Applications for the new and expanded Farmer Welfare Grant are now open.
The grant will provide £1.5 million over 3 years to support projects for both the personal and business resilience of farmers that strengthen the mental health, wellbeing, and resilience of farming communities across England.
Farming is at the heart of our food system and rural economy, but we know that many farmers face significant challenges. Long hours, isolation, financial pressures, unpredictable weather and the demands of running a business can all affect wellbeing.
The Farmer Welfare Grant will fund organisations that are already working closely with farming communities, enabling them to deliver targeted support where it is needed most.
Building on the success of the previous Farmer Welfare Grant, this expanded funding will support practical interventions that will continue to deliver benefits into the future.
Apply now
The application portal is open from 6 August until midday on 9 September.
Before applying, we encourage all applicants to read the guidance carefully and review the eligibility criteria.
You can ask clarification questions in the application portal until 28 August. All questions and answers will be public to keep access to information fair and open.
Applicants needing support with the application portal can raise a support ticket or contact the portal help desk between 08:00-18:00 Monday - Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) on 029 2279 0054.
You can learn more about navigating the portal in one of our webinars, mentioned below.
Notification of outcomes
Once the application window has closed, the applications will be reviewed and scored by a panel of policy and delivery experts from Defra.
Funding decisions will be made after all applications have been assessed. We expect all applicants will be notified of the outcome in October.
Watch our webinars
If you're considering applying, our webinars provide further information about the grant and application process.
Applicant Guidance Webinar
Thursday 13 August
This session covered:
- The purpose of the grant
- Eligibility requirements
- Eligible activities and expenditure
- How applications will be assessed
Application Portal Webinar
Monday 17 August
This session provided:
• A walkthrough of the application portal
• Guidance on completing the application form
For a notification whenever we publish a new post, please subscribe to the Farming Blog.
4 comments
Comment by Polly posted on
Where would I find the recording of this first webinar? Many thanks
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Polly,
Thanks for getting in touch. Here's the recording for the applicant guidance webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/bbEiTh7dsUC7FdqXcp0x45GfG7XB6RDRXOukBDmmz1qDSmXAf6X6MFuk3aUmHs7x.tb_DcTsPtxapwtRK
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Sarah posted on
I have registered for the webinar on Thursday but are you able to tell me if local authorities and national parks are able to apply please.
Thanks
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your question. The grant is being delivered under Section 70 of the Charities Act 2006, which enables the Secretary of State to give ‘financial assistance to any charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution in respect of any of the institution's activities which directly or indirectly benefit the whole or any part of England.'
This would include charities registered with the Charities Commission, along with any organisation (other than a charity) which is established for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes.
For-profit organisations or public bodies would need to clearly demonstrate how they meet this description in order to apply individually. They may be able to apply as part of a consortium with an eligible organisation, if it’s clear how the for-profit organisation or public body is assisting the eligible organisation in delivering the funded project. More details on this are available in the Invitation to Apply.
Hope that helps,
The Team