Organisations and charities that are helping to protect and sustain Britain’s farming and rural communities can apply for much needed funding of up to £50,000 from The Prince’s Countryside Fund, which opened online for grant applications on Monday March 2.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, strives to secure a sustainable future for the British countryside.

The Fund is looking to invest up to £800,000 in worthwhile rural initiatives in this application round. Since its inception in 2010, the charity has given £5million in grants distributed to 120 projects across the country, directly benefitting 100,000 people.

The Fund has recently reviewed its funding criteria in order to provide improved clarity to the organisations applying of the variety of innovative projects in the countryside it will support. Organisations interested in applying are encouraged to attend The Prince’s Countryside Fund Forum in Warwick on Thursday 5th March to find out more about the variety of projects funding to date and understand more about the funding eligibility and criteria.

Projects will be considered on their contribution to one of three key countryside issues:.

1.Thriving Rural Communities - projects that provide innovative solutions to deliver assets and services that keep rural communities together and develop a more sustainable rural economy i.e. empowering communities to provide village services or create business hubs and employment for local people.

2.Rural Livelihoods - projects that focus on developing stronger, more sustainable farm and rural enterprises with the aim of halting the decline of the rural economy i.e. providing rural businesses with support and advice or supporting farmer led initiatives.

3.Farmers of the Future - projects that help improve skills and increase opportunities of taking up rural careers, in particular in farming, with the aim of helping people to remain within and contribute to the rural economy i.e. training opportunities and apprenticeship schemes that inspire and enable new entrants to consider a career in farming.

Helen Aldis, Manager of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, said; “We are looking for projects that will have a long-term positive impact on rural communities and enterprise, helping the people who care for our countryside and make it tick. It is one of our most valuable national assets and this funding will give much needed support to the remarkable people working to sustain a vibrant rural economy.”

Since 2010, The Prince’s Countryside Fund has given grants to support 160 rural communities by improving service provision, 4,750 farm businesses through funding projects that work directly with farmers to improve efficiency and profitability and 1,100 rural enterprises through supporting innovative rural business projects. 4,850 young people have benefitted from projects offering training opportunities and 18,000 children educated in food and farming in a sustainable countryside.