PEMBROKESHIRE organisations are being invited to bid for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with a pot of £7.65m available.

The Fund is available during the financial years of 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 – and for projects across the county.

Projects must deliver activity that is line with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus and align with one of the priorities of Communities and Place; Supporting Local Business or People and Skills.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is one of the UK Government funds replacing European funding streams that are no longer available after Brexit. It's also part of the UK Government's levelling-up agenda.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet member for finance, councillor Alec Cormack, said: “We know that this funding has been anxiously awaited by organisations across Pembrokeshire. 

“We expect that the information already published by the UK Government will have allowed project development to continue while we’ve been preparing to invite applications.

“We’re looking forward to receiving good quality applications that will be able to deliver a wide range of projects to benefit Pembrokeshire’s people, communities and businesses.”

It’s anticipated that the funds will support a range of projects, and while bids are expected to seek around £300,000 to £500,000 on average, smaller bids will be accepted where they are outside the scope of the grant schemes.

Pembrokeshire County Council will deliver some ‘anchor’ projects which are focused on areas that local authorities are best placed to deliver, however some of these include grant schemes to which third parties can bid for funding.

Applicants must carefully check whether they should apply for SPF under this Invitation to Bid, or a separate grant scheme.

Applications must be submitted using the Pembrokeshire version of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Application Form, which is available here. Bids submitted in any other format will not be accepted.

Applications must be submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council using this email address: spf@pembrokeshire.gov.uk.

Applications must be submitted by 11,59pm on Wednesdsay, 22 March 2023. Applications received after this will not be accepted.

Further information is available on the Council’s website HERE.

A webinar for potential applicants will be held between 9am and 11am on Thursday, 2 March. Contact spf@pembrokeshire.gov.uk to attend.  Another webinar for the south west Wales region is also being arranged, with details to be announced.