MILLIONS of pounds worth of funding has been secured to improve economic growth and quality of life for communities in North Yorkshire’s two national parks.

Farming and rural enterprises in the Yorkshire Dales will benefit from £2.2m in LEADER funding, it was announced today (Monday, March 16). Communities in the North York Moors and Cleveland Hills area will receive £2.3m of LEADER funding over the next six years.

The funding comes from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and is managed by Defra.

The North York Moors, Coast and Hills LEADER programme has been allocated the third largest funding award out of 80 successful bidders in the UK. Grants will be available for businesses, individuals and communities, with an emphasis on job creation and helping local businesses to prosper.

Both areas will work closely with the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to make the best use of the funding and provide support for rural businesses.

Rima Berry, LEADER co-ordinator from the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust said: “This opportunity has only been possible through the amazing commitment and enthusiasm of local people and all our partner organisations.

“Together we have identified the barriers we face as a rural area and successfully applied for LEADER status so that we might fund the innovative and collaborative solutions to them.”

The programmes will open for funding applications for both areas will during summer 2015.

Anyone with farming and rural enterprise projects in the Yorkshire Dales area that could utilise funding can contact Rima Berry by emailing; rima.berry@ydmt.org or calling; 015242 -51002.

For details of grant opportunities that will be available with the North York Moors area email; www.moorscoastandhills.org.uk or call; 01439-772700.