Farm Diversification

REGIONAL PRIORITIES
Rural Priorities cover three broad axes: (1) Business Viability and Competitiveness; (2) Biodiversity, and; (3) Rural Communities and nine priority themes: 

Scotland is split into eleven regions for the delivery of Rural Priorities and the 11 Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) have established their Regional Priorities, after a period of stakeholder consultation (these can be found following the link on the right-hand side of this page).  The regional priorities take account of local conditions and existing regional strategies and contribute to the national outcomes set by the Scottish Government and applicants must ensure that their project will help deliver the priorities set for their region. Potential applicants will need to study the regional priorities to ensure their project proposal matches the desired outcomes set out at local, and hence national level.

PACKAGES AND OPTIONS
Behind the 9 priority themes lie a suite of 37 "packages", each of which contains a number of funding “options” that contribute to the delivery of outcomes set for each of package.  Details of which packages (and component options) contribute to each priority theme are detailed for each region. 

ELIGIBILITY
Any individual, business or properly constituted group can apply for Rural Priorities support. Before applying you must obtain a Business Reference Number (BRN).  If you wish someone else to submit your application on your behalf you need to fill in an Agent's Mandate form (form AA1). This mandate will remain in effect until revoked by you.

New users of Rural Payments Online will need to register and enrol to obtain a Government Gateway user ID. When registering, you will be asked for a logon number (provided by the Helpdesk on: 0845 601 7597) and your BRN or, for agents, an Agent Identifier.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Rural Priorities grants are based on a competitive application process to ensure that contracts are awarded to the proposals which are best able to deliver the identified regional priories.  The application process is entirely online and involves 2 stages:

1. A brief Statement of Intent (SoI) must be submitted providing a project outline (detailing who, what, how, where and when).  The applicant will then receive feedback on the proposals viability.
2. After feedback has been received on the SoI applicants can decide whether or not to develop it into a full proposal for the second stage of application. In essence this is a business plan which explains how the project aligns to the regional priorities and explanation of the options and packages chosen should be given in the context of the Regional Priorities. 

Every applicant will have an allocated case officer who will review the proposal before it is presented to the RPAC which will sit about three times per year (although applications can be submitted at any point in time).  The case officer will advise applicants on eligibility, regional priorities, budgetary positions, need for consents and approvals and will also be responsible for assessing the application.  The RPAC will assess applications on their “contribution to regional priority”, “value for money” and “management of risk”.  Once a business has successfully been awarded a Rural Priorities Contract they will be able to add to it with further proposals.

For further details on the application process see Rural Priorities - How to Apply.

FUNDING OPTIONS
Relating to diversification and renewable energy there are now a number of funding options available for rural businesses:

• Restructuring Agricultural Businesses (including alternative crops and livestock)
• Short Rotation Coppice Crops of Willow or Poplar
• Renewable Energy - Agriculture
• Renewable Energy - Forestry
• Processing and Marketing of Primary Products
• Diversification Outwith Agriculture
• Support for Renewable Energy - Non Land-Based
• Development/Creation of Micro-Enterprises