Grants - fill your boots

I dont know what is happening in other regions, but in the Southeast the FC are virtually begging contractors & forest owners to apply for grants.

They have got millions to give away & its all EU money, so I guess the FC will get a bollocking if they dont use it !

If you are in the Southeast check out South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

Grants of 40-50% on forestry equipment to improve your business.

Work out a rough costing & bang in an Expression of Interest form

There are plenty of grants available over the whole country, and that is great.

The problem, though, is the match-funding...........

There are plenty of grants available over the whole country, and that is great.

 

The problem, though, is the match-funding...........

Absolutely, we had the same problem with the ''Working Woodlands'' scheme, a lot of small operations didn't have either the time or the expertise to complete the paperwork, and those that did couldn't find the 60% on top.

So, yet again, the bulk of the cash went to the large scale operators and professional form fillers - hardly the point of the exercise.

similar grants in the midlands, especially for sustainable fuels, unfortunatly biomass chip is eligable but logs arent, so i could get a 70% grant for a huge biomass chipper worth tens of thousands, but no grants for log splitters costing about £1500

Grants shmants. Match funding always the problem.

Absolutely, we had the same problem with the ''Working Woodlands'' scheme, a lot of small operations didn't have either the time or the expertise to complete the paperwork, and those that did couldn't find the 60% on top.

So, yet again, the bulk of the cash went to the large scale operators and professional form fillers - hardly the point of the exercise.

My thoughts, too.

On the surface, the match funding is the killer..and some of these schemes have lower limits of something like £28k..so you need to find finance for £14k at least. However, it is worth making contact with people who administer it, as the local arrangement might have some sort of loophole that's not made clear. For example, the scheme minimum here was advertised at £28k, but on phoning the local council, it seems that there is a slot for "micro-businesses" that has a minimum of £3,500..so the match funding is much more feasible.

The irony is that some people near me - who gained from very generous funding scheme a few years back - cost their kit out at very low rates..so the only way I can justify buying anything is if I can get funding!!

The irony is that some people near me - who gained from very generous funding scheme a few years back - cost their kit out at very low rates..so the only way I can justify buying anything is if I can get funding!!

Getting a large heizo chipper in for a day is certainly getting more competitive in the North West as there are 4 companies I know of who have purchased them from grants.

The other big issue is that to qualify, you cannot place an order for kit until you have been approved. Then, you have to spend the full amount before you get the grant back.

The other big issue is that to qualify, you cannot place an order for kit until you have been approved. Then, you have to spend the full amount before you get the grant back.

That is what I am led to believe they are kind of retrospective grants, but a fellow arbtalk member that I talked to this morning who shall remain nameless ("the cherry picker hater") thought there were grants you get paid upfront for.

Looked into getting a grant a few years ago (match funding also)to buy a new chipper, but due to the fact that they had already funded quite a lot of chippers in the area they were removed from the wish list

With that one you had to buy upfront also, which is a bit silly since you were onkly supposed to get the grant if you couldnt afford to pay the whole cost:confused1: