Rural England Prosperity Fund

4.Projects and businesses that cannot be funded

We cannot fund the following:

  • Businesses who are in arrears for business rates with Test Valley Borough Council.
  • Businesses who are subject to any enforcement order for a breach of planning regulations.
  • Revenue costs such as running costs or promotional activities – this is a fund for capital projects only.
  • Domestic property improvements.
  • The purchase of private vehicles.
  • Projects located outside the eligible Test Valley REPF rural area.
  • Agricultural projects – these are funded through other DEFRA schemes.
  • Projects that have received funding from other DEFRA schemes. These include:
  • The Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme - funding for farmers and land managers to work in partnership with National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty bodies to deliver projects on climate, nature, people and place.
  • The Farming Investment Fund - grants to improve productivity and bring environmental benefits, covering two funds - the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and the Farming Transformation Fund.
  • The Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund - grant funding over 3 years (to 2025) to support capital improvement projects for village halls, covering extending buildings and modernising facilities.
  • Projects for which the capital asset would be on land or property not owned or leased by the applicant.
  • Projects for which the necessary planning consent has not been secured.
  • Projects or costs where there is a statutory duty to provide them.
  • Projects that could be fully funded using private finance.
  • Businesses in financial difficulty or that have ceased trading.
  • Businesses with 50 or more employees for the small-scale business investments.
  • Businesses with 250 or more employees for visitor economy or social economy grants.
  • Projects with a total cost of less than £20,000 except in exceptional circumstances – the standard minimum grant is £10,000 and businesses must provide 50% of the total in match funding.
  • Businesses for whom receipt of the requested REPF grant from the Council will exceed the Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) threshold for the business as specified in section 36(1) of the Subsidy Control Act (2022). The total amount of 'Minimum Financial Assistance' (MFA) received over a rolling period of three fiscal years should not exceed £315,000 per business including the total amount of MFA received over the relevant period of three fiscal years across all businesses at company group level (including the grant you are applying for).
  • Projects which may be construed as radicalising or encouraging people into terrorism, to ensure compliance with the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015[1].