1.
What is the National Rural
Development Programme?
The National Rural Development Programme (NRDP)
is the LEADER based initiative for rural development
funded by the Irish Government under the National
Development Plan and the EU under structural
funds. The main objective of the NRDP is to
address rural exclusion through an innovative
programme for rural development. This programme
provides funding for development and also
provides information advice and training for
local individuals and communities.
2. What has the NRDP
to offer?
The programme has two main roles,
1. Developmental support
2. The grant aiding
of specific projects
3. Developmental
support
It is recognised tha the availability of funding
alone will not act as a catalyst for development.
The stimulating of activity, the changing
of attitudes and the creation of awareness
are all pre-reuisites to the undertaking of
development. Therefore, in its developmental
role the group has appointed with the assistance
of other funding agencies, three full time
development officers. The development officers
provide developmental support to both individuals
and communities in the region.
4. What activities qualify
for assistance?
In addition to the development support described
above, funding is available under seven headings,
as follow:
1. Analysis and development
2. Training
3. Innovative Rural Enterprise, Craft Enterprises
and Local Services/Facilities
4. Exploitation of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fishery Products
5. Enhancement of Natural/Built/Social/Cultural
Environment
6. Environmentally Friendly Initiatives
7. Rural/Agri-Tourism
4.1 Analysis and
development
To include support for:
• Feasibility Studies
• Plans
• Resource audits and skills audits
• The development of prototype products
and services
Funding is at a rate of 80% for community
groups, subject to a maximun grant of €7,500.00
or 50% to a maximun grant of €7,500.00
per projects..
4.2 Training
The training measure include support for:
• Provision of relevant training generally.
• Provision of general/specialised training
courses in fixed or mobile facilities.
• Provision of flexible learning opportunities
in new technology for women and young people
in particular.
• Training for specific needs of project
promoters, this includes training in finance,
marketing skills, management production
skills, tourism, craft, new technology, languages
and upgrading of skills
• Environmental awareness.
• School programmes to encourage enterprise
ideas.
Third level courses are not eligible for aid
with the exception of the two year Diploma
in Rural Development Course offered through
distant learning. Other courses may be considerd
subject to Board approval.
Funding may be provided up to the rate of
100%.
4.3 Innovative
Rural Enterprises, Craft Enterprises and Local
Services/Facilities.
Grant aid in this area is aimed at maintaining
existing businesses, jobs and services, identifying
and encouraging the potential for expansion
of existing businesses and promoting the establishment
of new businesses.
To be eligible for grant aid the project promoter
must be able to demonstrate:
•That
there is a market for the proposed product
or service and the project will be capable
of attaining economic viability.
•That the project has the capacity to
create new direct employment either full,
part-time or seasonal, or should as
a minimum contribute directly to the sustaining
of employment in existing small enterprises
•That adequate overall finance will be
available to fund the project.
•That he/she possesses sufficient management
and technical capacity to implement the proposed
project.
In the case of services, NRDP funding will
not be made available to conventional retail
or other distributive services unless they
demonstrate innovation in the locality concerned.
Projects that may give rise to job displacement
will not be awarded grant aid.
Maximum grant aid of up to €65,000 at
a rate of 50% can be provided under this measure.
4.4 Exploitation
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Products
Projects eligible under this measure include:
• Small scale processing units servicing
niche markets, e.g. farmhouse cheeses, yogurts,
fruit preserves and high value
upmarket brands
• Certain projects that exploit timber
resources (excluding furniture).
• Innovative small scale horticultural
projects.
• Innovative alternatives to mainstream
agriculture.
Maximum grant aid of € 65,000 at a rate
of 50% can be provided under this measure.
Activities which are not eligible for grant
aid include, farm relief services, livestock
marts, abattoirs, Christmas tree production,
conventional agricultural production practices
and related activities, poultry and egg projects
and gneral horticulture.
All projects will be assessed to ensure conformity
with good farming practices and environmental
requirements.
4.5 Enhancement
of Natural/Built/Social/Cultural Environment
This measure includes support for:
• Support guidance and advisory services.
