The Royal Countryside Fund awards £194,538 to power up rural communities across the UK

This new funding is aimed at empowering rural communities to develop community-led solutions that increase their resilience and sustainability, unlocking the huge potential for positive change in the countryside. The funding programme was aimed at innovative solutions that “power up, not prop up” communities, inspiring change and encouraging economic vibrancy.

Organisations could apply for grants of up to £25,000 over a period of 24 months to deliver activities around four key funding themes, which are crucial to the survival of rural communities: keeping young people in the countryside, powering up rural communities, increasing environmental sustainability, and building emergency resilience in rural areas.

The RCF has now announced the eight rural community organisations which will receive funding over the next two years, which are:

• River Waveney Trust, an environmental charity based in East Anglia, dedicated to improving and protecting the River Waveney, its tributaries and catchment, making it a better place for people and wildlife, has been awarded £25,000. The funds will go towards projects supporting small, rural communities to build meaningful resilience in the face of future flooding emergencies, within a changing yet more sustainable environment.
• Torridon District Community Association, a community charity based in the North West Highlands of Scotland, has been awarded £25,000. This funding will allow the charity to support the small rural community to prepare for various area-wide emergencies, making the community more resilient, better connected and more prepared to deal the impacts of climate change.
• Grow the Glens CIC, which has worked since 2016 to create jobs and opportunities within its local community in the Glens of Antrim, in Northern Ireland, has been awarded £25,000. This funding will enable Grow the Glens to develop and extend its social enterprise programme to the local area, delivering a range of courses, workshops and events for the local community.
• LandLinked CIC, a Welsh community interest company working at the intersection of people, land, and learning, has been awarded £24,690. The funding will support training for young people in North Wales, helping them to build practical, regenerative land management skills.
• Lochview Rural Training Centre, a Sutherland-based charity and social enterprise which works to promote, organise and deliver rural learning, training and career opportunities, has been awarded £24,848. The funding will support work in the North Highlands, ensuring that local people are able to access the support and training they need to reach their full potential, and allowing the organisation to develop its intergenerational work, matching tech-savvy young people with experienced crofters for an exchange of skills and knowledge.
• North Norfolk Community Transport, a charity which supports people who live in rural areas to overcome huge barriers over access to transport, both in affordability and availability, has been awarded £25,000. This grant will help the organisation support more disabled members of the community and those with limited mobility to reach the people and places they need to reach.
• Ventnor Exchange, a community interest company, which works to develop the creative potential of young people on the Isle of Wight, has been awarded £20,000. The funding will support the development of a bespoke education and training programme for young people, providing employment and learning opportunities.
• Ynni Bro Rhian , a newly established community benefit society, based in North-West Pembrokeshire, has been awarded £25,000. The organisation aims to help the local rural community by establishing and supporting enduring renewable energy projects. The funding will allow the society to appoint a part-time Project Development & Community Engagement Officer and establish an Energy Local Club, aiming to offer financial benefits to local residents, and renewable energy generators.

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, RCF, said: “With these latest grants, we want to power up rural communities across the whole of the UK – from the Isle of Wight to the Scottish Highlands, and from Northern Ireland to North Norfolk. We received so many excellent applications, which is a testament both to the incredible untapped potential and energy of our rural communities, but also to the urgent need for more support.

“As with all our funding, we have chosen projects which are community-led and run by local people who understand the challenges and opportunities we face. We want to combine their local knowledge and passion with our funding and support, to deliver real and lasting change together. We’re also excited to welcome them into our Confident Rural Communities Network, which brings together organisations from across the UK to share ideas, resources and inspire one another.

“As we mark our 15^th anniversary, we’re very grateful to our many supporters, partners, funders and everyone else who has supported the RCF over the years. To date, we’ve invested more than £12 million in over 500 rural community-led projects, and we are excited to continue to deliver change that positively impacts the everyday lives of people across the UK for generations to come.”

Edward King, Catchment Resilience Officer at the River Waveney Trust, said: “The RCF funding will enable us to greatly enhance the quality and reach of our provision as a trusted, local ‘flood-hub’, facilitating local people to lead on building community resilience in the face of future emergencies. The funding will also allow us to develop and deliver Natural Flood Management measures with and within small, rural communities to build more sustainable landscapes in the face of a changing climate.

“Many of our small, rural communities were deeply traumatised by the flooding in 2020 and 2023, and the funding from the Royal Countryside Fund will directly benefit these communities by supporting a more resilient and sustainable future, delivering meaningful results on the ground.”