quotations/tenders
Evidence of match funding
Complete an application form

* Planning drop-in clinics – Strabane offices – Wednesday 9am to 4.30pm

SLIDE 17

RBIS – Business Plan

‘Go For It’ Programme
Enterprise NW/ Strabane

Enterprise Agency

New Business

Template to be provided

(Business Plan Navigator –

nline portal of Enterprise NI
we will email in interim)

Existing Business

SLIDE 18

Process for applying…

(open call) Attend pre-funding workshops – complete expression

f interest form

If eligible/ready – complete an

nline database applicant

registration Notified when database opens (closed call) – complete application online

SLIDE 19

RBIS - Match Funding

SOURCE DETAILS

FOR INFO

Start Up Loans Now up to £25,000 For businesses refused by bank Includes mentoring support

Enterprise NI

www.eniloans.com NI Small Business Loan Fund Up to £50,000 Unsecured loans SMEs and social enterprises Start-up and growth phases

Ulster Community Investment plc (UCI)

www.nisblf.com UCIT Loans For community/social enterprises Loans to bridge funding gaps

Ulster Community Investment Trust Ltd

www.ucitltd.com

Own funds, bank loan or other finance/loans e.g.

SLIDE 20

RBIS - Pre-funding workshops

Proposed timescale – week of 14th and 21st March 2016
Local enterprise agency staff to attend
Will also invite banks/financial institutions
Call likely to open for applications – April 2016
Minimum of 4 weeks to complete application online
May be a 2nd call September/October 2016

SLIDE 21

RBIS - Next steps

Provide your contact details – for notification of pre-

funding RBIS workshops dates (will also be advertised) – and for notification of other schemes

Don’t need to wait until RBIS call opens – if eligible