Agriculture & Food Business Grants
UK agriculture and food businesses access funding through DEFRA schemes, devolved nation programmes, and rural development grants. Support covers farming productivity, food innovation, and rural enterprise development.
Agricultural Support
Environmental Land Management schemes, productivity grants, and farming equipment funding support the agricultural sector's transition to sustainable and efficient practices.
Food Production & Innovation
Food manufacturing and processing businesses can access innovation grants, capital funding, and export support. Agritech development is also supported through specific programmes.
Rural Enterprise
Rural businesses beyond farming can access enterprise development grants, broadband schemes, and diversification funding through LEADER-style local programmes.
UK Agriculture & Food Grants
28 grants found
ADOPT facilitator support grant: round 10
Farming, growing or forestry businesses based in England can apply for a grant of £2,500, to engage an external project facilitator to support the development of a full ADOPT grant application.
Agri-Food Investment Initiative
The Agri-Food Investment Initiative (AFII) is a strategic funding program designed to significantly enhance the economic performance and competitiveness of Northern Ireland's vital Agri-food sector. Managed by Invest Northern Ireland, the initiative provides financial assistance for transformative capital investments that drive growth, improve efficiency, and foster innovation. The grant supports a wide range of capital expenditures, including the purchase of new machinery and equipment, the acquisition or development of computer software, and the buying of intangible assets such as patents, licenses, copyrights, and trademarks. This comprehensive support is aimed at improving productivity and capacity building, ultimately enabling new product development and securing the sector's future. The AFII is a competitive program with varying grant intensities based on the size of the applicant business. For small businesses, the maximum aid intensity is 35% of the eligible investment costs, with a minimum project size of £300,000. Medium businesses can receive a maximum of 25% aid intensity for projects with a minimum size of £500,000. Large businesses are eligible for a maximum of 20% aid intensity, provided their project is at least £1,000,000. A crucial aspect of this program is that flat grant rates do not apply; instead, the grant amount is negotiable and limited to the minimum support required for the project's successful implementation. The total eligible costs for a single investment project are capped at €25 million, and the maximum assistance available under the scheme is approximately £5 million. The fund is open to both existing and new clients of Invest NI who operate within specific food and drink processing sectors that handle Annex I products. These sectors include meat, dairy, bakery, beverages, potatoes, cereals, and more. Due to State Aid restrictions, some sectors have specific eligibility requirements related to business size. The initiative is a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s strategy to support its agri-food businesses and ensure they remain competitive on a global scale.
Food Accelerator programme
A programme to support food businesses
Bristol Business and Enterprise Support (BrisBES)
BrisBES is a programme that delivers high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable support to Bristol's entrepreneurs and businesses.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) - Nottingham
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a funding programme that aims to support local businesses and communities.
England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)
Supports the establishment of new woodlands, administered by the Forestry Commission.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership
A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a subsidised three-way partnership between a business, a high‑calibre graduate and an academic institution, providing a cost‑effective way for businesses to attract fresh talent and access university expertise to drive strategic innovation and growth.
Leadership for Growth
The Leadership for Growth programme is designed to develop the capabilities of aspiring managers and leaders within scale‑up potential SMEs across Liverpool City Region.
Great Ideas – York and North Yorkshire
A fully funded innovation support programme, with access to innovation grants of up to £60,000.
Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) - UK
Grant contribution to pay towards upgrading business broadband to a high-speed capable connection.
AD:VENTURE
The AD:VENTURE programme provides dedicated support to eligible young and new businesses with strong growth ambitions. The AD:VENTURE programme is targeted at people who are planning to start, or have started a new business with high growth potential, and have been trading for less than 3 years. To be eligible you must trade with other businesses (B2B)
Access to finance - Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Access to finance is a scheme for businesses who need help raising finance for growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about UK agriculture & food grants