Swansea Council is offering grants of up to £50,000 to innovative community-led projects that would boost the county’s rural areas.

And those interested can find out how to submit strong applications by joining one of two free webinars this month.

Andrew Stevens, the council’s cabinet member for business improvement and performance, said: “This a fantastic opportunity for those who have an idea they want to put into practice but need some assistance to get it started.

“Alternatively, it may be a plan to help get off the ground with a plan to recover from Covid19 in our rural areas.

“We’re looking for projects to help with the recovery and sustainability of rural Swansea.

“It’s another example of the council being here for Swansea and all its communities. Our rural areas – as places to live, work, grow businesses and enjoy quality free time – are vital to the local economy.”

The LEADER grant is part of Swansea’s wider Rural Development Programme (RDP, which is funded by the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development through the Welsh Government.

The grant is administered by the Swansea RDP Local Action Group through the council.

There are two grant pots available – the main grant pot offering up to £30,000 for projects that last for up to 12 months, £40,000 for 15-month projects and £50,000 for 18 months; and a fast track grants pot for projects of up to £5,000.

All projects must supply at least 30% match funding of the total project costs. Each must have a One Planet outlook, embodying sustainability and community resilience. One Planet is a useful tool to measure our impact on the Earth. It highlights our supply of nature and our demands on it.

Swansea Rural Development Funding Webinar: October 20 from 11am-12.30pm and October 29 from 5-6.30pm. To book a free place log on to www.bit.ly/RDPwebinars

Swansea Rural Development Partnership: www.swansea.gov.uk/rdp

Swansea Council