Integrated Natural Resources Scheme: project development grant

Welsh Government is introducing a new Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS) under the landscape scale land management theme. You can find Integrated Natural Resources Scheme full scheme guidance here.

These guidance notes explain the INRS project development grant and the requirements and eligibility to qualify for grant aid for the project development phase of the scheme. 

The application process for the Integrated Natural Resources scheme is in two phases. The project development phase and the project delivery phase.

• firstly, groups or partnerships can submit an application, outlining the project proposals for the INRS and to apply for the project development grant. Successful applications will receive grant funding to support new or existing groups to develop an Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS) project delivery plan. Once the project delivery plan and claim have been submitted the project development phase will close
• on submission of the project delivery plan to RPW online, the project delivery plans will be verified, assessed and scored against the published project plan criteria and those successful at that stage will go forward to be considered for the Integrated Natural Resources Scheme - project delivery grant. 

The application window for the project development grant will open on 22 August 2024 and close on 27 September 2024.

The indicative budget allocation for the project development grant phase application window is £500,000.00 to develop project plans for collaborative and partnership working between farmers, land managers, foresters and other organisations to deliver actions and interventions at landscape, catchment or national scale. 

The eligibility criteria and the criteria on which the applications will be scored is set out in Section D. Please read this guidance carefully. 

If you consider your group and proposals may qualify for support under the INRS project development grant, please see Section C.

The project development phase   

There is often a time and financial commitment needed to develop fully functioning collaborations and to undertake the planning required for large scale land management activities. In recognition of this, the INRS will fund this project development phase to support the development of landscape, catchment and national scale plans, while developing or establishing collaborations and identifying opportunities and actions needed at local level.

The project development phase application should evidence;

• the lead group, its governance arrangements, and its ability to manage a project of the proposed scope and scale
• the landscape and geographical area to be included and the appropriate scale
• the national or local challenge for the area and to identify the main focus for the project
• the initial collaboration and its members and any future plans for engagement
• the potential impact of the proposed actions and interventions, linking those to desired outcomes and benefits for biodiversity, ecosystem services and resilience

The INRS is open to new and existing groups and partnerships who want to come together to deliver landscape, catchment or national scale projects supporting the objectives and outcomes detailed in this guidance. 

Collaborative groups must involve a minimum of 2 farm businesses who must be undertaking agricultural activities. In addition to the 2 farm businesses, a minimum of one other individual or organisation must form part of the collaboration. This may include other farmers, land managers, landowners or foresters with management control of land within a landscape or a public body; environmental non-government organisations; local authorities, charities, trusts, private investors, businesses or another supporting organisations.

Agricultural activity is defined as:

• the production, rearing or growing of agricultural products including harvesting, milking, breeding animals and keeping animals for farming purposes
• maintaining an agricultural area in a state which makes it suitable for grazing or cultivation without preparatory action going beyond usual agricultural methods and machineries. In Wales, this means the control of non-native invasive weeds and scrub
• carrying out a minimum activity on agricultural areas naturally kept in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation. In Wales, agricultural areas naturally kept in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation are defined as areas of saltmarsh and sand dunes. The minimum activity required is that the area is grazed to a minimum average annual stocking density of 0.01 to 0.05 livestock units per hectare, or the control of non-native invasive weeds and scrub

To apply for INRS development funding:

• a lead applicant can apply on behalf of a collaboration or group, to support governance and project development
• new and existing group or partnerships who have formed a legal entity and governance structure can apply
• we will also welcome applications submitted by a facilitator or contractor working on behalf of a group for the development phase of funding only

The group must be registered with Welsh Government and have been issued with a Customer Reference Number (CRN).

If the group has no formal structure and is being supported by a lead organisation an internal agreement and terms of reference set out for the group must be established as part of development of the project plans, signed by all the parties to the application, specifying the expression of agreement to proceed, setting out intentions of will and obligations placed on each person or persons within a group on submission of the project plan.

Land eligibility

All land must be in Wales. 

The 2 farm businesses must have their land registered with RPW.

All land outlined in the application for development funding must be under the management control of collaborating partners. Collaborating partners must have full management control and security of tenure of the land within your application, for the full period of the proposals (including any durability or maintenance requirements). If you do not have full control of the land, you must get the written consent of all other parties who have management control of the land for and include evidence of approval with your application or have a countersignature to the application from the landowner(s) / landlord or relevant body. 

All land types will be eligible for proposed action, including land inside or outside protected and designated areas, common land and shared grazing.

Land can be under a variety of management arrangements or current use – including agriculture, forestry and land managed solely for environmental benefit. 

Land which is under an existing agri-environment scheme is eligible to be part of a collaborative project, however, any activities or management proposed must be over and above the requirements in those existing agreements. 

If your project or any proposed activity on your application is on, or has the potential to impact, a protected site such as a SSSI, you must ensure that you have the relevant consents, permissions or support. You can check if your land includes or is next to a protected site by using find protected areas of land and sea (on Natural Resources Wales). The proposed activity and type of designation will determine who to contact and what consents or permissions are required. If the project proposals are on designated land we would expect to see evidence of engagement with Natural Resources Wales within the EOI. 

