Capital Grants now Open - 3rd July 2025

Capital grants are now available to apply for, including fencing and wooden gate renewal.

Businesses can apply for capital grants again from today, with each business able to make one successful application per year (based on SBI number). It is understood that the grant application window will be open year round, or until this rounds funding is fully allocated.

There are 78 grant items available, under 6 group headings, being:

• Air quality - £25,000 cap 

• Assessments 

• Boundaries, trees and orchards £35,000 cap

• Natural flood management - £25,000 cap

• Improvements 

• Water quality - £25,000 cap  

New options include the following:

• Repair stone walls £16.17/m

• Educational Access Visits - £363/visit (max 25/annum)

• Assess woodland condition £13.63/ha for first 30ha (pre-requisite for applying for Higher Tier Woodland Improvement)

For a full list of the 78 items currently available, please see the grant finder here.

Defra have announced that four further capital grant items will be released later this year, being:

1. Accreditation for educational access visits 

2. Installing and maintaining signage 

3. Using tree surgery to hinge a tree into a water course 

4. Creating or restoring ponds

As with previous rounds of these grants, some options will require endorsement from a Catchment Sensitive Farming Officer prior to submitting an application, which must be applied from from the local team - do note it can take up to 10 weeks for a decision here. Options here include:

• Concrete yard renewal

• Livestock and machinery hardcore tracks

• Roofing

Do note that all works must be completed to meet a minimum specification to ensure grant funding is paid following works.

As per all previous rounds of this grant, works cannot be started until after the start date of an agreement, if offered. Monies can then be claimed back once works are completed (minimum of £500 per claim, bar the final claim) alongside submission of a claim alongside the necessary supporting evidence.

It is expected that a further round of funding will be available here in 2026, although Defra have indicated that future rounds will be more targeted and competitive.

If you would like any further information here, or would like assistance with an application for a grant here, please do not hesitate to contact Gemma on 07533340847 or by email on gemma@blackdownconsulting.co.uk