Businesses in rural areas of Devon and Somerset face unique challenges regarding connectivity, geography and employing people with the right skills sets to help them grow.

Many of the businesses in the Heart of the South West LEP area are rurally located and as such there are often specific support schemes available for these businesses, alongside support for core agricultural businesses that are traditionally considered to be rural.

Find at the bottom of this page some business support programmes currently available to rural businesses.  If you would like help to understand the different business support options that may be available to you, Get in Touch with the Growth Hub team.

USEFUL RESOURCES & LINKS

The Growth Hub has licensed access to 1000’s of free digestible reports, factsheet, toolkits and guides on relevant business support topics, such as about networking groups in the rural sector, key contacts within the rural enterprise community, important, specific HSE advice, and information about the rural development programme, amongst others resources. Request resources.

  • Plunkett Foundation | Range of support and information to help people within rural communities to set up and run a community co-operative – whether it’s a shop, pub, farm, café, bookshop etc. www.plunkett.co.uk
  • WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme) | Works with business and local communities to improve resource efficiency in England and Wales.  Provides online resources and financial support to help farming businesses reduce their environmental impact – www.wrap.org.uk/category/role/farmer
  • Lantra | The sector skills council for the environment and land-based sector.  Provides information about qualifications and apprenticeships, and is responsible for setting and promoting environmental and agricultural National Occupational Standards.  Website provides a training search directory and rural industry-specific factsheets – www.lantra.co.uk
  • HSE | Farmwise – Your Essential Guide to health and safety in agriculture – http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg270.pdf

To find out how the Growth Hub can help your business, contact our team today on 03456 047 047 or use our online form

business-support-icon-60px-01Business support programmes

    • Countryside Stewardship
    • Devon
    • Financial incentives for land managers to look after their environment.
    • Read more
    • RDPE Countryside Productivity Scheme
    • Devon
    • Funding for projects in England which improve productivity in the farming and forestry sectors and help create jobs and growth in the rural economy.
    • Read more
    • Prince's Countryside Fund (The) - 1 to 1 Digital Mentoring
    • Dartmoor
    • Free 1 to 1 digital mentoring for farming businesses in Dartmoor and Exmoor.
    • Read more
    • Rural Enterprise Hub
    • Mid Devon
    • A Devon Communities Together project funded by the Prince's Countryside Fund. A targeted programme of training for entrepreneurs, community social enterprises, and start-up businesses across Devon's rural communities.
    • Read more
    • RDPE Growth Programme
    • Devon
    • Grant funding for projects in England which create jobs and growth in the rural economy. Grants are available in three categories; business development, food processing and rural tourism infrastructure
    • Read more
    • AONB Grants & Support
    • Devon
    • Sustainable Development Funds which are aimed at communities, groups and businesses who are looking to develop an activity or service that contributes to the economic or environmental sustainability of the AONB.
    • Read more
    • Torridge & North Devon Local Action Group
    • North Devon
    • The Torridge and North Devon LAG has secured £2.3 million grant funding from Europe to help boost the rural economy in Torridge and North Devon.
    • Read more
    • South Devon Coastal Local Action Group
    • Devon
    • South Devon Coastal Local Action Group (LAG) is a partnership originally set up in 2008 to invest in economic, environmental and community based projects to encourage innovation and promote the prosperity of the rural coastal area between Plymouth and Exeter.
    • Read more
    • REAL Devon Local Action Group
    • East Devon
    • The REAL Devon Local Action Group (LAG) will distribute grants to local people and businesses to develop opportunities for improving the rural economy and quality of life for people living and working in the area through a targeted grants programme called LEADER.
    • Read more
    • Greater Dartmoor LEAF Local Action Group
    • Dartmoor
    • Greater Dartmoor LEAF, Local Action Group (LAG) have been awarded almost £2 million to allocate to projects in the area that meet the objectives of the strategy.
    • Read more
    • Heart of Wessex Local Action Group
    • Somerset
    • The Heart of Wessex Local Action Group is working with local people and businesses to develop opportunities for improving the rural economy and quality of life for people living and working in the area through a targeted grants programme.
    • Read more
    • Western Somerset LEADER Local Action Group
    • Somerset
    • The Western Somerset, Local Action Group (LAG) is working with local people and businesses to develop opportunities for improving the rural economy and quality of life for people living and working in the area through a targeted grants programme called LEADER.
    • Read more
    • Making it Local - Local Action Group
    • East Devon
    • The Making it Local, Local Action Group (LAG) is working with local people and businesses to develop opportunities for improving the rural economy and quality of life for people living and working in the area through a targeted grants programme called LEADER.
    • Read more
    • Somerset Levels and Moors Local Action Group
    • Somerset
    • The Somerset Levels and Moors Local Action Group is pleased to announce the launch of the new LEADER Programme with a £1.4m grant pot available for businesses, farmers, foresters and rural organisations across the Levels and Moors over the next five years.
    • Read more

icon-events-60pxEvents and workshops

    • Natwest | Farmers Drop-In Surgery
    • 25 November 2019
    • Bridgwater
    • Read more
    • RPA Rural Development Team | RDPE Growth Programme EOI Workshop
    • 29 November 2019
    • Exeter
    • Read more
    • RPA Rural Development Team | RDPE Growth Programme EOI Workshop
    • 06 December 2019
    • Exeter
    • Read more

Get in touch

Contact the Growth Hub team to find out about support available locally.

03456 047 047

Newsletter Sign up

Click here to sign up

Newsletter sign-up





Data Protection
The Heart of the South West Growth Hub service is funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Plymouth City Council are the Managing Authority on behalf of Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership.
Somerset County Council is the Accountable Body and the Data Controller for the Heart of the South West Growth Hub Service which is delivered by Serco.
Please see Somerset County Council’s Privacy policy for information about how your data is used and stored by visiting Somerset County Councils website: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/accessing-our-information/privacy-policy/
Please note: The Heart of the South West Growth Hub service uses MailChimp as our marketing automation platform. By confirming that you wish to receive our e-newsletter, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/ and Terms https://mailchimp.com/legal/terms/.

Get free factsheets

The Growth Hub have licenced access to thousands of practical, factual and digestible reports, guides, factsheets and reference resources for businesses.

GOV.UK website

Government advice, information and tools for businesses covering a whole range of sectors, issues and themes.

Start or grow your business