INRS project development output

The grant is awarded in the form of a revenue grant, which is provided to facilitate the development of the INRS project delivery plan. 

The project development phase will run from the issue of the grant award letter until 31 March 2025 

At the end of the development phase detailed in your grant award you must; 

• submit your completed project plan application by the deadline for submission outlined in your grant award letter
• submit your claim and evidence by the deadline for submission outlined in your grant award letter

Further documentation to support the development of the project plan will be available when the grant award is issued.

Eligible costs 

• staff costs
• promotion activities (communications about project activities)
• room hire for events, stationary and consumables

Ineligible costs 

• reclaimable VAT
• general office equipment and furniture
• maintenance costs
• capital costs

Maximum grant rate and maximum grant threshold

Grants are available for a minimum of £10,000 and a maximum of £30,000 based on the hourly rate and up to 10% of that for consumables, events and stakeholder engagement, to support the development of detailed INRS plans that will form the basis of the application for the INRS project delivery grant. The grant rate will be up to 100%

If your project development grant application is selected, you will receive grant funding of revenue support at a standardised hourly rate of £23.41 to facilitate the development of a detailed landscape scale project delivery plan.

Key requirements

Projects must submit a project delivery plan application on RPW online by 31 March 2025.

The project would not proceed without grant assistance.

All items must be purchased in accordance with our competitive tendering and procurement requirements. See section F for further details.

Projects must provide confirmation that no other public funding has been sought for proposed activities

If the project proposals are on designated land you must provide evidence with your project development application of engagement with NRW.

RPW Online

You can only complete an application for the INRS project development grant by accessing Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online. If you already have a Customer Reference Number (CRN) you should have received a letter informing you of your activation code to set up your account. If you no longer have this, please telephone the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004 (Monday – Thursday 8:30 – 17:00, Friday 8:30 – 16:30) and tell the operator your CRN. They will send you a new activation code.

To register your business details for the first time, you need to complete the online registration form. Please refer to the how to register guidance for further details. The vast majority of changes to business details can be done online. However, we may require further details on any major changes. Please contact the Customer Contact Centre for further information.

Once registered, you can access your RPW Online account. INRS is available from the “Applications and Claims” section of your account.

Agents acting on behalf of a client will need to register as a Rural Payments Wales agent. If you have yet to do this you are advised to complete an online Agent / Farming Union Customer Details (Wales) form, or a paper copy immediately. Upon receipt of the form, we will send you an Agent Customer Reference Number (Agent CRN) and an RPW Online Activation Code. You will also need to complete an Association Authorisation Form which can be completed once you register with RPW Online, please refer to our how to register guidance.

If you have any questions about registering for RPW Online or completing your application, please contact the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004. They will be able to provide advice, including the digital assistance that is available to you.

Further details regarding RPW Online are available on the our website.

Submitting an application 

Guidance on how to submit your application via RPW Online is available here.

It is your responsibility to ensure the application is correctly completed and the information provided in support of your project is accurate.

You must complete the application in full and provide comprehensive documentation in support of the application to enable us to assess the project. Please ensure you follow the guidance as failure to do so may delay the appraisal.

The Integrated Natural Resources full scheme guidance notes provide guidance and help to evidence this project development application. 

INRS project development grant selection criteria 

For the project development grant, all applications will be assessed against a set of selection criteria and scored using a scale of 0-3 then multiplied by the associated weighting fact to give a total score.

The applications will be ranked in order of merit.  Applications will be selected in ranked order until the funds available have been allocated. There is no guarantee all of the funds will be allocated, or all applications will be selected to receive the project development grant.

No application will progress which scores less than the minimum quality threshold of 34.

For each criteria, the assessment will be made based on the information and evidence provided and where projects can demonstrate in the application how the proposed actions and interventions are meeting the strategic aims and outcomes of the scheme.

A score of 1 or 0 (zero) in any of the selection criteria will prevent the application from being considered for the project development grant. 

Higher scores will be achieved by providing clearly evidenced explanations supported by examples of proposed activities. Detailing how those activities will meet desired outcomes outlined in the scheme guidance, delivering for biodiversity, tackling climate change and providing for our social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being. 

Projects will be required to evidence and link proposed actions to the landscape/s or catchment/s, identifying the focus for the proposed action for that landscape/s or catchment/s and its importance. 

Projects will be required to identify what benefits they can achieve to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, to help farmers reach net zero and mitigate climate change by evidencing their proposed actions linking that action to desired outcomes outlined in the full scheme guidance and the focus of the project. 

Large landscape scale, ambitious projects will need to demonstrate the appropriate governance arrangements needed to reflect the nature of a larger collaboration or landscape project and identify the potential impact of the proposed actions and interventions, linking those to desired outcomes and benefits for biodiversity, ecosystem services and resilience at that scale. 

Modest or smaller landscape projects will not be disadvantaged and will be scored reflecting their ambitions, appropriate governance, and activities appropriate to that landscape and group, there will also be an assessment, across the whole application by a moderator to look at strategic fit, so projects will be judged fairly and proportionately. 

Application questions and assessment criteria

The collaboration

Q1. Outline the structure and roles and responsibilities of the collaboration. 

Q2. Explain how the collaboration is going to ensure good governance and project management for a multi-year project.  

Applicants are required to identify the lead organisation or group which will deliver the developed plan, the project partners, and the potential wider collaboration. 

Applicants must provide evidence of how key decisions will be made and governance arrangements, structure, and the group’s ability to manage a project of the proposed scope and scale must be evidenced. 

Working in collaboration can present several challenges and so clarity, good governance and project management will be essential to success. 

We are seeking innovative and ambitious applications in terms of both collaboration and outcomes. Landscape scale land management requires multi-sectoral, collaborative approaches and the ‘right action, in the right place’ for most impact. This section is an opportunity for applicants to show they are planning a well thought out and structured project. 

In this section applicants should explain how the project’s ambitions will be managed through the development and delivery phases and explain how key decisions will be made. 

Applicants should include the roles and responsibilities, governance arrangements and structure of the proposed collaboration and an outline of the proposed project management methods to deliver the proposed activities. 

Where a new collaboration is proposed and does not currently exist, the applicant should include evidence there is the potential for the new collaboration to be developed successfully in the project development stage, to a level where the proposed project can be effectively governed, managed, monitored and delivered at delivery stage. 

Applicants are required to show commitment, capacity, and the strategy for long-term custodianship of the landscape. 

Score

3: The applicant has provided a significant and clear description of the structure, roles and responsibilities of the collaboration. The applicant has provided significant evidence and a clear outline of how the project will ensure good governance and how the project will be managed and administered to deliver the proposed activities on a day-to-day basis. The applicant has provided significant and clear evidence to support an ambitious and innovative collaboration overall.

2: The applicant has provided a satisfactory description of the structure, roles and responsibilities of the collaboration. The applicant has provided a satisfactory outline of how the project will ensure good governance and how the project will be managed and administered to deliver the proposed activities on a day-to-day basis. The applicant has provided satisfactory evidence to support an ambitious and innovative collaboration overall.

1: The applicant has provided an incomplete or insufficient description of the structure, roles and responsibilities of the collaboration. The applicant has provided an incomplete or insufficient description of how the project will ensure good governance and how the project will be managed and administered to deliver the proposed activities on a day-to-day basis. The applicant provides only a partial outline to support a wide-ranging or ambitious collaboration.

0: The applicant has provided an incomplete response or no response to the criteria.

The landscape

Identify the landscape and geographical area to be included, outlining the continuous nature and importance of the proposed landscape and identify the appropriate scale of the project activities.

A continuous landscape is defined by its nature or status and/or linked together through integrated ecosystems and interconnected habitats or natural features, to allow for the development of groups and to identify potential neighbouring and connecting land to be brought together during development.  Examples of natural connective features include hedgerows, streamside corridors or woodlands. 

Applicants are required to identify the geographical area/s in which they want to act in and clearly evidence the continuous nature, the current use and condition, highlighting protected or exemplar sites where appropriate. 

Applicants are required to identify what management control the collaboration has within the landscape/s and identify where actions and interventions can be delivered. 

Applicants should define in this section why the area/s they have identified is the appropriate scale for their proposed actions and what they want to achieve in terms of outcomes linked to the management control and opportunities. 

Applicants can outline where they hope to engage with land managers within the landscape/s to develop and identify potential neighbouring and connecting land/landscapes to be brought together during development.

Applicants can submit if available supporting project area maps, outlining the main proposed project extent, the area(s) where activity will take place, outlining the land where land managers/owners have agreed to participate or are actively involved in the project and any important information about the landscape(s) such links to protected sites for example. 

Capital funding can only be agreed in the full delivery phase if clear actions are developed to create or improve assets. In this scheme these would be features to improve the natural resources across your project area. Examples are provided in Section D of the full guidance. 

Score

3: The applicant has provided significant and clear evidence of the feasibility of the landscape/s proposed and a detailed explanation of the continuous nature, the current use and condition.  The applicant has set out a significant and clear explanation for the appropriateness of the proposed scale and outputs.

2: The applicant has provided satisfactory evidence of the feasibility of the landscape/s proposed and a satisfactory explanation of the continuous nature and the current use and condition. The applicant has provided a satisfactory explanation for the appropriateness of the proposed scale and outputs.

1: The applicant has provided very little or unclear evidence of the feasibility of the landscape/s proposed and a poor explanation of the continuous nature and the current use and condition.  The applicant has provided very little evidence to support the proposed scale and the potential outputs.

0: No relevant evidence has been provided or no response given.

The opportunity and challenges

Identify the national or local challenges, opportunities and the focus for the landscape.  

Applicants are required to identify the national or local challenges, opportunities, and the focus for the proposed landscape(s). 

Applicants are required to broadly outline the ambition for managing the landscape/s linked to the challenges and opportunities identified.

Applicants are required to identify the relevant national or local challenges for the landscape(s) identified and clearly evidence how the group propose to tackle those challenges and provide solutions through identifying opportunities available within the landscape(s). 

