CHALLENGE
Both North Devon Council and Torridge District Council needed a trusted delivery partner, with strong local business knowledge, to manage the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) grants. The challenge was to ensure compliance with national funding guidance, deliver a transparent process, and align funding decisions with local priorities to support rural businesses and communities.
ND+ acted as the accountable body and programme manager for REPF across both districts, providing end-to-end delivery:
• Active knowledge of rural business needs: Using expert knowledge to tailor grant delivery and criteria to support current business challenges.
• Interpreting Funding Guidance: We translated national funding guidance into clear, practical steps for applicants.
• Application Guidance: Developed comprehensive guidance documents based on each council’s delivery plan and priorities and national guidelines.
• Programme Setup: Designed systems for grant applications, assessment, tracking, and monitoring aligned with government standards.
• Applicant Support: Delivered one-to-one advice to assist applicants during the application, contracting, and project delivery phases.
• Assessment & Compliance: Managed eligibility checks, scoring, and due diligence to ensure fairness and transparency.
• Monitoring & Reporting: Implemented robust tracking and reporting to meet council and government standards.
• External Evaluation Support: Assisted external consultants with interviews and provided data for the national evaluation of UKSPF.
IMPACT
Our partnership delivered measurable results for rural businesses and communities, during the 2-year programme, including:
• 58 businesses supported to secure just under £1 million in funding
• Leveraged an additional £370,000 in match funding
• Funding creates 26 new jobs
• Introduced 27 new-to-the-firm technologies and processes
• Delivered a streamlined, compliant process that reduced administrative burden for both councils
Partnering with ND+ ensured the Rural England Prosperity Fund delivered real results for North Devon. Their expertise, local knowledge, and hands-on approach—combined with an excellent track record in grant administration—helped us support businesses, create jobs, and strengthen our rural economy.”
Jon Triggs, Director of Resources and Deputy Chief Executive, North Devon Council
DON’T STOP HERE
If you want to know more about other councils who’ve worked with our advisors to deliver grant programmes – check out the rest of our case studies or contact us below.
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
If you would like to receive updates from us on our latest news, events and
information, you can complete our Keeping in Touch form below:
