Notts and Derbyshire: £900k funding opportunity for small rural firms

More than a third of the D2N2 area’s total of 880,000-plus jobs are in rural local authority areas, but according to DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) problems for the rural economy can include reduced income among farmers, lower than average wages and difficulties in finding business investment.

D2N2 – a partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community organisations is making £933,000 available to help new or established small or micro businesses in rural areas to expand and create new jobs.

David Ralph, chief executive of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Small rural businesses provide a service to their community, accessible employment opportunities and are an important part of the economy.”

To be eligible to apply for a grant a rural business must operate in the D2N2 area and in one of its eight key economic sectors – the visitor economy, food and drink manufacturing, low carbon, construction, transport equipment manufacturing, transport and logistics, creative industries or life sciences. Alternatively, businesses must be or be looking to create new jobs,increase productivity,introduce a technology, product or process new to their

Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Friday, November 27. More at www.emc-dnl.co.uk/news.