What is the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF)?
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK government’s ambitious Levelling Up agenda and a significant component of its support for places across the UK. To read more > UK Shared Prosperity Fund: prospectus – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Projects fall within one or more of the following categories:
- Community and Place
- Supporting Local Business
- People and Skills
View Local Case Studies
Tackling Poverty & Inequality
Cost of living support events, drop ins and other interventions.
Destination for All – Accessible Adventure Day
Families joined MonLife’s Outdoor Accessible Adventure Day at Gilwern Outdoor Centre.
Chepstow All Ability Outdoor Activity Space
MonLife Leisure Centre members will have access to a brand-new bespoke outdoor space for exercise and physical activity.
Multiply
Multiply is a programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills.
New art installation unveiled in Abergavenny
The Gwent Green Grid collaborated on a project to enhance an area of Bailey Park in Abergavenny with a new art installation.
Creative Futures – MonLife
Creative Futures allows time and space to develop creative work and creative practice with young people.
iConnect
“Our volunteers are the unique selling point of our project! We couldn’t achieve what we do without them and we are so grateful for their time and passion for the project…..”
Hartpury TALK
We support you and your business by providing business coaching and guidance, a platform for knowledge sharing and a wide range of training.
Today’s Heritage Tomorrow – MonLife
Cycle for All Scheme and Its Impact on an 8-Year-Old Boy.
Be Community
Be Community offers a tailored training program aimed at empowering grassroots community groups to thrive sustainably.
Spring Food Fair
The Fair showcased local businesses and producers to put visitors back in touch with sustainable food production in our special landscape.
Wye Valley River festival 2024
It’s here! WVRF celebrates its 10th anniversary this year!!! Please come and celebrate with us!
TogetherWorks
TogetherWORKS is a community hub in Caldicot, that aims to be community-driven.
Y Prentis
The project will target unemployed, those in FT education seeking employment and persons seeking a career change from low or unskilled work in Monmouthshire.
Shared Prosperity Fund projects in Monmouthshire
Click below for more information!
▼ Be Community
Be Community
Communities and Place
Be Community provides opportunities to volunteers within Monmouthshire to assist them with their volunteer roles. Providing a variety of courses aimed at volunteers including; food hygiene, first aid, wellbeing, safeguarding and many other courses that can help volunteers overcome any barriers they may face. Bespoke courses are also developed based on specific needs.
▼ Destination For All – MonLife
Destination For All – MonLife
Communities and Place
“A Destination for all”: This project aims to improve the accessibility of the destination for everyone in Monmouthshire, whether they’re here for a day, a week, or a lifetime. It includes capital and revenue funded activity. The capital funding will be used to provide grants for physical adaptations at local cultural and heritage sites to improve accessibility and counter the effects of isolation, particularly for older and disabled people.
▼ Gwent Green Grid – MonLife
Gwent Green Grid – MonLife
Communities and Place
The Gwent Green Grid is a collaborative partnership of the 5 Gwent Local Authorities and NRW, supported by a wide range of stakeholders and NGOs delivering a consistent approach to Green Infrastructure management across Gwent. The project will help deliver a range of outputs supporting resilient ecological networks and nature-based solutions, nature, and climate actions, manage our tree and woodland resource, support health and wellbeing opportunities and support green skills training.
colettebosley@monmouthshire.gov.uk
monlife.co.uk/outdoor/green-infrastructure/gwent-green-grid-partnership/
▼ Together WORKS
Together WORKS
Communities and Place
Together WORKS is a multi-faceted community hub based in Caldicot, South Monmouthshire jointly ran by MCC and GAVO. It is home to 12+ community groups who use and interact with the space on a weekly basis, as well as a community fridge, Makers Space, Benthyg (Library of things) and various wellbeing and digital inclusion services. TogetherWORKS has plugged a huge resource gap in Caldicot and is doing a fantastic job at improving the lives of the people who use it.
▼ Business Monmouthshire
Business Monmouthshire
Supporting Local Business
The Business Monmouthshire SPF Project will enhance capacity within Monmouthshire County Council’s Economy, Employment and Skills team to engage with and connect businesses to wider support.
▼ Regional Tourism – MonLife
Regional Tourism – MonLife
Supporting Local Business
Cardiff, capital of Wales collaborative marketing project. This revenue project will help fund a regional marketing plan targeting overseas, group travel / travel trade and business events markets. The project will build on the success of previous Southern Wales Partnership campaigns to help recover and sustainably grow the region’s visitor economy following the pandemic.
▼ CELT (Connect, Engage, Listen Transform)
CELT (Connect, Engage, Listen Transform)
People and Skills
The CELT projects supporting those furthest from the labour market with wellbeing and counselling and those in work with individually training needs, providing a wraparound to our Welsh Government funded programme Communities for Work+. Providing a weekly timetable of work-related courses in Abergavenny and Caldicot.
