Capital Grant Schemes evaluated

This week saw the publication of a report evaluating the Capital Grant Schemes funded by the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2014-2020.

The independent evaluation, undertaken by EKOS Ltd, presents findings on the New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme (NECGS); Small Farms Grant Scheme (SFGS); and Crofting Agricultural Grants Scheme (CAGS).

The evaluation was commissioned by the Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services (RESAS) Division within the Scottish Government (SG) and was undertaken by EKOS Ltd between January and July 2024. The research was overseen by a small Research Advisory Group (RAG) comprising representatives from SG which met monthly over the study period.

The evaluation findings found that the CAGS and NECGS were popular schemes and supported many new entrants and crofters. CAGS is a long-established grant scheme and is highly valued among the crofting community, while the NECGS was over-subscribed. SFGS under-performed due to scheme design and eligibility issues.

The evaluation also highlights a range of lessons learned that should inform development of future schemes, key of which is that "it will be vitally important to include and involve farmers and crofters in the design and testing of any new online application process to ensure it is easy to use, navigate and is fit for purpose".

The full report can be accessed at th elink below, including a short two-page executive summary.

Scottish Rural Development Programme 2014-2020: Evaluation of Capital Grant Schemes – Main Report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)