European Structural Funds
The European Structural and Investment Fund Strategy (ESIF)
The ESIF Strategy has £160+ million of Structural Funds from the EU which is the SELEP area’s indicative allocation awarded by the Government for the 2014 – 2020 EU funding period. These funds are for projects that will deliver growth and jobs.
ESIF funding was made up of the following funding for projects in the SELEP area.
- £74.2 million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
- £71.6 million European Social Fund (ESF) and
- £14.5 million European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
SELEP’s Role
In 2012, SELEP was given an indicative allocation of £160+ million of EU funding for projects to create jobs and growth across the area. We created the ESIF Strategy after extensive stakeholder consultation and this was approved by the SELEP Strategic Board in December 2013 and submitted to the Government in January 2014.
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
SELEP was given an indicative allocation of £74.1 million of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for projects to support jobs and growth in our area. The funding was focused as follows:
- Support for Research and Innovation (priority axis 1)
- SME Growth and Competitiveness (priority axis 3)
- Shift Towards a Low Carbon Economy (priority axis 4)
Please send any enquiries regarding this funding to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
European Social Fund (ESF)
The European Social Fund (ESF) focused on improving employment opportunities, promoting social inclusion and investing in skills by providing the help people need to fulfil their potential.
Please send any enquiries regarding this funding to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)
SELEP was given one of the largest European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) allocations in the Growth Programme: £14.5 million for the period 2014-2020. The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Operational Programme was agreed with the European Commission in 2015. Click here to view the programme document.
The EAFRD component of the Growth Programme was only a very small fraction (5%) of all funding available through the RDPE, which also included investment in environmental and land management schemes, LEADER and Countryside Productivity.
The focus of EAFRD in the SELEP ESIF Strategy was:
- Provide support for rural businesses
- Optimise the growth and development of the Agrifood sector
- Support the development of sustainable rural tourism
- Support development and provision of enhanced levels of connectivity (not including Broadband)
- Support development of a more efficient low carbon and sustainable rural economy
Please send any enquiries regarding this funding to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).