▼ MCC Economy, Employment and Skills
MCC Economy, Employment and Skills
Multiply
Monmouthshire Multiply is an adult numeracy programme designed to improve functional numeracy skills through free personal tutoring, digital training, and flexible courses. The focus will be family learning through primary schools. Care Leavers focus on managing finances and engagement work to offer non-accredited workshops/courses and support participants wanting to achieve additional numeracy courses.
▼ YPrentis
YPrentis
People and Skills
The project will target unemployed, those in FT education seeking employment and person seeking a career change from low or unskilled work in Monmouthshire. The trainees complete a 6-month fast-tracked accredited Building Surveying qualification, NET Zero, decarbonisation and the retrofit courses. Subsequent employment will be secured on completion of the programme, where participants can progress onto a higher apprenticeship and/or a degree in university.
Darryl Williams darryl.williams@yprentis.co.uk
▼ Creative Futures – MonLife
Creative Futures – MonLife
Communities and Place
Creative Futures allows time and space to develop creative work and creative practice with young people. It is a collaborative programme that supports local arts activity and importantly gives young people a voice in its development. The programme consists of Bespoke Youth Arts sessions/Interventions and the establishment of a Monmouthshire Youth Theatre.
katherinemcdermidsmith@monmouthshire.gov.uk
https://boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk/creative-futures-monmouthshire/
▼ Flowing Through Communities – Wye Valley River Festival
Flowing Through Communities – Wye Valley River Festival
Communities and Place
The Wye Valley River Festival CIC is an arts organisation, led by artists and communities creating work with the environment at its heart. Bringing local people, environmentalists, and talented artists together for a creative exploration of what is possible. Every other year those explorations lead to the biennial Wye Valley River Festival, hosted up and down the Wye Valley.
▼ iConnect – Monmouthshire Housing Association
iConnect – Monmouthshire Housing Association
Communities and Place
iConnect offers all-round digital support ranging from getting online, to accessing services, seeking health and well-being advice, keeping in touch with loved ones, applying for jobs, as well as sourcing devices and affordable wi-fi. iConnect are committed to pushing back the many barriers that people have exploring the digital world and in doing so helping them find new interests, new connections, and new opportunities.
▼ Today’s Heritage Tomorrow – MonLife
Today’s Heritage Tomorrow – MonLife
Communities and Place
This project will enhance ten of the county’s Heritage sites through the implementation of the Heritage Strategy Action Plan. Activities include the creation of visitor experience plans for each of sites, development of new training and induction plans for site teams, enhanced stakeholder engagement and new play and exhibition programmes.
▼ Elevate – Alacrity Foundation
Elevate – Alacrity Foundation
Supporting Local Business
Combining programmes and expertise between two established organisations operating nationally in the entrepreneurship space, namely the alacrity Foundation and Townsquare, the aim of Elevate Monmouthshire is to create a new ecosystem that promotes entrepreneurship, stimulates growth in new businesses and supports firms with ambitions for growth. Elevate will deliver practical commercialisation programmes and events that will offer help, advice, training, and mentoring to start-up entrepreneurs and existing enterprises across the Monmouthshire area.
▼ Food Resilience Programme
Food Resilience Programme
Supporting Local Business
Food Resilience Programme is a project to support Monmouthshire food and drink businesses. Linking producers with customers, promoting career opportunities, improving local supply chains, and flying the flag for Monmouthshire food and farming. Another strand of work is to host and grow the Monmouthshire Food Partnership as a forum for cross-sector collaboration on strengthening the local food system, farm to fork.
▼ TaLK – Hartpury College
TaLK – Hartpury College
Supporting Local Business
The Technology and Local Knowledge (TaLK) project, will explore and support the plans and decisions for improved productivity and sustainability through digital systems, tools and skills for Monmouthshire farming businesses.
▼ Inspire – MCC Economy, Employment and Skills
Inspire – MCC Economy, Employment and Skills
People and Skills
Inspire aims to work with young people aged 14-19 who are at risk of becoming or who are NEET (Not engaged in Education, Employment or Training). The programme operates in each secondary school in Monmouthshire with a designated worker per school and has the addition of an outreach worker to support young people with less than 50% attendance across Monmouthshire. Inspire will focus on four key indicators – Wellbeing, attendance, attainment, and behaviour and will work towards achieving a qualification and life skills with our young people.
▼ Caru Cymru
Caru Cymru
Community & Place
The SPF funded Caru Cymru project builds on an existing partnership with Keep Wales Tidy involving all the major Welsh local authorities. At its heart, it is about working with communities to create a cleaner, safer environment and make a positive difference. Key areas of focus are around reducing the impact of dog fouling, litter and fly tipping through targeted interventions.