Applicants are required to have a focus linked to the challenge or opportunity to target activity and to help link interventions to achieve the desired outcomes. Applicants are required to identify that the proposed actions and interventions are the right action in the right place. 

Applicants should begin to set out, where possible, their aims to improve the condition, connectivity and diversity of ecosystems, broadly outlining the ambition and interventions for managing the landscape/s and how it will tackle the focus and challenge identified. 

Applicants are encouraged to provide examples of opportunities, issues, successes, and ambitions within the landscape(s) to help evidence this section.

Applicants are encouraged to be ambitious and innovative in how they would like to implement nature-based solutions to meet desired outcomes. 

Score

3: The applicant has provided a significant and clear explanation of the focus for the landscape/s and how the proposed project directly addresses the challenges and opportunities and linked those to desired outcomes outlined in the INRS full scheme guidance. The applicant has set out a significant and clear rationale for the proposed interventions and the potential outcomes. The applicant has explained significantly how the proposed project activities will directly address the identified challenges or opportunities within the landscape(s). The applicant has clearly identified and set out the evidence to support the proposed actions and interventions and that proposed project outputs are relevant to the landscape(s).

2: The applicant has provided a satisfactory explanation of the focus for the landscape/s and how the proposed project directly addresses the challenges and opportunities and linked those to desired outcomes outlined in the INRS full scheme guidance. The applicant has provided a satisfactory rationale for the proposed interventions and the potential outcomes. The applicant has provided a satisfactory explanation of how the proposed project activities will directly address the identified challenges or opportunities within the landscape/s.  The applicant has identified and set out the evidence to support the proposed actions and interventions and that proposed project outputs are relevant to the landscape/s.

1: The applicant has provided little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation of the focus for the landscape/s and how the proposed project directly addresses the challenges and opportunities and linked those to desired outcomes outlined in the INRS full scheme guidance. The applicant has provided little, unclear or no evidence of how the proposed project activities will directly address the identified challenges or opportunities within the landscape/s. The applicant has provided very little evidence to support the proposed actions and interventions and that proposed project outputs are relevant to the landscape/s.

0: The applicant has not identified the national or local challenges, opportunities or the focus for the proposed landscape/s. No relevant evidence has been provided or no response.

Potential impact, outcomes, and benefits

Identify the potential impact of the proposed actions and interventions, linking those to desired outcomes and benefits for biodiversity, ecosystem services and resilience, and to social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being.

Applicants are required to link the proposed actions and interventions to the objectives and you are required to demonstrate and evidence how your proposed actions and interventions contribute to at least four of the outcomes listed below

• improving air quality
• improving water quality
• maintaining and enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and the benefits they provide
• improving biodiversity and connectivity to protected sites across a landscape and/or non-adjacent habitats (for example in relation to a section 7 species)
• Invasive Non Native Species management and removal across a landscape, regional or national level
• climate adaption
• maximising resource efficiency 
• mitigating flood and drought risks
• conserving and enhancing landscapes (priority and semi-natural habitats) and the historic environment 
• helping rural communities to thrive and strengthening links between agricultural businesses and their communities
• sustaining the Welsh language and promoting and facilitating its use
• maximising carbon sequestration and storage
• reducing emissions of greenhouse gases
• achieving and promoting high standards of animal health and welfare
• encouraging the production of food in an environmentally sustainable manner
• improving the resilience of agricultural businesses
• maintaining and enhancing public access to and engagement with the countryside and the historic environment, or 
• encouraging agricultural business to manage energy effectively (by adopting energy efficiency and energy saving practises and generating renewable energy on their land)

Applicants are required to take account of the benefits and intrinsic value of natural resources and ecosystems. Healthy ecosystems lead to a number of environmental, social, and economic benefits and applicants are required to evidence how the project interventions can deliver those benefits.   

Applicants are required to provide information on the proposed actions and their potential impact.  What potential impact the proposed actions and interventions outlined in the previous criteria can have in tackling climate change and the biodiversity crisis and how they can improve the social, economic and the cultural well-being now and for future generations. 

Score

3: The applicant has provided a significant and clear explanation of the potential impact the proposed actions and interventions will deliver and how they contribute to at least four of the outcomes listed. The applicant has provided a significant and clear explanation and taken account of the benefits that can be delivered from the proposed actions and interventions. The applicant has set out clearly the main beneficiaries of the proposed project outputs. The applicant has considered, and provided clear assurances that, the proposed activities will deliver against desired outcomes.

2: The applicant has provided a satisfactory explanation of the potential impact the proposed actions and interventions will deliver and how they contribute to at least four of the outcomes listed. The applicant has provided a satisfactory explanation and partially taken account of the benefits that can be delivered from the proposed actions and interventions. The applicant has set out some of the main beneficiaries of the proposed project outputs. The applicant has considered, and provided some assurances that, the proposed activities will deliver against desired outcomes.