• Restoration and enhancement of small
towns, villages and local architectural heritage.
• Cultural creativity and promotion of
cultural linked with rural development.
• Provision of access to places of scenic,
natural, historical and other interest.
• Protecting rehabilitating and improving
ecological and landscape features - flora,
fauna and waterways.
• Improvement of heritage/cultural awareness
especially among local communities and in
schools.
Maximum grant aid of € 65,000 at a rate
of 50% can be provided under this measure.
4.6 Environmentally
Friendly Initiatives
This measures includes support for:
• Support , guidance and advisory services
• Provision of a range of assistance
types for developing alternative/renewable
energy enterprise
• Waste management initiatives using
new technologies and knw-how
Maximum grant aid of € 65,000 at a rate
of 50% may be provided under this measure.
4.7 Rural/Agri Tourism
- Information for Applicants
Under the Rural/Agri Tourism sector the
following guidelines are applicable:
Development of Tourism, Leisure and/or
Recreational Facilities
- Up to 50% subject to a maximum grant of
€ 65,000 grant aid.
Accommodation includes:
- Self catering, Holiday Hostels, Bed &
Breakfast and Carvan & Camping
- Up to 40% for the restoration of traditional
farm buildings for self catering accommodation
to a maximum limit of € 40,000
grant aid.
- Up to 30% for upgrading or expansion of
exixting accommodation to a maximun limit
of
€ 40,000 grant aid.
Tourism Marketing Promotion
- 50% subject to a maximum of € 10,000
grant aid for individual applications
- 50% subject to a maximum of € 40,000
grant aid for groups
Support for marketing networks including attendance
at sales workshops and internet sites will
be included. Grant aid will also be available
for organisations/co-operatives with a Central
Reservation System towards the setting up
and networking costs.
Grant
aid is not available in respect of individual
application for print promotional material
or for the development of websites. A three-year
Marketing Plan must be provided in
respect of all applications under the measure.
• Tourism Training
A key objective of the programme is to develop
the skills of providers/operators through
participation in training programmes designed
to improve visitor satisfaction with the rural/agri-tourism
product.
5. What is Ineligible
for funding?
No funding can be made available for:
• Conventional retail and distributive
services
• Primary agricultural production.
• Second-hand equipment
• The purchase of land and buildings
• Working capital including stock
• Motor vehicle and mobile equipment
• Construction of new housing
• Residential housing
• Loans
• Public gardens
• Golf courses
• Christmas tree production
• The purchase of conventional farm livestock
• Poultry and egg projects
• General horticulture
• Employment grants
The above is not an exhaustive list and other
limitations may apply within each sector.
6. Is there any grant
aid for my own labour/voluntary labour?
Yes. Voluntary labour is acceptable as a source
of private matching funds for both capital
works and for technical support (feasibility
studies and market research) for community
base projects and up to a maximum of 50%.
In certain exceptional circumstances and with
prior written approval, other promoters (up
to a limit of 25%) may provide voluntary labour
as matching funding. If volontary labour is
being included in an application the following
rules apply:
1.
The total amount to be claimed by way of direct
voluntary labour must be agreed with the LEADER
group before the commencement of approved
works.
2. This agreement must include the names of
the persons contributing the voluntary labour,
the nature and the
time quantity of the contribution and the
qualifications which enable them to make
that contribution, i.e. their trade or profession
3. Grant claims for out-of-pocket expenses
and incidental expenditure incurred in the
voluntary labour element
of a project may only be considered on the
basis of vouched receipts and certified
claims. Claims in respect of attendance at
meetings or incidental expenses incurred from
such attendance ae not allowed.
4. The costs claimed may are allowed subject
to certification by an appropriately qualified
third party or parties,
e.g. Engineer, Quantity Surveyor, Accountant,
and Auditor. The following limitations
apply to all grant claims for payment which
include direct voluntary labour contributions:
- An hourly rate of
€ 13.00 per hour
- A daily rate of
€ 144.00 per day
- A weekly rate of
€ 570.00 per week
5. the project promoter must comply with all
special and standard conditions attaching
to the formal letter of offer issued by the
LEADER group in respect of the approved project.
