NORTH NORFOLK RURAL BUSINESS & COMMUNITIES GRANT

Frequently Asked Questions – Businesses

The North Norfolk Rural Business & Communities Grant is delivered by Norfolk County Council

(NCC) on behalf of North Norfolk District Council (NNDC).

Funding is through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) from the UK Government.

Beneficiary projects must be located within the boundaries of North Norfolk District Council.

• Are you a micro, small or medium sized business operating in the boundaries of North

Norfolk District Council?

• Are you looking to invest in lasting capital assets such as plant, equipment or premises

which will improve business productivity, help you to engage in new markets or support

innovation?

• Are you a farming business looking to diversify outside of agriculture (for example,

creating rural leisure and tourism facilities).

• Are you a rural business looking to expand and grow and need grant support to part

fund your proposed project?

• Will your proposed project create new jobs?

There is a limited pot of funding available so we are looking for companies to bring forward

capital investment projects that will have a significant impact on their business and local

communities. Grant applications will be considered on “first-come, first-served” basis.

Funding Available

Eligible businesses can come forward to apply for grants between £10,000 and up to

£100,000.

The maximum grant intervention through the programme will be for 50% of eligible capital

costs, up to a maximum value of £100,000. The maximum award of £100,000 will only be

considered for exceptional projects, as determined by the panel.

What type of projects could be eligible for grant support?

Projects which will achieve and demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Introduction of new to the firm technologies or processes.

• Enabling engagement in new markets.

• Improvement of business productivity.

• Creation of job opportunities.

For example:

• Investment in more productive and efficient operational equipment which achieves a

reduction in carbon emissions.

• Projects which convert rural buildings into new commercial or business markets.

• Construction of new facilities to expand business provision and workforce.

Time Restrictions

Your project must be ready to proceed immediately and be fully completed by 31/12/2025.

You must check with your proposed suppliers that this is achievable before submitting a grant

application. All grants must be paid out, on or before 31/03/2026, following receipt of a fully

completed claim form. Works undertaken after this date will not, under any circumstances

receive grant funding.

The following gives examples of what we cannot fund:

• Any costs incurred before the date a grant offer is made and accepted

• Any revenue costs such as core routine overheads, staff costs or stock purchases.

• Items or services that are not directly needed to deliver the proposed work.

• The replacement or maintenance of infrastructure, items and consumables.

• VAT, unless this cannot be recovered.

• Projects which have already received funding from alternative DEFRA schemes.

• Fossil fuel powered plant, equipment and vehicles.

• Assets to be used for hire or reward

• Investments to meet legal or statutory obligations/requirements

• Solar panels, insulation of premises, EV chargers, LED lighting, battery energy storage

systems, heating systems or other purely energy efficiency initiatives

• Those that benefit a private individual such as enhancement of personal premises or

assets or vehicles which may also be used privately.

• Project costs receiving duplicate funding through other grant schemes

• Capital purchases which will not have a usable minimum life of 36 months

We will not be able to provide grant support for the following non-exhaustive list of sectors:

• Banking and finance.

• Publicly funded bodies and statutory services, healthcare, schools, nurseries,

childcare facilities, and care homes.

• Religious or political organisations.

• Energy generation and distribution.

• Coal, steel, and shipbuilding.

• Primary agriculture. Grants will not be awarded 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

• Holiday homes.

Planning permission and other dependencies

With the nature of the projects, it is anticipated that many of them will require planning

permission, change of business use, landlord’s permission and so on. We are unable to accept

grant applications where permissions are not yet in place, or unknown.

You will need to provide documentary evidence that all permissions are in place when you

submit your application, and you should contact your local planning office at the earliest

opportunity.

Paying for your project

If your project is supported you must not proceed with ordering, paying deposits, or any

payment until you have formally accepted the Offer.

You will need to pay your suppliers and contractors directly from your business bank account.

This means that cash, credit card, asset finance or hire purchase are not acceptable methods

of paying for your project through this scheme.

