Micro-enterprise Development
We recognise that micro-enterprise development is essential for a healthy rural economy. Through RDPE our region will be encouraging entrepreneurial activity both within and outside of traditional land based industries.
Key objectives for RDPE are:
- Increasing business start ups
- Strengthening existing businesses
- Improving sustainability of rural businesses
- Creating markets for rural business products and services
We are aiming to achieve increased rural employment opportunities through entrepreneurial activity and by supporting existing micro-businesses to grow using innovation and the latest technology to reach out to new markets.
RDPE will also be supporting entrepreneurs in developing higher level skills, including traditional land based skills, to enable them to strengthen their business and product offer.
Micro-enterprise funding through the North East England Investment Centre
New and existing rural businesses looking for support to grow and develop can now be considered for a share of more than £1m in RDPE funding.
The cash will help micro-enterprises in rural parts of the region with elements such as start-up revenue and capital investment costs, technical and marketing support, product development, branding and design.
It will help land-based businesses to develop alternative sources of income, wider rural enterprises to create new jobs and to make their operations more sustainable, and will also promote entrepreneurship.
The funding is available through the North East England Investment Centre (NEEIC). The maximum level of support available to any one business will be £10,000. Both capital and revenue funding will be available, up to a maximum of £5,000 for capital and £10,000 for revenue.
Any business wishing to be considered for a share of the RDPE micro-enterprise funding should contact Business Link North East on 0845 600 9 006.