1: The applicant has provided very little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation of the potential impact the proposed actions and interventions will deliver and how they contribute to at least four of the outcomes listed. The applicant has provided little or no evidence and not fully taken account of the benefits that can be delivered from the proposed actions and interventions. The applicant has not set out the main beneficiaries clearly of the proposed project outputs. The applicant has not considered, and provided assurances that, the proposed activities will deliver against desired outcomes.

0: The applicant has provided no relevant evidence or no response. 

Value for Money 

Provide a breakdown of the actions and the hours required for this phase, details of the engagement and events and the consumables for which you are requesting funding. You must include an explanation on how this will provide value for money.

In this section applicants should describe how they have calculated the amount requested in this application from the project development grant with the minimum being £10,000 up to a maximum of £30,000. Applicants should detail the number of hours needed at the standard rate of £23.41 available under this project development phase. 

The applicant should explain how the number of hours requested is reasonable, considering the proposed project scope and scale. The applicant is encouraged to outline the estimated time scales of preparing the project plan, the approximate hectarage of the proposed holdings and the number of individual holdings involved. 

The applicant is encouraged to outline how much time and costs are required to engage local landowners and land managers along with local communities, groups and organisations and provide detail on how many individuals or organisations that need to be consulted during the planning stage.

The applicant is encouraged to outline any sensitive or protected landscapes that require more planning and landowner or association consent and agreement that may take more time to achieve. 

The applicant will need to detail all consumables, engagement and event costs. 

Score

3: The applicant has provided a significant and clear explanation against the requested number of hours, the applicant has provided a very detailed breakdown of how the number of hours requested are reasonable and in line with proposed projects of this scope and scale. The applicant has provided a very detailed breakdown of the time and costs required relating to engagement and consultation. The applicant has provided a very detailed breakdown for the proposed time scales required to prepare the project plan. The applicant has provided a very detailed breakdown of the approximate hectarage, the proposed holdings, along with local communities, groups and organisations involved and provided a good clear explanation on the time required to visit and bring together the proposals across holdings. The applicant has very clearly evidenced full details of all consumables, engagement and event costs.

2: The applicant has provided a satisfactory explanation against the requested number of hours, the applicant has provided a satisfactory breakdown of how the number of hours requested are reasonable and in line with proposed projects of this scope and scale.  The applicant has provided a satisfactory breakdown of the time and costs required relating to engagement and consultation. The applicant has provided a satisfactory breakdown for the proposed time scales required to prepare the project plan. The applicant has provided a satisfactory breakdown of the approximate hectarage, the proposed holdings, along with local communities, groups and organisations involved and provided a satisfactory explanation on the time required to visit and bring together the proposals across holdings. The applicant has provided satisfactory evidence of all consumables, engagement and event costs.

1: The applicant has provided very little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation against the requested number of hours, the applicant has provided very little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation of how the number of hours requested are reasonable and in line with proposed projects of this scope and scale. The applicant has provided a very little, unclear or an unrealistic breakdown of the time and costs required relating to engagement and consultation The applicant has very little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation for the proposed time scales required to prepare the project plan. The applicant has provided very little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation of the approximate hectarage, the proposed holdings, along with local communities, groups and organisations involved and provided very little, unclear or an unrealistic explanation satisfactory explanation on the time required to visit and bring together the proposals across holdings. The applicant has provided very little evidence of consumables, engagement and event costs. 

0: No relevant evidence has been provided or no response.

There are three possible outcomes from the INRS project development appraisal:

1. Your project is ineligible and is not approved for an award. You will be informed of the reasons why your application was not successful via your RPW Online account. 
    
2. Your project is eligible but has not been selected for an award due to budgetary constraints. You may apply again with the same project should further application windows be made available, (amending the application if you wish) but only if you have not started work.
    
3. Your project is eligible for INRS project development and is approved for an award. An award letter will be issued to you setting out the approved number of hours, values for consumables, engagement and event costs, the expected outcomes and the terms and conditions of the award via your RPW Online account which you will be asked to accept within 30 days as agreement that you accept the terms and conditions therein. The Grant award will also provide you with the authority to start work. You will need to accept or decline the offer of Award within 30 days. Failure to accept the Grant Award within 30 days will lead to the offer letter being withdrawn.

We will issue a reminder via your RPW Online account prior to the acceptance deadline date.

If you decide to withdraw from the grant award prior to completion, you will not be able to apply for the INRS project development grant in the next round and may be required to repay any payments received.

You can withdraw your application at any time prior to grant award being issued, without it impacting on any future applications for the INRS.

Subject to the requirements of the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Public Access to Information, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004: all information given to the Welsh Government will be treated in strict confidence. You should be aware that if successful, we reserve the right to publish the name of your company, the amount of grant you were awarded and a summary of your project.

The INRS is subject to a range of relevant legislation (see Annex A). Welsh Government and the applicant/recipient must act in accordance with that legislation.

The offer of a INRS project development grant is made subject to terms and conditions, which will be set out in full in your grant approval letter and include those set out below. The grant award period will from the date the award is issued until 31 March 2025.

Failure to meet the terms and conditions of the award could result in the cancellation of your award and/or the recovery of sums already paid, or a reduction of the amount of grant payable.

