Funding opportunities for Farmers

Many businesses are having to grow a thick skin and build resilience during these difficult times. If anyone knows about building resilience through uncertainty, it’s Farmers, who are often forced to rapidly adapt to the circumstances of the year as it unfolds. 

We know from our experience working with Farmers, finance can be the biggest sources of stress, because of this uncertainty. Your income relies on a living product, and your livelihood can require large investments to maintain that living product and remain profitable. 

That’s why we’re really thrilled to be able to share some grants and funding opportunities we’ve come across with you. We’re committed to make sure that our farmers feel financially safe and secure, no matter the outside circumstances, so we’ll update you with financing opportunities whenever we learn of them. 

The cap for standalone Capital Grants has increased 

Under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, the cap for standalone capital grants has increased for the three separate elements of Water Quality Items, Air Quality Items and Hedgerow & Boundaries. Each grant is now capped at £20,000, meaning you may be eligible for £60,000 in funding in total. This has increased from £10,000 for each element in 2019-2020.

The Water Quality Grant can facilitate: 

• Concrete yard renewal
• Roofing over muck and silage stores
• New farm tracks
• New water troughs
• Concrete bases 

The Air Quality Grant can facilitate:

• low emissions flooring for buildings
• auto slurry scrapers and shelter belt tree planting to intercept or reduce emissions

The Hedgerow & Boundary Grant can facilitate:

• Hedgerow gapping up
• Stone wall renewal including provision of the stone from a quarry
• In hedge tree planting

Check to see if you’re eligible 

Your farm must be within the scheme’s defined areas to qualify for water quality and air quality grants. You can see if you’re within the boundaries by using a map. 

• Use this government map.
• Click on Countryside Stewardship Targeting & Scoring Layers on the left hand side of the map
• Choose the elements you’d like to check for eligibility
• Navigate the map to your land to see if you’re within the boundaries
• Apply directly via the Countryside Stewardship Scheme 

These Capital Grants will be available to apply for from February till the end of April 2021. If you’d like to apply, we’d recommend using a land agent to go through the scheme with you, explain what it covers, and look at applying on your behalf.

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