District Council continues to support communities and businesses through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund

So far, the three year programme has enabled investment in projects across themes of communities and place, people and skills and supporting local businesses.

The District Council has recently launched the latest call for projects, enabling eligible organisations to register an expression of interest for funding for projects starting from April 2024 that could benefit local communities and places.

Potential applicants will need to meet the local UKSPF and REPF strategic investment priorities, with this particular call focusing on projects across themes of either people and skills, rural communities and tourism and visitor economy. Examples include community-led or social action projects, improvements to local rural facilities, bespoke skills development opportunities and investment in heritage and tourism to support the visitor economy.

Funding is available for the delivery of projects from April 2024 and complete by March 2025. The deadline for initial expressions of interests (EOI) closes at 5pm 15 January 2024. Projects that are determined eligible following the EOI phase will be invited to submit a full application.

More information, including full criteria and how to submit an EOI, can be found on the Newark and Sherwood District Council website: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/spf/ukspf-and-repf-funding-opportunities/

Councillor Matthew Spoors, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development at Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “Newark and Sherwood District Council is absolutely committed to supporting our local communities by providing funding to help get projects and programmes that will benefit local people, off the ground.

We have already seen the brilliant things the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund have been able to support including a variety of initiatives such as employment and skills development programmes, specialist business support and community volunteering schemes”

“If you are a local organisation that may have a potential project, please visit our website for more information about the funding opportunities currently available.”

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is providing £2.6 billion of new funding that local authorities were able to bid for and invest in their districts and boroughs by March 2025.

In December 2022, it was announced the District Council had successfully secured £3.29m to support local communities and businesses over the next three years. In May this year, it was announced that the District Council had been successful in securing an additional £891k available to eligible rural authorities as a ‘top-up’ to UKSPF through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). The funding will support the delivery of several local priority projects and access to grant-funded opportunities for local businesses and community organisations.