▼ Marches Forward Partnership
Marches Forward Partnership
Marches Forward is a groundbreaking partnership between Herefordshire, Powys and Shropshire, Monmouthshire County Councils. This is the first-time neighbouring authorities in England and Wales have worked together in a planned cross border collaboration.
Marches Forward provides a flexible umbrella framework for joint working, supporting local service delivery, based around how people and place’s function, rather than being confined within organisational or geographical boundaries.
This unique and strategic partnership provides opportunity to support government ambitions around Union Connectivity, improving joined up thinking between England and Wales, helping to increase investment and accelerate delivery of key infrastructure projects.
Marches Forward Partnership – Marches Forward Partnership (English)
▼ Llanwenarth Bund Resilience Project
Llanwenarth Bund Resilience Project
The delivery of a resilient infrastructure that protects local businesses, property, livestock and the community in the Llanwenarth area from flooding. The project aims to establish the current level of protection offered by the bund, identify areas for improvement and carry out the most urgent construction work to increase protection from flooding.
▼ Monmouthshire Circular Economy Project
Monmouthshire Circular Economy Project
This project works with local communities and schools to build on the considerable progress setting up and running circular economy activities in the county. These are projects such as Benthyg Libraries of Things, Repair Cafes, community fridges, uniform swap shops and so on.
These activities are extremely important in reducing waste, saving carbon, sharing skills and saving people money.
The Circular Economy Project Officers will add invaluable resource to recruit, support, develop and retain volunteers to existing and proposed circular economy projects to make them sustainable and resilient.
hazelclatworthy@monmouthshire.gov.uk , markcleaver@monmouthshire.gov.uk
▼ Business Innovation in Agriculture
Business Innovation in Agriculture
A dynamic community dedicated to fostering innovation, collaboration, and growth within the agricultural sector.
We provide businesses with a gateway to agriculture, supporting the commercialisation of agri-tech products and services – accelerating your journey to market. With our support, businesses are leveraging their diverse expertise in food and drink processing, sensors data and IoT, pharmaceutical, energy, vertical farming, manufacturing and transport sectors to better understand the needs of the farming community and seek out smart, profitable, and sustainable solutions for businesses working in land-based industries. Let us help you look at your business in a different way and take a deep dive into the world of agriculture together.
▼ Drill Hall Chepstow
Drill Hall Chepstow
As Chepstow’s only arts centre, our mission is to transform the Drill Hall into a vibrant hub for community and arts activities, enriching the lives of residents and visitors alike.
We’re committed to boosting its long-term sustainability by promoting greater use and generating income through a diverse range of events.
Currently, the Drill Hall hosts a variety of films, concerts, and live arts events, and is available for community and private hire.
We are ready to expand our arts and community programs, introduce educational opportunities, and offer health and well-being classes.
The Drill Hall | Chepstow Community and Arts Centre (drillhallchepstow.co.uk)
▼ Inclusive Community Spaces
Inclusive Community Spaces
This project will enhance an existing and important community asset in Abergavenny. The works will make the property more accessible, enabling the Melville Theatre for the Arts to thrive. The works are being supported by an independent accessibility specialist, who’s input is helping to improve access to a range of services and community groups who operate from this asset.
▼ Chepstow All Ability Outdoor Activity Space
Chepstow All Ability Outdoor Activity Space
New outdoor gym including state-of-the-art equipment from Indigo Fitness, such as a functional fitness frame, a 12-meter-long turf sled track, functional wall-fixed rigs, and free weights.
The bespoke outdoor gym will be perfect for members to exercise independently or as a group. Exercising in a group setting has been shown to have numerous benefits, including enhanced training experiences, peer support, accountability, and a sense of community.
▼ Don’t mess with Monmouthshire
Don’t mess with Monmouthshire
Don’t Mess with Monmouthshire (Chepstow) aims to find proactive solutions to the issues identified through detailed consultation with residents and businesses to provide sustainable, attractive solutions to waste management, ultimately to improve the live and workability of the town centre and improve its attractiveness for tourism.
▼ Tackling Poverty & Inequality
Tackling Poverty & Inequality
We believe Every Child Matters, Every Adult Matters, Every Community Matters. Therefore we are aiming to have a county where the effects of inequality and poverty have been reduced. Our key priorities are to prevent people from falling into poverty, to provide targeted support for people already in poverty and to prevent the impact and effects of inequality.
▼ Rainbow Trust
Rainbow Trust
Match funding for a project delivered by the Chepstow Rainbow Trust. To include improving the visual appearance of the, and interior works including upgraded toilet and kitchen facilities. Aim to improve accessibility, perception and reduce energy costs.
