FWAG South East Farm Advice

Grant Funding

All our Advisers are experienced in completing a range of funded grant applications.

 

Farming in Protected Landscapes

Farming in Protected Landscapes (FIPL) is a programme of funding for one-off projects. It is not an agri-environment scheme. It will support farmers and land managers to carry out projects that:

  • support nature recovery
  • mitigate the impacts of climate change
  • provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage
  • support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses

Who is eligible

It’s open to all farmers and land managers within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or a National Park in England. It could also support activity on other land outside of these areas, where a project will benefit a protected landscape or its body’s objectives or partnership initiatives.

To apply you must:

  • manage all the land included in the application
  • have control of all the activities you would like to do
  • or you must have written consent from all parties who manage and control the land

What the programme will pay for

The programme will pay for projects that provide value for money and result in at least one climate, nature, people or place outcome.

Your project must also support the priorities of your protected landscape body’s management plan.

Climate outcomes:

  • more carbon being stored, sequestered or both
  • reduced flood risk
  • a better understanding among farmers, land managers and the public as to what different habitats and land uses can deliver for carbon storage and reduced carbon emissions
  • a landscape that’s more resilient to climate change

Nature outcomes:

  • a greater area of wildlife-rich habitat
  • greater connectivity between habitats
  • better management of existing habitats for biodiversity
  • increased biodiversity

People outcomes:

  • more opportunities for people to explore, enjoy and understand the landscape
  • more opportunities for diverse audiences to explore, enjoy and understand the landscape
  • greater public engagement in land management, for example through volunteering

Place outcomes:

  • enhancing or reinforcing the quality and character of the landscape
  • historic structures and features being conserved, enhanced or interpreted more effectively
  • an increase in the resilience of nature-friendly sustainable farm businesses, which contributes to a more thriving local economy (you must deliver this along with other outcomes)

 

For example the programme might fund projects:

  • promoting connectivity between habitats
  • replacing stiles with gates on public footpaths, for easier access
  • conserving historic features on a farm, such as lime kilns or lead mining heritage
  • that support a locally branded food initiative, promoting the links between the product and the landscape in which it is produced
  • that take action to reduce carbon emissions on a farm
  • gathering data and evidence to help inform conservation and farming practice

How much funding you can get

You could get up to 100% of the costs of a project if you will not make a commercial gain from it.

If you will benefit commercially from a project, then the programme will fund a proportion of the costs. The amount will depend on how much the project will benefit your business.

You can still get funding through the programme if you are in an agri-environment scheme, as long as you’re not paid twice for the same work.  If your project is the same as a Countryside Stewardship activity, you will be paid the same as the Countryside Stewardship rate.  If your project is not the same as a Countryside Stewardship activity, the protected landscape team will offer funding on the estimated costs.

What you must maintain after the programme

You will not need to maintain any natural, cultural and access activities you deliver as part of the programme after your agreement period ends.  You must maintain capital infrastructure like fences, gates or restored buildings for 5 years from the completion date.  You must maintain machinery assets like brush harvesters for grassland restoration for 5 years from the purchase date.

Dates

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is open for applications from July 2021 until March 2025. An application can be submitted anytime up until the programme closes for applications in 2025. Your project must end by March 2025.  

 

Other environmental land management schemes and programmes

England Woodland Creation Offer

Administered by the Forestry Commission, the England Woodland Creation Offer supports the creation of new woodland, including through natural colonisation, on areas as small as 1 hectare.

This is for owner-occupiers, tenants, landlords and licensors who have full management control of the land in the application (or consent from those who do).

The grant will cover standard capital costs for tree planting (up to a per hectare cap), as well as rewarding farmers and landowners for providing public and/or wider environmental benefits.

Woodland creation schemes that clearly demonstrate they will deliver environmental or social benefits can receive additional contributions, for example where they will support nature recovery, provide new public access, or reduce flood risk.

EWCO is a criteria-based, competitive scheme, with funding offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Points are available for a range of positive impacts, including:

  • climate change resilience
  • using private finance to support woodland creation
  • nature recovery
  • improved water quality
  • planting riparian buffers
  • flood risk prevention
  • social benefits, such as providing public access
  • ammonia capture

Tree Health Scheme

For felling and the treatment of diseased trees in certain situations and restocking following felling.

Who is eligible

The scheme is for:

  • arable farmers or land managers
  • livestock farmers or managers
  • forests or woodland managers
  • growers

You need to have trees with an eligible tree health issue.

Dates

A pilot for Tree Health scheme launched in August 2021. The pilot trials new elements of a future scheme to support land managers and farmers in taking action against harmful tree pests and diseases. The pilot offers different support to the existing Countryside Stewardship Woodland Tree Health Grants, which will end in 2024.

 

Farming Investment Fund

DEFRA are offering funding for equipment, technology, and infrastructure that improves farm productivity and benefits the environment.

Who is eligible

Farmers and agricultural or forestry contractors involved in the production or processing of agricultural, horticultural or forestry products, who are based in England, can apply for a grant.

How it will work

You could get a grant for a part of the total cost of investment. This could include costs like equipment and technology, or on-farm water storage.

The Farming Investment Fund is divided in two. One part of the fund awards grants of lower value and the other part awards grants of higher value.

The lower value investment part of the fund is called the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. This fund will provide smaller grants to improve business performance. Farmers can apply for a grant to buy items from a set list of equipment, technology and small infrastructure investments. It is based on the current Countryside Productivity Small Grant scheme.

The higher value investment part of the fund is called the Farming Transformation Fund. Grants awarded from this fund will support larger or more complicated investments. It is based on the Countryside Productivity Large Grant scheme which was structured around a number of themes.

Dates

The Water Management Grant Round 2 is now open for arable or horticultural businesses in England to apply for capital items to improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water for irrigation, and to secure water supplies for crop irrigation. 

 

Slurry Investment Scheme

This scheme will help farmers invest in new slurry stores that exceed current regulatory requirements. It will also help farmers meet future regulatory standards to be introduced as part of the Clean Air Strategy.

The slurry investment scheme will help to reduce pollution from farming and contribute to the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and Net Zero commitments.

Who is eligible

This is aimed at livestock farmers. The scheme may focus on locations where environmental impact of slurry is greatest.

Dates

Applications opened in 2022 and the deadline for submitting full applications is Friday 28th June 2024. 

       

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