Cumberland Council is encouraging local businesses, community groups and organisations to apply for grants schemes that will provide £1.4 million to the local economy.
The council has recently received their annual allocation from the Government for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (this also includes the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF)).
Cumberland Council will support selected projects that deliver on the council’s UKSPF and REPF investment priorities.
Following formal approval from the council’s Investment Panel, they are looking to support projects in the following areas.
- Improvements to city and town centres and high street properties.
- Arts, cultural, creative and heritage organisations and activities.
- Sports and leisure activities that support health and wellbeing.
- Promotion of the visitor economy and tourism products.
- Business support that drives employment growth.
- Volunteering activities that promote wellbeing.
- Tackling digital exclusion and improving skills
- Addressing local skills needs.
An open call for applications has now opened. A variety of grant schemes are available and will be delivered by the council and external partners, working on the council’s behalf.
Information on all available grants and how to apply, including submission deadlines is available at www.cumberland.gov.uk/UKSPF
Grants for improvements to commercial properties within town and city centres across Cumberland are being managed by Cumberland Council. More information on the fund, guidance notes and how to submit applications can be found on the Cumberland Council website.
Additional grants schemes are being managed for the council by external partners:
- Rural business support and tourism grants from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership: info@thecumbrialep.co.uk
- Grants for cultural, creative, heritage and leisure organisations and events from Copeland Community Fund: Info@copelandcommunityfund.co.uk
- Grants for improvement to local green spaces from Copeland Community Fund: Info@copelandcommunityfund.co.uk
- Grants to organisations providing business growth support from Cumbria Community Foundation
- Grants to increase digital inclusion, with a focus on essential digital skills, digital confidence and online safety from Cumbria Community Foundation
- Grants to support impactful volunteering and social actions projects from Cumbria Community Foundation
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said:
“This is the first year that Cumberland Council has run the scheme and it is now operated on a Cumberland wide basis.
“There are a variety of grants available, some with differing criteria, so we urge anyone interested in applying to read the guidance carefully before they make an application.”
Schemes that have already got confirmed funding from this year’s allocation are:
- Supporting the development of the ‘Cumberland Story’ project.
- Further archaeological investigations at the Roman bathhouse at Carlisle cricket club.
- Supporting the development of the Borderlands place plan for project Longtown.
- Feasibility studies to identify new uses for key priority long-term vacant properties and sites across Cumberland.
- Investment in our open-air markets, including Christmas markets.
- Development of the Hadrian’s Wall Coastal frontier project.
- Supporting the delivery of the Cumberland ‘Light District’ programme.
- Business support services, including access to the Grantfinder and Open 4 Business websites.
Funding for UKSPF is available for capital and revenue activity for projects that demonstrate alignment and deliverability against the call criteria.
Cumberland Council has been allocated £10.5 million of UKSPF to spend over three financial years (2022-25) and £2.5 million of REPF to spend over two years (2023-25).