If you propose to use other grant funding to pay for all or part of your project, please discuss

your plans with the Growth Hub through the link below.

Procurement

All projects will need to demonstrate value for money and there will be a requirement to provide

at least three quotes for each category of expenditure.

You will receive advice and support as required during the application process.

Advice and guidance

As part of the process, an initial in-depth diagnostic exercise will be undertaken by Growth

Hub Business Advisers to determine eligibility of your business and identify what type of

support you require.

To be eligible for grant funding, applicants must meet the following essential criteria:

Be a trading enterprise. An enterprise is any entity (that is, any person, or group of persons

under common control) that is engaged in an economic activity, which means offering goods

and services on a market.

The conditions (see the table below) relate to turnover, balance sheet total and number of

employees. An enterprise must satisfy two or more of the relevant conditions to qualify.

Qualifying criteria

Micro enterprises

Small enterprises

Medium-sized

enterprises

Turnover

Not more than £632k

Not more than £10.2

million

Not more than £36

million

Balance Sheet Total*

Not more than £316k

Not more than £5.1

million

Not more than £18

million

Number of Employees**

Not more than 10

Not more than 50

Not more than 250

Must not be a company that is ailing, or insolvent, and financial checks will be made.

Subsidy Control

Grant support will be delivered through Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA).

The maximum support through MFA is £315,000 and this is a cumulative total of all support

received over the current, and the last two complete financial years through MFA, EU de

minimis and Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance.

If you are offered support through MFA, you will need to make a declaration that you have not

already exceeded the £315,000, and/or with approval of the requested support, you will not

exceed the £315,000 threshold.

Please note, grants are awarded on a discretionary basis and are subject to eligibility

checks and approval.

How do I apply for funding?

Businesses wishing to apply for support should first contact the Growth Hub on

Our expert Business Growth Advisers will work with you to develop your application.

Please note, the services of the Growth Hub are free and impartial.

How are grant applications assessed?

Once you submit your complete application, we will start processing it. We will undertake a

detailed assessment of your proposal based on the Application Form and the supporting

information (including evidence of value for money*) that you provide. You may also be

asked for additional information during this process in support of your application.

Once assessment of your grant application has been completed, the document along with a

relevant report will be submitted to the Grant Panel who will take a final decision on your

proposed project. Once your application has been sent to the panel it can take up to 28 days

from that date before a final decision is reached.

The grant decision will be relayed to you at the earliest opportunity. Please be aware, full

compliance with the eligibility criteria does not guarantee that your application will be

successful, as grants are discretionary, and there is no right of appeal against the grant

decision. If your grant application is declined, an explanation will be provided.

How do I claim the grant?

If your grant is approved, Norfolk County Council (NCC), will send you a formal Offer Letter

that will include information about your grant and eligible project costs, with any conditions of

the offer and information on how to claim the grant. A signed acceptance of the Offer needs

to be returned to NCC before you can make your claim,

You must not commence your project, or enter any legal contracts, including ordering, payment

of deposits or incurring any costs on any supplies, services or works before the formal approval

of your grant funding and you have signed and dated the Offer Letter Acceptance.

If approved, the grant can only be paid on satisfactory completion of the claim process and only

once all supported expenditure has taken place and the project has been completed in full. This

means that you do not receive the grant up front as it is paid in arrears once your project is fully

complete and paid for by you.

It is important to note that costs incurred before the date of the Offer Letter cannot be

supported.

Any project expenditure undertaken before the acceptance of the offer is signed and dated

by you is at your own risk.

To claim your grant, you will need to submit a Claim Form and provide supporting

documentary evidence.

Can I re-apply for more than one grant under this scheme?

If you have already been successful with the North Norfolk Rural Business and Communities

Grant, priority will be given to new applicants; however, we may be able to support a new

project via this scheme so please stay in touch with your Adviser or contact the Growth Hub

directly. If you cannot re-apply, we might refer you to an alternative programme or business

support organisation.