Conditions

The award is made on the basis of statements and declarations made by you or your representatives in the application form and the claim form and any subsequent correspondence. The making of false or misleading statements is an offence. 

You must not begin any work on the project without first obtaining written authority to do so from Welsh Government.  

You must meet any legal obligations imposed and UK law.

No alterations may be made to the project, including the location of the activity, without the written approval of Welsh Government.

The applicant is required to comply with the rules on eligible costs as detailed in the scheme guidance notes.

Projects should be completed within the timetable agreed with Welsh Government. You should not deviate from this without prior written agreement from Welsh Government.

Claims must be submitted via the RPW online grants claim form and supported by all supporting documents as required by the scheme.

Claims must be submitted in accordance with the timetable set out in the grant award letter. You must not deviate from the agreed timing and value of your claims without prior written agreement from Welsh Government.

You must provide confirmation that no other public funding (whether from EU or UK sources) has been sought. If it is found that you have received public funding from another source your claim may be rejected, payments may be recovered, and penalties may be applied.

Records concerning the application and claim for this grant, including all original invoices and any other related documents, must be retained for at least seven years after the project end date.

You must allow representatives of Welsh Government, the Auditor General for Wales or their representatives to inspect the project. On request, you must provide them with information and / or access to original documentation in relation to the project.

The information provided in the application and any supporting documentation is subject to the requirements of the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Public Access to Information, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

You should be aware that, if successful, we reserve the right to publish the name of your business or company, the amount of grant you were awarded and a summary of your project.

The information provided in the application is subject to the privacy notice. The privacy notice explains our processing and use of your personal data and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

You must follow our Rural grants: competitive tendering guidance.

Claims

The INRS is only available to claim using the grants claim form on your RPW Online account. Payment will be made following the successful validation of your claim. 

You can only submit one claim. This will only be paid when the we are is satisfied the relevant work has been completed satisfactorily and an Integrated Natural Resources project delivery plan (PDP) has been submitted. Payment will be made by electronic transfer to your bank account.

In order to receive INRS project development payment you must:

• have accepted the INRS project development award within 30 calendar days of the offer date and adhere to all the requirements
• ensure that you have submitted the detailed project delivery plan to RPW Online by the submission deadline
• submit the claim using the grant claim form on your RPW Online account by the claim deadline – 31 March 2025
• we will issue a maximum of 2 reminders for any outstanding claims via your RPW Online account prior to the closing date
• submit timesheets as evidence for the worked hours along with evidence of defrayment
• submit one quote for each item (consumables, engagement and event costs) over £1000
• submit invoices and evidence of defrayment to support other eligible costs
• payment will be issued to bank account associated with lead CRN on application 

Invoices must clearly display the word ‘invoice’ on the document and include the following:

• a unique identification number
• your company name, address, and contact information
• the invoicing company name and address
• a clear description of what you are being charged for
• the date the goods or service were provided (supply date)
• the date of the invoice
• the amount(s) being charged
• VAT amount if applicable
• the total amount owed

Defrayment should be evidenced by bank statements. If the value of the transaction does not match the invoice value (for instance if you have bought non project items from the same supplier), a breakdown of the whole payment with supporting invoices will be required.

If making payments by cheque, then a scan or photograph of the written cheque, before it is presented to the supplier, will be required in addition to the bank statement.

You can submit the invoices, quotes, and evidence of defrayment by scanning them and sending them via “My Messages” in your RPW Online account.

A claim is not considered valid unless it has been submitted via the grants claim form and until all supporting documentation has been submitted.

You can submit your claim at any time once the work has been completed.  

It is essential that if you have any doubts about anything that you need for your project that you request written confirmation of its eligibility before you incur the costs.

Advance payments

Payments are normally made in arrears (i.e. after the grant recipient has incurred the expenditure); however, it is recognised that some Third Sector organisations do not hold large reserves and do not have the resources available to undertake work and receive payment afterwards. Therefore, provision of funding for committed expenditure may be considered in advance of payment, but only where evidence of need is clearly established. 

Incorrect claims and penalties

It is your responsibility to make sure the claim submitted is eligible and accurate, it is only for defrayed expenditure (the money has gone from your bank account), all the items and costs are eligible, and the claim is submitted on time.

All the activity/costs incurred must be after the contract has been offered.

Your claim is incorrect if:

• you have undertaken activity / incurred costs before the contract is offered
• you have not submitted a claim and supporting documents by the claim deadline
• you have not submitted an Integrated Natural Resources project delivery plan (PDP) by the deadline

If the claim is incorrect then your claim will be reduced to the amount that is eligible and the grant to be paid will be calculated accordingly. However, if the error is more than 10% of the total amount claimed then a financial penalty will be applied. The amount of eligible expenditure will be reduced by the amount of the error and so the final amount of grant to be paid will be lower than expected.

Offences

Regulation 13 of the Rural Development Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2014 (No. 3222 (W.327)) establishes criminal offences and penalties in relation to certain aspects of rural development funding. That Regulation and those offences are applicable to the INRS. Examples of offences include knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information in relation to rural development funding, obstructing an inspector or official, and refusing to provide information when requested to do so.

