What are Rural Revival Grants?

Rural Revival Grants provide small grants to projects that are based in Kent and encourage local employment and community involvement in rural areas in Kent .

Activities should help individuals to gain skills that will improve their quality of life and employability.

How does it work?

This Global Grants Programme is match funded by Kent County Council and Kent Peoples Trust, therefore no match funding is required from the applicant.

Grants are available of up to a total of £10,000 to any one organisation. 50% of the award is paid in advance, the remainder on completion of the project.

Applications can be made at any time of the year and will be appraised at the next meeting of the panel.

Who can apply?

• Community groups
• Voluntary organisations
• Local Charities
• Business who work in a community orientated way (i.e. a Co-operative, Community Interest Company or Community Development Association/Trust)
• New Business start up where the business is for the benefit of the community

Who should benefit?

Rural Revival Grants aim to breakdown barriers to employment for disadvantaged and under-represented groups or individuals living in rural areas. These include people with disabilities, older people, lone and unemployed parents, teenage parents, those with caring responsibilities, people who need to counter chronically low self-esteem and lack of motivation.

What activities can Rural Revival Grants support?

Activities that reduce the barriers that are preventing people from getting a job or getting training/qualifications that would help them get a job.

Improving employability need not mean gaining qualifications, confidence building is just one example of a soft output that will enable individuals to progress towards the labour market.

Will the process be very bureaucratic?

The application process is by application form. The application is reviewed by a panel who meet bi-monthly. If the application is successful and no further information is requested an offer letter will be sent out.

European funding has to be accounted for, so successful projects will be required to provide a final project report and evidence of their activities and achievements. Paperwork is kept to a minimum.

Activities that move people towards employment can be measured in terms of “distance travelled” or soft outcomes.

The Project Support Officer will support the application process and be available during the lifetime of the project.

How do I apply?

It would be useful to discuss your idea initially with the Rural Revival ESF Support Officer Daniel Nicholls at Kent County Council on 01622 221548 who will be able to advise you if your project can be considered for a grant.

You can also request an application pack by using the response form at the bottom of the page.

Closing dates for completed applications

The panel holds bi monthly meetings the closing dates will be the middle of February and then every two months. Every effort will be made to respond to urgent requests to get applications considered by the panel, contact the Project Support Officer if you feel an application does not fit this timescale.

Exclusions

Grants are available for additions to current work but not for continuation of current work.

Rural Revival Grants cannot support capital costs. However, we can pay for small items of expenditure, such as equipment costing no more than £1,000 per item.

Grants cannot be made to profit making organisations, or for business ideas that have already started.

Rural Revival grants are aimed at groups who have not accessed mainstream European funding before, grants cannot be made to groups that hold European funding unless it can be demonstrated that the funding will be used for a clearly separate project.

Request an application pack