A funding opportunity has now been launched for individuals, businesses or organisations with ideas on the following:

  • Want to make the most of the natural and cultural assets of the area?
  • Have innovative ideas that need to be trialled, researched or piloted?
  • Need to develop services available to residents?
  • Make the most of renewable technology?
  • Feel left behind digitally?

The Cynnal y Cardi Local Action Group have launched a new Grant Fund, as part of the LEADER scheme, which will support small scale LEADER activity in Ceredigion.

The fund can help you to make a difference in your community, with the aim of providing small-scale revenue support to:

  • Organisations in their recovery post covid.
  • Support opportunities for pre commercial activities.
  • Pilot innovative activities that provide opportunities for testing the concept of an idea.
  • Supporting activity that strengthens community cohesion.

We can offer funding from £1,000 to £10,000, with all activity completed and funding claimed by 30 November 2022.

Who Can Apply?
Applications can be received from:

  • Not for profit organisations / social enterprises and partnerships;
  • Registered Charities;
  • Community groups and networks (i.e. must have a bank account with 2 signatories, constituted
  • community group/network);
  • Private sector enterprises including sole traders, self-employed, micro/small enterprises,
  • limited companies, partnerships;
  • Public sector.

What can be supported?
Support can be provided for the following:

  • Animation
  • Training
  • Mentoring
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Pilot Projects
  • Facilitation

For further information, closing dates and guidance document visit: Cynnal y Cardi LEADER Grant Scheme

The Cynnal y Cardi Local Action Group has been successful in securing over £3 million for delivering innovative rural initiatives until 2020 in Ceredigion. Cynnal y Cardi wants to hear from anyone with appropriate project ideas.

Revenue support can be provided for the following:

  • Project Development
  • Pilot Projects
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Facilitation
  • Training
  • Mentoring
  • Consultation

What is LEADER?

LEADER is a locally based approach to rural development. It aims to deliver activities which support the countryside and rural communities, encouraging a sustainable management of agriculture and environment.

LEADER comes from the French abbreviation for ‘Liaison Entre Actions pour le Development de L’Economie Rural’ which roughly translates as ‘links between actions for developing the rural economy.’

LEADER seeks to support innovative responses to opportunities or challenges faced in rural areas.

LEADER has a number of key features:

  1. It has a ‘bottom up’ approach to rural development i.e. that local people participate in the priorities to be pursued in their local area
  2. Innovation – provides opportunities for testing out new ideas and working in different ways
  3. Cooperation – is to undertake a joint project with another Leader group, or with a group taking a similar approach, in another region or Member State. Such cooperation can help Leader groups to boost their local activities and can provide opportunities for mutual learning
  4. Networking – Exchanging achievements, experiences and know-how between Leader groups, rural areas, administrations and organizations involved in rural development. It represents a means of transferring good practice, of disseminating innovation and of building on the lessons learned from local rural development

This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

Contact details

If you, or your community have ideas, or if you require further information contact the Cynnal y Cardi team on cynnalycardi@ceredigion.gov.uk or telephone 01545 572063.