COMMUNITIES are being invited to apply for a share of a £16.9m fund to be administered by the new North Yorkshire Council.
The new authority will come to power on April 1, and in doing so, the UK Government has approved the £16.9 million North Yorkshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan.
In addition to this, the Government has allocated a further £5.4 million, subject to approval, through the Rural England Prosperity Fund to support economic and social development in the county until March 2025.
Businesses, community groups, cultural and voluntary sector organisations in North Yorkshire are being invited to apply for a share of the fund.
Fund intends to tackle key issues
A North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) spokesperson said the fund is intended to “support improvements to residents’ lives and to build pride in place by addressing a host of challenges, including the future of our high streets, building a green economy and addressing the cost-of-living crisis”.
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NYCC is inviting expressions of interest from organisations seeking to deliver projects that address issues and priorities identified in the investment plan.
Full details of how the fund will be delivered are in the North Yorkshire Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus, which is available on the council’s website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/uk-shared-prosperity-fund or by emailing ukspf@northyorks.gov.uk
The fund covers a wide range of activities and investments and is available to almost all formally constituted organisations and businesses for projects ranging from small community-based initiatives to larger capital projects.
'We want to see this fund used to maximum effect'
NYCC’s leader, Cllr Carl Les, who will also lead North Yorkshire Council, said: “Communities across our county face diverse challenges, and each also presents its unique opportunities.
"This funding application invitation offers a chance for local organisations who understand and live with the challenges facing their towns and villages to come forward with solutions.
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“We want to see this fund used to maximum effect to enable communities to build the foundations for their own economic development, to help businesses to thrive and to reduce the barriers people of any age might face in entering and progressing in work or education.”
Fund to be delivered against five themes
The North Yorkshire funding will be delivered against five themes designed to tackle challenges and priorities identified across the county.
These are: addressing rurality and inequality; building pride in our places; boosting productivity; decarbonising communities and businesses; and supporting an active labour market.
Eligible organisations can submit expressions of interest at any time, but in accordance with the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund programme, most of North Yorkshire’s funding (almost £15m in total) will be available in the 2024/25 financial year.
Funding programmes and awards will be managed to reflect this.
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Open webinars for all interested parties will be held at 12pm on Thursday, February 23, and at 3.30pm on February 28.
Details of how to join will be online at www.northyorks.gov.uk/uk-shared-prosperity-fund - all enquiries should be submitted to ukspf@northyorks.gov.uk
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