WELCOME to the Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER Website
Newsflash 1
Aberdeenshire LEADER Call for Applications to Round 17
As of April 2013, a limited Aberdeenshire LEADER budget has been identified for new applications. We therefore open a call for small grant applications of up to £20,000 for projects that meet the following criteria:
- Applications must be submitted to LEADER by the deadline of 07 May 2013
- If statutory consents are a requirement, the approved consents must be in place by the application submission date
- All match funding must be confirmed and in place by the application submission date
- The project must be able to start by 01 July 2013 and complete by 31 December 2013
Welcoming the call for applications, Belinda Miller, LAG Chairperson said:
“A total of £4.7 million has been approved towards more than 140 projects since the Aberdeenshire LEADER programme was launched in June 2008.
“Due to ongoing savings, we have identified a limited budget which is available for projects which have all required match funding in place and are able to be undertaken between July and December 2013. The projects must align with Aberdeenshire LEADER themes & priorities. Due to the limited budget available we expect strong competition for applications in Round 17.”
For guidance on Round 17 applications please contact Alasdair Cunningham, LEADER Project Officer (01467 628262 or by email alasdair.cunningham@aberdeenshire.gov.uk)
The Aberdeenshire LAG meetings during 2013 are detailed in the timetable below.
Application Deadline |
PAC Date |
LAG Date |
|
n/a |
05/03/13 |
21/03/13 |
|
Application Round 17 |
07/05/2013 |
04/06/13 |
19/06/13 |
20/08/13 |
04/09/13 |
||
28/11/13 |
10/12/13 |
Newsflash 2
Evaluation of Aberdeenshire LEADER Programme
Consultants Blake Stevenson and Dr Sarah Skerratt, SRUC have been appointed to undertake an evaluation of the Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER Programme (2007-2013) and to consider options towards the Aberdeenshire LEADER Local Development Strategy (LDS) for the next programme which will cover the period 2014-2020. The research project is now underway and will complete by autumn 2013.
Welcoming the start of the research project, Vicky Thomson, EU Rural & Fisheries Programmes Team Leader said:
“As we are moving towards the latter stage of the current programme, it is timely now to consider what has been achieved through implementing projects that have helped to deliver the LAG Strategy. The findings from the research will help the LAG to focus on key priorities for consideration in the Aberdeenshire LEADER Local Development Strategy (LDS) 2014-2020.
We look forward to working with the consultant team in the coming months and hearing their findings & recommendations as the project comes to fruition.”
Newsflash 3
2013: New Year Boost for Community Projects as Round 16 Awards by Aberdeenshire LEADER are Confirmed
Nine projects from across Aberdeenshire have received funding totalling nearly £538,000 in the latest round of grants awarded by the Rural Aberdeenshire LEADER Programme.
Projects across the area receiving support include building a new community facility in Turriff, opening a cafe at Balmedie Leisure Centre, building a new community Hall in St Combs,the revamp of a play park in Methlick and upgrading the toilets at Milne Hall in Kirkton of Skene.
In additional to these infrastructure projects, funds will also support the Wilderness Foundation programme in Aberdeenshire which gives young people hands-on skills in rural industries, the International Sheep Dog Trails which come to Aberdeenshire in 2013 and Huntly Development Trust will be helped to forge links for young people with a range of schemes in Finland and Italy.
Funds have also been allocated to Aberdeenshire Council to test Whitespace Technology in the area, which could in time improve broadband delivery in rural Aberdeenshire.
To read the full Press Release, please click here.
To read about the projects in more detail, please click here.
Newsflash 4
Match funding fact sheet published
Should any funds become available during 2013, applicants will require identify match funding in addition to own contribution as LEADER will only fund up to 50% of project costs.
Match funding can come from a range of sources. For information please refer to Match Funding Fact Sheet, link below.
