Rural businesses in north Nottinghamshire, including parts of Mansfield, have been urged to register their interest in receiving funding from a new grant programme.

The North Nottinghamshire LEADER Programme is a new allocation of EU funding to help support the development of the rural economy and create new jobs — with up to £1.5m available in grants over the next four years.

LEADER funding will be available to support a wide range of projects, including:

Rural tourism.
Supporting new and expanding small and micro businesses.
Increasing farm productivity.
Providing services to rural communities.
Improving forestry productivity.

Applications for funding will open in January. Businesses can check if they are eligible and register for updates at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/leadernorth

This is the second consecutive time LEADER funding has been made available in North Nottinghamshire, following successful delivery of the previous round (2007-2013), and the area covered has been extended.

Nottinghamshire County Council is the accountable body for the funding, which will be managed by the North Nottinghamshire Local Action Group (LAG).

To discuss a project idea, or to find out how to become more involved in the local LEADER partnership, call Jim Burley, North Nottinghamshire LEADER programme officer on 01777 712 711, or email northnottingham [email protected]