Shared Prosperity Fund

In addition to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund main programme, some local authorities, including us, were eligible to submit an additional Investment Plan for the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), which acts as a top-up to the main programme. The REPF, which succeeds the previous Rural Development Programme for England, is intended to fund capital projects from small businesses as well as community infrastructure and sits alongside other DEFRA schemes such as the Farming Investment Fund.

The Cheshire West and Chester REPF Investment Plan was approved in April 2023 and is being delivered as part of the Community and Place and Business core programmes although allocated funding is ring-fenced only for the defined eligible rural area.

• The REPF provides an additional £180,120 to supporting local businesses, providing small scale capital grants for micro and small enterprises in rural areas. This will be launched in early July and businesses will be able to apply through an expression of interest
• The REPF provides an additional £170,000 of capital funding for Community Infrastructure projects for 24/25 with an application round launched as part of round 2 of the community and place application process in Autumn 2023.

A map of defined rural area for REPF funding is available online:

• Select Administrative Geographies’; ‘Other Administrative Boundaries’; ‘Rural England Prosperity Fund’