7. What are
the taxation requirements?
All promoters including community roups and
other organisations, regardless of the size
of grant, are required to produce a tax reference
number and indicate the tax district dealing
with their tax affairs. In addition, for grants
of less than € 6,500 promoters will be
required to indicate that to the best of their
knowledge their tax affairs are in orders.
For grants of € 6,500 or more, promoters
will be required to produce a current tax
clearance certificate (C2), and will also
be required to produce tax clearance certificates
for any contractors that are engaged in the
project.
8. How is VAT treated when
the grant is being paid?
If you are registered for VAT the grant is
paid on the net-of-VAT expenditure. If you
are not registerd, grant aid will be paid
on the VAT-inclusie expenditure, provided
that you can provide satisfactory evidence
of your VAT status.
9. How do I apply for
grant aid?
All applicants must complete an application
form
When completing the application form:
1. Each element of your application (e.g.
buildings, equipment, training etc.) must
be supported by a full description and two
quotations. Applications cannot be processed
without this information and your application
will be delayed if this is not provided at
the outset.
2. If you have an existing business, including
a farm, accounts for that business must be
provided.
3.
Where building work is involved you must provide
a copy of your plans/drawings.
4. For building work you must investigate
whether planning permission is required and
if so, make an application to the relevant
body. A copy of this application should be
sent to LEADER. If no planning permission
is required, a note to this effect from yoour
architect or the relevant planning authority
should be sent to LEADER.
5.
A limited company must provide a copy of it's
Memorandum and articles of Association and
Certificate of Incorporation.
6.
A community group must provide a copy of it's
constitution.
7.Where
the balance of funding is substantial and
requires borrowing it will be necessary to
provide a letter from your financial institution
confirming that this borrowing will be made
available to you.
8.
If you are providing your own labour as part
of the project, full details, as set out under
5 (above) must be provided.
10. How long does the
approval procedure take?
Where
you have submitted a fully completed application,
you can usually expect a decision within 6-8
weeks of lodging your application.
11.
When will I know if my
application has been successful?
Final
decisions on all projects are made by the
Board of the Arigna LEADER, which meets once
a month. The decisions of the Board are communicated
to promoters by letter, usually in the week
following the Board meeting. Where the application
has been successful the letter is accompanied
by the schedule of conditions. The letter
will set out the time permitted for completion
of the project. Only in exceptional circumstances
will extensions in time limits be allowed.
A valid commitment of grant aid exists only
when the Board's decision has been communicated
to the promoter and the promoter has accepted
the offer by returning an acceptance of Grant
Offer form.
12.The ' De Minimus' Rule / Ceiling on
Grant Aid
A
project promoter (i.e group or individual)
cannot receive more than € 100,000 from
all grant giving agencies over any three-year
period. De-minimus aid includes funding received
under LEADER II and County Enterprise Board
funds. The rule does not apply to community
based projects that do not have an enterprise
focus, or that don't involve a sector where
there is competition. Project
promoters must state clearly on the relevant
section of their application all aid received
from various sources over the three-year period
prior to date of application.
13.
Co-Funding of Projects
With
the exception of training and community-based
analysis and development, funding provided
under the NRDP, must be matched with at least
a similar contribution from private sources.
Certain small-scale local authority works
may be co-funded by LEADER. In addition projects
receiving national lottery funds may also
receive funding under this programme.
14.
Innovation
Project
promoters are required to describe their project
in innovative terms i.e how the project is
new or inventive. An innovative project can
consist of the introduction of a new idea,
method, invention or response to a situation
in a particular area.
15.
Project Evaluation
Projects
will be assessed competively due to the limited
amount of funds available. All applicants
will be screened to ensure that they are outside
the scope of other funding agencies.
In
evaluating projects for aid, particular emphasis
will be placed on the following:
• Promoters background an expertise.
• Innovativeness of the project.
• Viability of the project
• Markets for the product/service and
non-displacement of existing enterprise
• Potential for job creation
• Benefits to the local area
