What is required to complete a full application

What you will need to fill in your application and how we will assess it.

If you are invited to submit a full application, we will send the form and guidance about how to fill it in.

You will need to provide more details about your project in your full application. You need to use the same project you used in your online application in your full application.

We know that some minor project details may change since the online application was completed, for example, changes to project costs as they are finalised. However, the main details of the project should not be significantly different to the project details entered in the online application.

Please contact the FTF team if you wish to discuss any potential changes to your project in advance of submitting your full application.

The full application form

The full application form is in 2 parts, a word document and a spreadsheet. You should provide full details about yourself, your business, and your project, including:

  • a breakdown of project costs
  • supplier details
  • key dates and project milestones
  • proposed project outputs
  • financial impact forecast
  • explanation of how the project will be funded
  • you will be asked to show how it will make your business more efficient and improve its productivity
  • details of previous similar grants
  • details of your agricultural inputs and outputs and how this might change as a result of your project
  • your planning consent for the project or submit evidence from the Local Planning Authority that you have applied for planning permission which must include:
    • a copy of the relevant planning application documents including plans of the proposed development that have been submitted to the Local Planning Authority (LPA)
    • written confirmation from the LPA that the submission has been received and is complete. This document must include the planning reference number allocated to your allocation
    • an indication from the LPA of the expected timescale for a decision.

Obtaining planning permission can take time and you may not have received a decision before the deadline for submitting a full application. You can submit a full application without planning permission having been received providing a planning application has been made to the LPA and the information above is provided. However, it will not be possible to offer grant funding until planning permission has been received.

Where planning consent for your project has not been obtained before submitting your application, you must submit a copy of the planning permission to RPA by 31 December 2022. If the LPA is unable to decide your planning application before this date, your grant application will be considered ineligible and withdrawn from the scheme.

If you do not have planning permission for your project, you are advised to consult with your LPA before preparing a full grant application.

You will need to send us supporting information or documents appropriate to the project including:

  • financial accounts for the most recent 3 years of trading

  • latest tax returns, management accounts or a statement of income and expenses from an accountant (if you are a new business or self-employed)

  • financial and production projections

  • relevant permissions and consents including planning consent

  • quotes - 3 references to catalogue listings or formal tenders for each item with a value of £5,000 or more, one quote for any items with a value up to £4,999.99, no quotes are required for additional FETF slurry application equipment (see Annex 2 of this manual)

  • evidence of project funding

  • if you purchase any second-hand items, we need confirmation from the supplier that it has a 5-year life and has and not received previous grant funding

  • evidence (letter from Chartered accountant or HMRC) that you are able to include irrecoverable VAT in your project costs, where applicable

  • details and draft agreement between parties where a joint venture is proposed

  • letter(s) of support from any third parties.

How we assess full applications

We will re-check your project’s eligibility under the scheme and score how well it meets the scheme priorities and provides value for money.

We will carry out a detailed assessment of your full application including:

Scheme priorities

Your project will be scored against the Improving Farm Productivity grant scheme priorities which are to:

  • improve productivity
  • improve the environment
  • introduce innovation.

Value for money

We will score how well the project costs represent value for money. This includes the amount of grant required to deliver the outcomes and outputs.

Your project will also be assessed to make sure that it is viable.

Financial viability

We will assess:

  • the current financial viability of your business
  • how the project may impact on your existing business operations
  • how you will fund the project until the grant is claimed
  • how the business will benefit from the project financially.

Delivery and sustainability

We will assess:

  • how the project will be delivered within budget and on time
  • that risks to project delivery have been identified and how they will be mitigated.