This diagram shows the process of applying for funding under Rural Priorities from the initial idea through to the payment of grant. You can click on each of the stages to view detailed guidance.
Businesses, land managers and community groups are invited to submit proposals setting out how they could contribute to the priorities identified for their region.
A 2-stage application process has been developed.
The initial stage requires you to submit a simple Statement of Intent. A Case Officer will give you feedback that will result in an amber or red rating.
In the second stage you can decide whether or not to prepare a detailed Proposal, plus an Outcome Plan that sets out how the work will contribute to one or more 'regional priorities'.
Both stages will be supported by Case Officers who will advise on eligibility, regional priorities, budgetary positions and the need for consents/approvals. They will draw on advice from the relevant public bodies, as required.
We can accept Proposals at any time of year. Some Proposals will be judged at periodic assessment rounds by Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs) who will select which Proposals to recommend to Scottish Ministers for funding.* If you submit Proposals with forestry options only, these will be approved under an ongoing approval process and do not require to be put before an RPAC.
The RPAC will make selection based on:
- contribution to relevant regional priorities
- value for money
- management of risk
Successful applicants will be offered a single Rural Priorities Contract, with the scope to add to it with further proposals.
* Please note that some applications are dealt with using the ongoing approval process, as outlined below:
(a) Forestry ongoing approval:
If your proposal is limited to specific Regional Priorities and only contains Forestry Options then it may be possible to approve these on an ongoing basis (without referring the application to the RPAC) provided they satisfy the eligibility criteria for these types of applications. In such cases, Proposals will be assessed and scored in the normal way, but separate arrangements will exist for approvals. For more information contact your local FCS Conservancy Office or see the process flowchart (Case Officer guidance).
Eligibility criteria for the Forestry ongoing approval process
Your application must meet the following criteria if it is to be considered eligible for the ongoing approval process:
- Entire proposal contains only one or more of Regional priorities 14, 21 and 23
- Entire proposal includes only one or more forestry options:
45 Woodland Creation
46 Sustainable Management of Forests
47 Woodland Improvement Grant
- Proposal achieves threshold score set by NPAC
(b) Ongoing approval process for Regional Priority 9 cases.
Regional Priority 9 relates to management which will benefit the special features on Scotland's nationally important nature sites ( SSSIs, SACs, SPAs and Ramsar sites).
Applications will only be eligible for the RP9 ongoing approval process if they meet the following criteria:
- The entire Proposal contains only Regional Priority 9;
- All options selected will address Regional Priority 9;
- The total value of the Proposal does not exceed £50k.
Applications which meet these criteria can be considered for approval on an ongoing basis without referring the application to the RPAC. Applications are still assessed and scored in the normal way.
Timing of 2012 applications for RP9 Ongoing Approval:
- Please ensure that you submit your Proposal by 31 July 2012 (including Outcome Plan and all supporting documents such as maps and any specialist plans).
- When you receive Case Officer feedback on your submitted Proposal, you will be expected to respond promptly (for example, by providing any further information requested or making any necessary online changes), and then to commit your Proposal promptly.
- For applications which meet the above requirements, and which are approved, we expect to process these in time to have contracts finalised by December 2012 or earlier. This will allow annual recurrent options to start from January 2013. However, this cannot be guaranteed for any cases where complications arise.
You are strongly advised to contact your local SNH office before you start preparing your Proposal. This will allow you to discuss the management needed for your SSSI or Natura site. This is likely to save time when it comes to processing your Proposal.
For more information please contact your local SNH office. You can also find information on the ongoing approval process in the Case Officer guidance.
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