Covid Recovery Challenge Fund - Food and Drink

This is a Prior Information Notice to inform that Menter a Busnes, on behalf of the Welsh Government Food and Drink Division, will shortly be opening a Covid Recovery Challenge Fund, in direct support of the Food and Drink processing and manufacturing sector in Wales. The full details of the Challenge Fund, including the application process and eligibility requirements will be published via Sell2Wales during March 2022. In the meantime, the following outline of expected requirements is being shared in order to encourage prospective applicants to scope appropriate project ideas and begin forming collaborative partnerships. - Projects must demonstrate a response to the recovery of Welsh Food and Drink processing and manufacturing sector in relation to impact of Covid 19. - Projects MUST clearly address one or more of the 11 Priority Actions identified in the Food and Drink Wales Covid-19 Recovery Plan. A copy of the plan can be viewed here: https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/sites/foodanddrink/files/documents/2020-07-29%20-%20Food%20%26%20Drink%20-%20Covid%20Recovery%20-%20Eng%20WEB.pdf - The Challenge Fund is seeking forward-looking and innovative projects that may introduce new ways of working and new models of delivery. The potential knowledge sharing, scalability and continuation of projects beyond the 12 months of support will be key considerations within the assessment criteria. - A total budget of GBP 5,000,000 will be available through the Challenge Fund, with individual projects being subject to a minimum value of GBP 150,000 and a maximum value of GBP 500,000, inclusive of any applicable VAT. - Only revenue costs can be supported. - Project durations of up to 12 months. - All projects are expected to be collaborative in nature. Key outcomes and deliverables must demonstrate clear benefit to the development and sustainable growth of the Welsh food and drink sector as a whole, rather than principally benefitting individual businesses and organisations. - Collaborative projects, those that involve partners, demonstrate clear and substantial links to innovation, technical expertise, efficiencies, food supply chains and markets associated with food and drink manufacturing and processing are likely to score higher. - A discretionary grant intervention of up to 100% may be offered, however each case will be assessed on its individual merits and a lower intervention rate may be offered. Applicants should consider whether a financial contribution from participating businesses should be included as match funding to a project. - Please note that projects concerned with fisheries and aquaculture are not eligible for this Challenge Fund. Please express interest in this sell2wales notice to ensure that you receive notification once the full Challenge Fund details are published. Cronfa Her Adfer wedi Covid Hysbysiad Gwybodaeth Ymlaen Llaw yw hwn er mwyn cyhoeddi y bydd Menter a Busnes, ar ran Is-adran Bwyd a Diod Llywodraeth Cymru, yn agor Cronfa Her Adferiad wedi Covid yn fuan, i gefnogi’r sector gweithgynhyrchu a phrosesu Bwyd a Diod yng Nghymru yn uniongyrchol. Bydd manylion llawn y Gronfa Her, gan gynnwys y broses ymgeisio a’r gofynion cymhwystra, yn cael eu cyhoeddi trwy GwerthwchiGymru yn ystod Mawrth 2022. Yn y cyfamser, mae’r amlinelliad canlynol o’r gofynion disgwyliedig yn cael ei rannu er mwyn annog darpar ymgeiswyr i archwilio syniadau prosiect priodol a dechrau ffurfio partneriaethau cydweithredol. - Rhaid i brosiectau ddangos ymateb i adferiad sector gweithgynhyrchu a phrosesu Bwyd a Diod Cymru wedi effaith Covid-19. - RHAID i brosiectau fynd i’r afael ag un neu fwy o’r 11 Gweithred Blaenoriaeth a nodir yng Nghynllun Adfer wedi Covid-19 Bwyd a Diod Cymru. Gellir gweld copi o’r cynllun yma: https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/sites/foodanddrink/files/documents/2020-07-29%20-%20Food%20%26%20Drink%20-%20Covid%20Recovery%20-%20Eng%20WEB.pdf