Expressions of interest open soon for Rural Business Grant

Expressions of interest can be made from next week for a capital grant scheme aimed at supporting rural businesses in North Kesteven.

The Rural Business Grant (RBG) will support rural businesses to invest in sustainable growth across the District.

It will specifically be aimed at supporting new and existing rural businesses to develop products, services and facilities of wider benefit to the local economy, such as farm businesses looking to diversify income streams, growth in the visitor economy including visitor accommodation and investments in power and energy efficiency which will make a positive contribution to the District reaching net zero.

The grant is being delivered by North Kesteven District Council for DEFRA under the Rural England Prosperity Fund.

The first window for Expressions of Interest is due to open next week, and will remain open until Thursday 1 June. The digital Expression of Interest forms will be available on the Council’s website at www.n-kesteven.gov.uk A link will also be available at www.businessnk.co.uk The first call for full applications will take place when the EOI window has closed.

The minimum grant available through the Rural Business Grant is £5,000, and depending on the project and investment needed applicants may be required to provide match funding. All projects must be deliverable before 31 March 2025. Full details on eligibility criteria will be available to view on the BusinessNK website.

Expressions of Interest will allow the Council’s Grants Team to make early assessments of project eligibility, and ensure applicants are given the time and support where necessary to refine and develop investments in line with the objectives of the Rural England Prosperity Fund and meet the various requirements for evidence.

It will also help ensure that proper consideration is given to projects that may require planning permission, or any additional funding or legal matters which need to be concluded within the time frame set out for the delivery of projects. The Rural Business Grant (RBG) will run until March 2025 and has £450,000 allocated in total.

North Kesteven’s Rural England Prosperity Fund allocation is in addition to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, in order to support rural areas in England and the two Levelling Up Fund missions of improving living standards and growing pride of place.

Social media and digital skills training

Businesses in North Kesteven can now get funded access to expert digital skills training and social media tools.

You can access it now, by signing up HERE.

It's aimed at improving use of social media, and in turn driving increased sales, and delivered by the team of experts at Maybe.

The training and tools include everything from where to get started with social media to advanced strategies about how to use Facebook ads to deliver winning sales tactics. It's been funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

Marking the Coronation in North Kesteven

Excitement is building for the Coronation of our new monarch His Majesty King Charles III next month.

We've seen businesses already with some fantastic window displays ready for the Coronation and sharing in preparations across our communities. If you're dressing windows or otherwise decorating your premises or taking part, do share your pictures with us by tagging @businessnk or emailing ecodev@n-kesteven.gov.uk.

You can also head to https://www.heartoflincs.com/coronation/ for a guide to events locally, including North Kesteven District Council visitor venues, Sleaford Town Council's programme and more. If your local festivities aren’t listed and you’d like them to be, do email heartoflincs@n-kesteven.gov.uk and we’ll do our best to include it. There'll also be the hashtag #NKKing

The flags by Sleaford Town Council visible in Sleaford town centre.

Is your business on social media?

If so, join our Business NK group here or follow us on twitter.

We share information, support and advice on each platform.

Free support for North Kesteven businesses

The Council offers the service of a Business Support Adviser, Phil Means.

Phil can provide a whole range of bespoke advice and support.

If you are in business and feel you could benefit from free business advice, please do go ahead and contact him.

You can either call Phil on 07920 472671 or email
phil_means
@nkesteven.gov.uk

Expo next week

The Lincolnshire Business Expo is coming up soon, next Tuesday 25 April. You can find out more and book your free tickets HERE.

It will see hundreds of Lincolnshire businesses from all across the region exhibit their products, services and expertise to thousands of delegates, and includes talks on everything from cybercrime and e-commerce through to retaining talent plus opportunities to network.

For 2023 the event will focus on collaborating. BusinessNK and the Council is a partner, along with the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, Lincoln BIG, Lincoln Business Club and Newark and Sherwood District Council.

New Local Plan adopted

The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan has been adopted and will be used in making decisions on planning applications across the City of Lincoln, North Kesteven and West Lindsey areas.

It's pioneering in placing climate change at its core and will help ensure Central Lincolnshire is a net zero carbon area.

It also introduces several new policies to guide development in Central Lincolnshire including on jobs, through protection of existing employment sites and land available for more employment development in locations where housing is or will be built.

It focuses too on shopping and city/town centres – such as policies to enhance our city and town centres and ensure they remain a destination, and to protect local centres which provide essential services across the area, and policies to support the tourism industry in Central Lincolnshire and to ensure that any tourism development is in the right location.

Click HERE to read more. The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan can be viewed HERE