Welcome to CARA Wales, agricultural and rural consultancy and advice. We offer an individual, unbiased and efficient service to help move your business forward.

Posts filed under articles:

Small Grants – Environment (Water 2025)

Tuesday, May 27th, 2025
The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants -Environment is 21 May to 01 July 2025.This round of Small Grants -Environment will address the theme of Water, and is a standalone scheme providing a maximum of £7,500 funding per business for Capital Works Projects. These include:-

  • Hedge coppicing and gapping up
  • New hedge planting
  • Hedge laying

(all the above 3 options with Fencing as supporting capital works)

  • Cross drains
  • Sleeping policemen
  • Guttering and downpipes
  • Maintenance of gateways

Capital Works projects must be claimed for and submitted with before and after geo-tagged photos by 21/02/26

The relevant Scheme documents can be viewed by following the links below:

General Rules Booklet

Technical Guidance Booklet

 Payment Rates

Maps showing likelihood of Selection

 

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact the CARA Office as soon as possible on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk 


Small Grants Efficiency

Thursday, March 6th, 2025

The 4th Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants -Efficiency is 03 March to 11 April 2025.

This  is a capital scheme designed to help farmers in Wales to improve the technical, financial and environmental performance of their farm businesses.

The maximum grant award is £15,000 and the minimum is £1,000.

Previous participation in the Farm Business Grant or any previous rounds of the Small Grants Efficiency Scheme will not affect your ability to apply for the maximum £15,000 grant.

The grant provides a maximum 40% contribution towards capital investments in equipment and machinery (excluding VAT), which can be demonstrated as offering clear and quantifiable benefits to farm businesses.

The grant will be a maximum 40% contribution against actual invoiced costs up to the maximum referenced costs as stated within the list of eligible capital items.

To view the Rules Booklet, and a detailed list of Eligible Capital Items please click on the following links:-

Rules Booklet

Eligible Capital Items

The EOI is only available  on your RPW Online account. If you require further assistance with your application, please contact us here at CARA on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk


Small Grants Environment – Landscape & Pollinators (2025)

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025

The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants Environment is 13 January to 21 February 2025.

This round of Small Grants -Environment will address the theme of Landscape & Pollinators, and is a standalone scheme providing a maximum of £7,500 funding per business for Capital Works Projects. These include:-

  • Hedge coppicing and gapping up
  • New hedge planting
  • Hedge laying
  • Dry Stone Wall Restoration

(with Fencing as supportive capital works for some options)

Capital Works projects must be claimed for and submitted with before and after geo-tagged photos by the date specified in your Contract(s)

For payment rates, please follow the link below:-

 Payment Rates

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact the CARA Office as soon as possible on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk 


Small Grants – Environment (Water 2024)

Tuesday, August 13th, 2024
The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants -Environment is 12 August to 20 September 2024.This round of Small Grants -Environment will address the theme of Water, and is a standalone scheme providing a maximum of £7,500 funding per business for Capital Works Projects. These include:-

  • Hedge coppicing and gapping up
  • New hedge planting
  • Hedge laying

(all the above 3 options with Fencing as supporting capital works)

  • Cross drains
  • Sleeping policemen
  • Guttering and downpipes
  • Maintenance of gateways

Capital Works projects must be claimed for and submitted with before and after geo-tagged photos by 15/03/2025.

The relevant Scheme documents can be viewed by following the links below:
General Rules Booklet
https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/pdf-versions/2024/8/5/1723182989/small-grants-environment-water-general-rules-booklet-2024.pdf
Technical Guidance Booklet
https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2024-07/small-grants-environment-water-2024-technical-guidance.pdf
 Payment Rates
https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/pdf-versions/2024/8/5/1723183154/small-grants-environment-water-2024-payment-rates.pdf

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact the CARA Office as soon as possible on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk 


Nutrient Management Investment Scheme (window 2)

Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

The Expression of Interest (EoI) window for the latest NMIS has opened this week and is available until 23 August 2024. The Scheme offers a maximum grant award of £50,000 and the minimum is £12,000 with a 50% contribution for certain nutrient storage items and 40% for remaining items /capital investments (exc. VAT). The grant will be a maximum 50% or 40% contribution against actual invoiced costs, depending on the item selected – please see grant rate for individual items detailed in the List of Eligible Capital Items – as in link below:-

https://www.gov.wales/nutrient-management-investment-scheme-window-2-list-eligible-capital-items-html#148925

Previous participation in the Nutrient Management Investment Scheme will not affect your ability to apply for the maximum £50,000 grant.