Legislation changes (including changes in interpretation)

Legislation may change from time to time, and you will be required to abide by any changes to the scheme rules following notification from Welsh Government.

Changes to scheme rules or contract 

We may need to make changes to the scheme rules and/or your contract for a number of reasons. For example, we may need to update the management conditions to take account of the latest scientific advice, amend scheme rules to take account of any changes within the programme. We will publicise changes on tour website and where necessary contact you directly. 

Controls

Welsh Government must enforce the INRS project development rules. 

Your claim may be selected for a visit to verify the realisation of the investment before the payment is made to you or it may be selected for a visit after the payment has been made. 

All the details in your application, the details in your claim and the declarations that you made in submitting the application and claim will be checked. 

Welsh Government and the specialist control bodies will try to ensure that visits cause you the minimum of disruption, but some checks require visits to be unannounced, which means it may not be possible to give you notice. You may be subject to more than one visit during a calendar year. 

If you refuse to allow a visit or obstruct an officer or fail to give reasonable assistance, you claim may not be paid, we may recover payments and you may be prosecuted. 

Record keeping

You must keep all records and information you need to evidence that you have provided complete and accurate information and have complied with your undertakings for seven years.

You will also be required to:

• supply us with any information about your INRS project development contract and supply that information within the period determined by us
• make available to us, our authorised persons or our agents, records, accounts, receipts and other information including access to computer data relating to your INRS project development contract
• permit us to remove any such document or record to take copies or extracts from them

Appeals procedure

You may request an internal review of a decision taken at the Project Development Phase, including a decision taken to reject your application for Project Development funding. 

You may also request an internal review of a decision taken in relation to your application for funding for the Project Delivery Phase, including a decision taken to reject your application for Project Delivery grant funding. 

Your objections, including supporting evidence, must be submitted within 60 days of the letter outlining the decision you wish to be reviewed. This should be submitted in writing via your RPW Online account. 

Officials will review and make a final decision and notify you together with the reasons for that decision. 

Once you have accepted a grant offer for the Project Delivery Phase, appeals concerning a Welsh Government decision will be considered under the ‘Independent Appeals Process for Rural Grants and Payments’. 

The appeals process consists of two stages:

• stage 1: review by RPW
• stage 2: review by an Independent Appeals Panel (if you are dissatisfied with the stage 1 response)

The Independent Panel make recommendations to the Welsh Minister, who take the final decision, which concludes the process.

There is no charge for Stage 1 of the process, but there is a charge at Stage 2 – £50 for a written hearing or £100 for an oral hearing. These charges are repaid in full if the Stage 2 appeal is either partially or fully successful.

Appeals, including supporting evidence, must be received within 60 days of the date of the letter outlining the decision you wish to appeal against.

We welcome receiving correspondence in Welsh and will respond to any correspondence in Welsh if that is your preferred language. This will not lead to delay.

Further details of the appeals process and how to submit an appeal using the RPW Online appeal form, can be obtained from the RPW Customer Contact Centre or our website at: Rural Grants and Payments appeals: guidance

Complaints procedure

Complaints will be dealt with under Welsh Government’s procedure on complaints. Further advice on how to make a complaint can be obtained from the Complaints Advice Team:

Welsh Government 
Crown Buildings 
Cathays Park 
Cardiff 
CF10 3NQ

Tel: 03000 251378

E-mail: complaints@gov.wales

Website: Complain about Welsh Government

Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.

You may also choose to contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales:You may also choose to contact the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales:

Tel: 0300 790 0203

Website: Ombudsman

How we will handle any personal data you provide in relation to your grant application or request for grant funding

We provide a wide range of grant schemes to help deliver our policies and create a fairer, more prosperous Wales.

We will be data controller for any personal data you provide in relation to your grant application or request for grant funding. The information will be processed as part of our public task (i.e. exercising our official authority to undertake the core role and functions of Welsh Government) and will help us assess your eligibility for funding.

Before we provide grant funding to you, we undertake checks for the purposes of preventing fraud and money laundering, and to verify your identity. These checks require us to process personal data about you to third party fraud prevention agencies.

If we, or a fraud prevention agency, determine that you pose a fraud or money laundering risk, we may refuse to provide the grant funding you applied for, or we may stop providing existing grant funding to you.

A record of any fraud or money laundering risk will be retained by the fraud prevention agencies, and may result in others refusing to provide services, financing or employment to you.

In order to assess eligibility, we may also need to share personal information relating to your application with:

• Natural Resources Wales
• Animal and Plant Health Agency
• Veterinary Medicine Directorate
• Welsh Local Authorities
• Food Standards Agency Wales
• DEFRA
• other UK Government agriculture offices.
• regulatory authorities, such as HM Revenue and Customs, Local Authorities, Health and Safety Executive and the Police

We may also share your information with organisations which deliver training, knowledge transfer and innovation advice and support on behalf of Welsh Government for the purposes of appropriate targeting of support.

