Are you active in your rural community?
Do you need help to develop local projects and find the funding to make them happen?
Then come and talk to our experts at one of the Rural Direct Roadshows being organised across Scotland over the next few months.

Topics covered will include:

An Introduction to Rural Development Funding and Rural Direct
Rural Priorities and other funding opportunities
Project planning - getting your application in order and ready to go Equalities and your funding application
Building quality in rural Scotland: the KeyStone Quality Awards
What next for Rural Development funding? 2014 and beyond.

Members of the Rural Direct team will be in attendance and will be available for one-to-one or group surgery sessions or to make appointments to discuss how your proposal may be progressed.

The first Roadshow will be at Tillicoultry Golf Club (Clackmannanshire) on 8 December. By late March, we aim to have held at least one event in each local authority area. Keep an eye open for announcements in the local pressand at local community outlets for dates and locations. Each roadshow will comprise two sessions; from 3pm to 5pm and from 6pm to 8pm. You will be made most welcome at whichever session suits you best. 
 

It has now been confirmed that the next round of Rural Priorities Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) for Axes 1 and 3 projects will take place in June 2012. We have prepared a briefing note on those options under Axis 3 which are currently available and may be of interest to community groups. A  full list of available options under Axes 1 and 3 can be viewed here. 

In order to submit your application you will need to have obtained a Business Registration Number (BRN). A BRN is obtained by completing a Land and Business Change form, available on line. Rural Direct has prepared a step-by-step guide to completing this form.

The next step is the submission of a simple Statement of Intent (SOI). A  Case Officer will be assigned to your application and give you feedback that will result in an amber (eligible) or red (unlikely to be approved) rating. Whilst it is possible to by-pass the SOI stage this is not encouraged as you will lose the benefit of case officer advice. The SOI is a straightforward summary of the who?, what?, why?, where? and when? of your proposal. Once again Rural Direct has prepared a briefing note and we are happy to provide support on identifying relevant priorities and other procedural issues.

The SOI application is not subject to deadline dates or assessment rounds. Given the imminence of the assessment committee deadlines, prospective applicants are strongly advised to lodge their SOI without delay. There is currently no information available as to whether there may be further assessment rounds before the current programme closes.

The timetable for submission of full applications is as follows:

Applications to be submitted by 22 February 2012
Applications to be committed by 5 April 2012
RPACs to be held from 11-15 June 2012

The Scottish Government web site emphasises that applications received after the commit date will not be considered at the relevant RPAC. Similarly, there is no guarantee that all applications received by the commit date will be considered at that RPAC, as the time taken for a Case Officer to assess and score an application will vary depending on the application's complexity and, in some cases, advice given by other public bodies.

The Rural Direct team remains available to support you in improving the quality of your application, making sure it is ready to undergo assessment and responding quickly to issues raised by your case officer. Rural Community groups with project ideas that may be eligible for Rural Priorities funding are advised to expedite their outline applications or, if you already have an amber light, your draft submission. 

Please feel free to contact your local development officer or our help desk (tel: 0845 838 8598) to discuss how we might best be able to support you with your application or guide you through the application process.
 

A  number of changes have been made to the Rural Priorities guidance pages. Further detail is available on SRDP Guidance Updates page.

Those changes most relevant to community organisations are:

• The pages relating to Business, Environment and Forestry Outcome Plans have been updated have been updated to include a Legal and Financial Eligibility section.
• The Management of Archaeological or Historic Sites option: This section has been comprehensively  updated with specific option guidance, including amendments to eligibility criteria and intervention rate.
• The Management and Repair of Vernacular Buildings option: The available intervention rate has been amended  and clarification added on the rules in relation to own labour costs.  New text has been included relating to match funding from Historic Scotland.  

The somewhat complex procedure for reclaiming expenditure incurred on approved Rural Priorities projects continues to present challenges to successful applicants.  Rural Direct has built up a body of practical and procedural advice for community groups to help secure full and timely payments. 

Whether you are setting up your initial monitoring processes, are well on the way to delivering your project or are experiencing difficulties with eligibility and audit requirements we will be happy to provide support.

Contact your local development officer or call our help line on 0845 838 8598 to discuss how we can best provide the assistance you require.
 

SNH have announced new funding priorities and grant categories, including Community Action Grants for 2012.  SNH have also launched their new online grants service, through which customers will apply for funding. 

It is expected that applications for Community  Action Grants will open in early 2012. The appropriate online application form should be available shortly.  In the meantime you can prepare your application using the "What you will be asked"  link from the grant application guidance.

From April 2012 there will be three deadlines for Natural Project Grant Proposals: May,  August and December. SNH will confirm these dates on their website as soon as possible.

In future, you will be able to apply for Community  Action Grants at any time 
 

Don’t miss out on transport loans of up to £50,000 that are being offered by the Energy Saving Trust for a limited time only. Funded by Transport Scotland, all organisations in Scotland interested in making their travel arrangements more sustainable can apply, including government, private sector businesses, community organisations and the public and voluntary sectors. Loans can be used to cover a wide range of sustainable transport measures that help to cut your travel costs and save carbon.

To find out more call your local Energy Saving Scotland (ESS) advice centre on 0800 512 012. 

ESS can undertake a sustainable transport review of your organisation to help you highlight the best ways to save money.  It’s totally free, and you can use the review’s recommendations to access the loan scheme. You can also visit the Energy Saving Trust website to find out more about the loan scheme or download a loan application.