A package of support has been announced for businesses within the Breckland region, including grants for business utilising the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF).
Organisations across Norfolk can also benefit from newly announced and extended grants, such as the High Streets Matter Scheme, Funding for Farmers in Protected Landscapes, and the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.
Rural England Prosperity Fund
Breckland Council is allocating funding through the REPF to support two capital grant programmes:
- New Business Start-up; and
- Rural Business Growth Grants (medium and high growth)
The grants are intended to help businesses grow and diversify, enabling them to purchase assets required to either establish their operations or improve productivity, efficiency and capacity.
Each scheme requires a minimum of 50% match funding and the deadline for project completion is 1 December 2025.
| New Business Start-up | Rural Business Grant – Medium Growth | Rural Business Grant – High Growth | |
| Eligibility | Breckland-based businesses not yet started or within first year of operation | Breckland-based business with at least 12 months trading history | Breckland-based business with at least 12 months trading history |
| Grant amount | £500-£1,000 | £500 – £2,499 | £2,500 – £50,000 |
Each grant comes with its own set of evaluation criteria, though common requirements include:
- Details of how jobs will be created / safeguarded;
- Demonstrating that investment would not be achievable without the grant;
- An ability to deliver within the specified timescale;
- Having a sustainable business model; and
- Growth potential.
Evidence is required upon application, including
- How the grant will be spent responsibly;
- A Business Plan; and
- 3 quotations and, once the grant has been confirmed, proof of spend.
Examples of eligible Capital Spend:
- Equipment or machinery (e.g. tools, production machines, IT hardware)
- Building works (e.g. renovations, extensions, shopfitting)
- Technology infrastructure (e.g. servers, specialist software if it’s a one-off purchase)
- Fixtures and fittings (e.g. shelving, counters, lighting for a shop or office)
All applications should be made using this link.
High Streets Matter
This is a bespoke offer for businesses, running from April 2025 to April 2026 and including a business development programme, Love Your Market Town conference and funding opportunities.
The winter programme welcomes applications from retail businesses in Attleborough. The Retail Excellence scheme includes a series of workshops designed to upskill, foster a strong sense of community and encourage innovation and future retail collaborations.
Find out more about High Streets Matter here.
Funding for Farming in Protected Landscapes
The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme has been developed by Defra to offer funding to all farmers and land managers to support and improve Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), National Parks and the Broads.
The scheme was due to close in March 2024, but has since been extended to March 2026 – although applications will close sooner if all funding has been allocated.
All farmers and land managers are eligible to apply to the programme, including those outside of protected landscapes.
If an applicant will not make a commercial gain, eligible projects could receive 100% grant funding. Application forms can be obtained from the protected landscape body where the project will take place. Click here to contact a local protected landscape body.
Further details on this programme can be found here.
Farming Equipment and Technology Fund
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) provides grants for specific machinery, equipment and technology items to help reduce costs and increase efficiencies.
The grant is not just open to farmers, you can apply if you are a farmer; horticulturalist; forestry owner; or contractor, carrying out services to farmers, horticulturalists or forestry owners.
The fund is split into three distinct themes:
- Improving productivity;
- Managing slurry; and
- Improving animal health and welfare.
Grants of between £1,000 and £25,000 are available for each of the three themes and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will fund an amount of between 40% and 50% towards either:
- The average cost of the item – if an item costs you the same or more than the expected average cost in the item lists; or
- The actual cost you pay for the item – if an item costs you less than the expected average cost in the item lists.
Click here for a summary of the scheme, including key details to help you prepare ahead of the application window opening on 29 May 2025.
How M+A Partners can help
M+A Partners are unable to process or advise on grant applications, but we will let you know of any grant opportunities in the Breckland area that we receive notification of.
