Timeline for applications

In April 2022, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) published the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) prospectus. The UKSPF is a central pillar of the UK government’s levelling up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.

The fund focuses on three key investment themes:

• community and place
• supporting local business
• people and skills (funding released in 2024 to 2025)

An investment plan was created and approved by the leader of the council, this was then submitted to government. In December 2022 the government approved our investment plan, setting out how we propose to spend the funding in our communities over the period up to March 2025.

Our proposals include:

• a creative communities grant to support events and activities
• a volunteering scheme to improve wellbeing
• utilising an empty unit/building in the town centre to create a community art hub
• equipment, advertising and expertise to support events
• improving lighting and greening in the town centre
• town centre events such as the ‘Xmas parade’ in 2022
• interactive equipment to activate open spaces

We have been allocated a total of £1,199,253:

Year	Capital	Revenue
2022/23	£15,000	£130,540
2023/24	£105,000	£186,081
2024/25	£467,127	£288,505

Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF)

The scheme has now closed for new applications with all funding allocated. If your business is looking for funding or support please contact the economic development team by email EconomicDevelopment@maidstone.gov.uk or visit their website.