Your information, including your personal information, may be the subject of a request by another member of the public. When responding to such requests Welsh Government may be required to release information, including your personal information, to fulfil its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental information Act 2004 or the Data Protection Act 2018.

We will publish details of the amounts paid to Rural Support beneficiaries. Data will be published for all beneficiaries on a searchable website and will include the name and locality of the farmer/land manager and details of the amounts and schemes for which subsidy has been paid. However, for those receiving less than the equivalent of £1,250 in subsidies the name will be withheld. The data will be published annually on 31 May and remain available for two years from the date it is published. The information will be available on the Defra website.

We will keep personal information contained in files in line with our retention policy. If successful in your application, then your personal data will be kept for 10 years after the date when you, as grant recipient, are free from all conditions relating to the grant awarded and all payment have been made. If you are unsuccessful your details will be kept for one year after the date you provided them.

Under the data protection legislation, you have the right:

• to access the personal data we hold on you
• to require us to rectify inaccuracies in that data
• to (in certain circumstances) object to or restrict processing
• for (in certain circumstances) your data to be ‘erased’
• to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) who is the independent regulator for data protection

For further details about the information we hold and its use, or if you want to exercise your rights under the GDPR, please see contact details below:

Data Protection Officer 
Welsh Government 
Cathays Park 
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Email: dataprotectionofficer@gov.wales

The contact details for the Information Commissioner’s Office are:

2nd Floor, Churchill House
Churchill Way
Cardiff
CF10 2HH

Telephone: 0330 414 6421

Website: https://ico.org.uk/

Should you have any queries regarding this privacy statement please contact the RPW Customer Contact Centre.

Rural grants and payments: privacy notice

Enquiries – Customer Contact Centre

For all enquiries, please contact the RPW Customer Contact Centre.

Enquiries can be submitted via RPW Online at any time.

Access to Welsh Government offices for people with disabilities or special needs

If you have any special needs which you feel are not met by our facilities contact the Customer Contact Centre on 0300 062 5004. Welsh Government officials will then endeavour to make arrangements to accommodate your requirements.

Welsh Government Website

For all of the latest Agricultural and Rural Affairs information, visit our website. By visiting the website, you can also sign up to receive the Rural Affairs e-newsletter which delivers the latest news directly to your e-mail inbox.

Gwlad

The Gwlad e-newsletter is our e-newsletter for farm and forestry businesses and all those involved with agriculture and rural Wales. It contains news stories, guidance and information in an accessible, easy-to-read format. To keep informed and up to date with all the latest agriculture news and developments in future we would encourage you to sign up to receive the Gwlad e-newsletter. You can do this either at Announcements or Subscribe to farming and forestry news (Gwlad).

The INRS grants have been considered against the Sustainable Land Management objectives as set out in the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023 and is considered to best contribute to delivering those objectives

The INRS project development grant delivers against a range of Government commitments and objectives, these are listed below along with the legislation and governance that applies.

The INRS project development grant is governed by Retained EU Law (REUL) Council Regulations No. 1305/2013, 1303/2013 and 1306/2013, Implementing Regulation No. 808/2014 and No. 809/2014 and Delegated Regulation 640/2014 and 807/2014 (all as amended from time to time).

The retained EU Law is implemented in Wales through the following domestic law (all as amended from time to time), including by the Agricultural Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021/400 (W.129):

•  the Rural Development Programmes (Wales) Regulations 2014/3222 (W.327)
•  the Common Agricultural Policy (Integrated Administration and Control System and Enforcement and Cross Compliance) (Wales) Regulations 2014/3223 (W.328)

Funding support for farmers, land managers and associated rural sectors over the next 3 years responds to four Welsh Government strategic objectives which are:

•  fostering the competitiveness of agriculture
•  contributing towards the sustainable management of natural resources as set out in Part 1 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016
•  ensuring climate resilience
•  achieving a balanced territorial development of rural economies and communities including the creation and maintenance of employment

In addition, there are three cross cutting objectives for INRS:

• climate change mitigation and adaptation
• innovation
• environment

As part of the project delivery phase we will ask you to describe how your project will contribute to these cross cutting objectives.

The scheme will also ask applicants to report how your project will contribute towards the Welsh Governments cross cutting themes of:

• equality of opportunity and gender mainstreaming
• tackling poverty and social exclusion
• Welsh language

In addition, applications for INRS will address the strategic and thematic objectives of the Welsh Government.

Activities will need to address at least one of the following Welsh Government priorities:

1. fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture, forestry, and rural areas
2. enhancing farm viability and competitiveness of all types of agriculture in all regions and promoting innovative farm technologies and the sustainable management of forests
3. promoting food chain organisation, including processing and marketing of agricultural products, animal welfare and risk management in agriculture
4. restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems dependent on agriculture and forestry
5. promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low carbon and climate resilient economy in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors
6. promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas

World Trade Organisation and Subsidy Control

1. Subsidies provided under this scheme are considered to be payments under an environmental programme, which fall within the scope of Annex II of the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) and have been classified as ‘green box’.
2. As such, these subsidies are exempt from the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and the interim UK subsidy control regime.