▼ Abergavenny Market Hall
Abergavenny Market Hall
Invest in the Abergavenny Market Hall building to make it more accessible and sustainable to operate, and to bring the functions of the building together that are more energy efficient and accessible effective services.
▼ Church St Swan Court Regenerate
Church St Swan Court Regenerate
Enhance the streetscape and visitor experience with cost-effective features: install arches at Church Street’s entrances, improve lighting, use vinyl wraps on vacant shop windows, add better street furniture and planters, and prepare an advertising and events program to increase footfall.
▼ Pop up Monmouth
Pop up Monmouth
▼ Net Zero Change
How to get involved
▼ Existing Projects
If you want to access support from, or work/collaborate with an existing project, contact details are provided for each of these above. Alternatively, if you contact sharedprosperityfund@monmouthshire.gov.uk, you can be signposted to the appropriate contact(s)
▼ Local Grant Schemes
If you are looking for support from local grant schemes, any active schemes are listed below:
▼ Delivering a UKSPF Project
UKSPF Funding can be used for the delivery of projects in the Monmouthshire area that align to the aims of the fund, as set out in the fund prospectus.
There is not currently any funding to allocate from the Shared Prosperity Fund. Organisations who meet the eligibility criteria and whose proposal aligns to the funding requirements may still submit an expression of interest. These will be held for consideration if and when an opportunity is initiated locally. It is important to note that there is no guarantee of funding opportunities becoming available prior to the end of the fund on 31st March 2025.
Future Funding from April 2025 – the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is currently under review by UK Government, and details of an extension or replacement funding programme are currently unclear.
▼ Eligible Organisations
Any organisation with legal status can receive funding to deliver a UKSPF intervention. This may include local authorities, public sector organisations, higher and further education institutions, private sector companies (to deliver projects), voluntary organisations and registered charities.
▼ What can be funded?
Projects that submit an expression of interest or application for funding will be assessed against the following criteria.
• the ability to meet UK Government criteria for the programme and deliver outcomes from the programme framework
• alignment with local needs that will complement and not duplicate existing provision
• significant local engagement with stakeholders and potential beneficiaries
• They are able to deliver within the short timeframe for the programme
• the experience and capability of the project sponsor
• an ability to identify and manage risks effectively
• value for money and that the project can’t be funded elsewhere
• that UK Government subsidy control regulations can be complied with
• that delivery will take account of equality duties, the Welsh language and environmental good practice
• a contribution to meeting the strategic needs of the area as set out in the Community and Corporate Plan 2022-28 and other relevant strategies
View the Interventions List for Wales.
Community and Place – Outputs and Outcomes
▼ How can funding be used?
Both capital and revenue expenditure can be applied for. Capital expenditure refers to funding used to get, build, or upgrade physical assets. Revenue expenditure refers to ongoing organisational costs needed to run the project activities set out in an approved proposal.
The following costs should not be included in a UKSPF intervention:
• paid for lobbying, entertaining, petitioning or challenging decisions, which means using the Fund to lobby (via an external firm or in-house staff) in order to undertake activities intended to influence or attempt to influence Parliament, government or political activity including the receipt of UKSPF funding; or attempting to influence legislative or regulatory action
• payments for activities of a party political or exclusively religious nature
• VAT reclaimable from HMRC
• gifts, or payments for gifts or donations
• statutory fines, criminal fines or penalties
• payments for works or activities which the lead local authority, project deliverer, end beneficiary, or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake, or that are fully funded by other sources
• contingencies and contingent liabilities
• dividends
• bad debts, costs resulting from the deferral of payments to creditors, or winding up a company
• expenses in respect of litigation, unfair dismissal or other compensation
• costs incurred by individuals in setting up and contributing towards private pension schemes
All proposals must also consider how they will deliver in line with subsidy control as per UK Government guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/subsidy-control-regime
All UKSPF funding is paid in arrears on a quarterly basis and is based on actual expenditure incurred (up to the maximum amount awarded). Projects will be expected to submit financial transaction lists and project performance data on a quarterly basis.
▼ Expression of Interest
Approvals for projects/schemes as part of the UKSPF Local Investment Plan are overseen by the Monmouthshire People & Place Partnership. The partnership is made up of members from a range of stakeholder organisations and local authority services areas, and is chaired by the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development and Deputy Leader.
Project proposals are submitted via an expression of interest form. These will be held for consideration if and when an opportunity is initiated locally. It is important to note that there is no guarantee of funding opportunities becoming available prior to the end of the fund on 31st March 2025.
Completed expressions of interest should be submitted to: sharedprosperityfund@monmouthshire.gov.uk
When an open funding opportunity is confirmed by the Strategic Partnership, proposals will be assessed and scored in line with this process.
MCC SPF contacts
These projects are [funded/part-funded] by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.