Rural Community Development Fund

Welsh Government grant scheme however projects need to show how they meet the aims of the Vale of Glamorgan Local Action Group’s Local Development Strategy.

Total Grant Fund available has been suggested to be €69.9Million from 2015-2019. This budget will be spilt across open calls through to 2019. This may be topped up with other funds. First Open call now open, details below:

Scheme / Indicative allocation / Expected maximum number of full applications / Window opens / Window closes / Full applications invited from: / Deadline for submission of full applications
Rural Community Development Fund / £6m / 100 / 20-Jul-15 / 31-Jan-16 / 30-Apr-16 / 31-Oct-16

Not confirmed but suggested there will be an open call every 6 months from June 2016.

Intervention rate is 80% grant 20% match.

Maximum project is £128,000 grant towards a total project value of £160,000.

Grant is for Capital only however there is scope to include some revenue costs towards a capital build such as feasibility, planning fees ect.

Only open to Rural Wards in the Vale of Glamorgan therefore not available in Barry, Penarth or Llandough.

The 3 objectives for RCDF are as follows:

1. Promote social inclusion, poverty reduction, and economic development in rural areas.

2. Help those most deprived in rural Wales and those that have limited scope to change their circumstances.

3. Develop the resilience and capability of rural communities so that they are better able to cope with and adapt to change.

Projects that can be funded include:

  • 7.1- support for drawing up development plans and protection and management plans
  • 7.2 - support for investments in the creation, improvement or expansion of all types of small scale infrastructure, including investments in renewable energy and energy saving
  • 7.3 - support for broadband infrastructure, including its creation, improvement and expansion, passive broadband infrastructure and provision of access to broadband and public e-government
  • 7.4 - support for investments in the setting-up, improvement or expansion of local basic services for the rural population including leisure and culture, and the related infrastructure
  • 7.5 - support for investments for public use in recreational infrastructure, tourist information and small scale tourism infrastructure
  • 7.6 - support for studies and investments for maintenance, restoration and upgrading of cultural and natural heritage
  • 7.7 - support for investments targeting the relocation of activities and conversion of buildings or other facilities located inside or close to rural settlements, with a view to improving the quality of life or increasing the environmental performance of the settlement

The RCDF is open to applications from the following beneficiaries

 Local Action Groups

 Local community groups (including charities and trusts, co-operatives)

 Social enterprises

 Companies Ltd. by Guarantee

 Community interest companies

 Mutuals

 Local Authorities

 the Welsh Government

• Private companies- only sole traders and SMEs are eligible to only for investments in relocation of activities for environmental / quality of life reason only.

For full guidance notes and expression of interest application form please visit

For the Local Development Strategy to show how your project fits within its aims and objectives please visit