If you are offered and accept a Grant Award, you must complete the work and submit the claim inc. all supporting documentation by 31 March 2027. Please also see the following links for Scheme guidance and details required on the on-line application form on your RPW account:-

https://www.gov.wales/nutrient-management-investment-scheme-window-2-guidance-html#149084

https://www.gov.wales/appendix-line-application-questions-html

If you require further assistance with your application from CARA, please contact us asap on 01570 471516 or office@carawales.co.uk


Cross Compliance 2024

Wednesday, July 17th, 2024

On 10 July 2024, RPW issued a letter to all their customers to remind them of the changes applying to all land in Wales from 1 August 2024 under the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021.  These changes include requirements to comply with closed periods for spreading organic manures and ensure sufficient storage capacity during the storage period.

The letter referred to is available by logging onto your RPW account and revised documents are available at https://www.gov.wales/cross-compliance-2024


Small Grants Yard Coverings (SGYC)

Tuesday, May 21st, 2024

The SGYC Scheme (Window 3) is being offered to help pay for yard coverings and improved drainage systems for buildings. The Expression of Interest (EoI) is now open and will close on 28 June 2024.

Detailed guidance on this Scheme can be accessed from the link below:-

SGYC General Rules Booklet

Geotagged photo requirements: Small Grants -Yard Coverings

If you are interested in the Scheme or wish to clarify anything, please contact us here at CARA on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk

  • Standard cost for items. £3000 minimum grant (£7,500 spend) and £12,000 maximum grant (£30,000 spend). If you have previously applied for Farm Business Grant Yard Coverings, the total grant received will NOT count towards the maximum grant available through the Small Grants -Yard Coverings Scheme.
  • For existing livestock feeding areas, livestock gathering areas and manure storage areas,
    applicants must demonstrate the whole area has a floor impermeable to water e.g. concrete.
  • Existing flooring will need to be shown in the EoI application using geo-tagged photographs. If floor is
    covered in slurry or manure, the appropriate area needs to be washed prior to taking
    photos.
  • Farmers will have 12 months from date of issue of Contract to complete the works and submit a claim.
  • At the Claim stage, you will be required to submit confirmation re. planning permission and SUDS (deals with surface water on developments over 100sqm),  invoices for all claimed items and geotagged photos of the roofed area and supported items after the investment has been completed.
  • If planning permission (where applicable) has not been confirmed by claim date, you can request an extension to the claim deadline and provide proof of date that the permission was requested. No extensions will be granted beyond 31 March 2026.

The AFTER photos will also need to show that the clean water from the new roof is diverted to a clean water drain, and that the slurry from the yard area is directed into a suitably constructed store or appropriate reception tank.


Small Grants Environment – Carbon

Tuesday, May 21st, 2024

The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants Environment  is 20 May to 28 June 2024.

This round of Small Grants -Environment will address the theme of Carbon, and is a standalone scheme providing a maximum of £7,500 funding per business for Capital Works Projects. These include:-

  • Hedge coppicing and gapping up
  • New hedge planting
  • Hedge laying

(with Fencing as supportive capital works for some options)

Capital Works projects must be claimed for and submitted with before and after geo-tagged photos by 20/02/2025.

The relevant Scheme documents can be viewed by following the links below:

General Rules Booklet

Technical Guidance Booklet

 Payment Rates

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact the CARA Office as soon as possible on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk 


Small Grants Efficiency

Wednesday, March 20th, 2024

The 3rd Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants -Efficiency is 06 March to 16 April 2024.

This  is a capital scheme designed to help farmers in Wales to improve the technical, financial and environmental performance of their farm businesses.

The maximum grant award is £15,000 and the minimum is £1,000.

Previous participation in the Farm Business Grant or any previous rounds of the Small Grants Efficiency Scheme will not affect your ability to apply for the maximum £15,000 grant.

The grant provides a maximum 40% contribution towards capital investments in equipment and machinery (excluding VAT), which can be demonstrated as offering clear and quantifiable benefits to farm businesses.

The grant will be a maximum 40% contribution against actual invoiced costs up to the maximum referenced costs as stated within the list of eligible capital items.

To view the Rules Booklet, and a detailed list of Eligible Capital Items, please click here

The EOI is only available  on your RPW Online account. If you require further assistance with your application, please contact us here at CARA on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk


Small Grants Environment – Landscape & Pollinators

Wednesday, January 10th, 2024

The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for Small Grants Environment is 08 January to 16 February 2024.

This round of Small Grants -Environment will address the theme of Landscape & Pollinators, and is a standalone scheme providing a maximum of £7,500 funding per business for Capital Works Projects. These include:-

  • Hedge coppicing and gapping up
  • New hedge planting
  • Hedge laying
  • Dry Stone Wall Restoration
  • Pond Restoration

(with Fencing as supportive capital works for some options)

Capital Works projects must be claimed for and submitted with before and after geo-tagged photos by 15/02/2025.

The relevant Scheme documents can be viewed by following the links below:
Technical Guidance Booklet

 Payment Rates

If you would like further assistance with your application, please contact the CARA Office as soon as possible on 01570 471516 or email office@carawales.co.uk