The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF), the UK-wide charity working alongside farming families and rural communities to provide the support and funding they need to thrive, has today marked its 15th anniversary. 

The charity was founded in 2010 as the Prince's Countryside Fund, by His Majesty King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, after a visit to a Cumbrian hill farm where he met with a group of farmers, who were still dealing with the aftermath of the foot-and-mouth crisis. Since then, the charity has continued to adapt and grow, supporting rural communities through devastating flooding, Covid-19, and periods of deep uncertainty. 

Through its place-based farming programmes, covering topics such as succession planning, benchmarking, biodiversity and soil health, the RCF is currently helping farming families discover achievable ways to build more financially and environmentally resilient farms now, and for generations to come. The charity also empowers rural communities – combining their ideas with funding and guidance – to grow community-led projects that will stand the test of time. 

Later this year, the RCF is set to announce new support for family farmers in the form of its 'New Farming Programme', as well as new funding for rural community organisations across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. 

Keith Halstead, Executive Director, The Royal Countryside Fund, said: "We would like to express our gratitude to our Royal Founding Patron, His Majesty the King, who created The Royal Countryside Fund and has remained steadfast in his support for the countryside. For the last 15 years, the RCF has provided practical, grounded help to ensure a resilient, rebalanced and regenerative future for the people of our beloved countryside. 

"Hardworking family farms and rural communities are facing social, environmental and economic pressures that threaten the livelihoods they love. They shouldn't have to face these challenges alone – and with us, they don't have to. Over the last 15 years the RCF has supported over 4,000 farming families, helping them to make their farm businesses more financially resilient so they can secure their farms for generations to come, all while providing the support they need to farm in harmony with nature. We've also invested more than £12.5 million in over 500 rural community-led projects, creating real and lasting change. 

"None of this work would be possible without the time, energy, and financial support that we have received from the incredibly generous individuals, trusts and foundations, corporate partners, and other organisations that share our vision. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported the RCF and helped to build a thriving countryside.  

"As we look forward to the next 15 years and beyond, we're well aware of the scale of the challenge that faces us, but also the incredibly potential and opportunities that wait. By donating or even just spreading the word, you can help hardworking farmers build more resilient family farms, support brilliant community-led projects, and make sure the next generation has the opportunity to live and work on the land they love." 

The Royal Countryside Fund through the years:  

• July 2010, In a speech at St James's Palace, HRH The Prince of Wales announces the official launch of The Prince's Countryside Fund (PCF) to help tackle the challenges facing the countryside. (HRH speech) 

• November 2011, HRH marks the first anniversary of the PCF in a short video message and launches 'National Countryside Week'. By this point the PCF has raised well over £1million for rural communities and nearly £500,000 has been given in grants to 13 projects throughout the countryside from Devon to Scotland. (news) 

• January 2014, HRH visits communities in Somerset that were being affected by devastating flooding. The Prince's Countryside Fund announced a £50,000 donation from its emergency fund to help farmers and rural communities in Somerset. (news) 

• July 2016, HRH establishes a new programme to support family farms. Between 2016 and 2021 the PCF's 'Farm Resilience Programme' supported nearly 1000 farming families to improve their business performance and make real changes on farm. On average, farmers saw a return of around £3 for every £1 invested by the programme. (press release and report)  

• 2018, The PCF celebrates HRH's 70th birthday, attending a parade at the Royal Cornwall Show in June (video) and on Friday 23rd November, racegoers enjoyed the fourth renewal of The Prince's Countryside Fund Raceday at Ascot, attended by Their Royal Highnesses. (press release) 

• 2019, Following feedback from farmers, the PCF launches the 'Farm Support Group Initiative', bringing together local organisations and charities working across the UK. The RCF begins holding an annual conference for these groups, bringing them together to share ideas and learn from each other. (RCF website) 

• April 2020, The charity awards over £120,000 of funding to 62 community-led projects dealing with the impact of Covid-19 across the UK. (press release) 

• July 2021, HRH attends a reception at The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery to mark the launch of the PCF's 'Confident Rural Communities Network'. Today, this network brings together over 500 groups who have benefited from the charity's funding. (news) 

• September 2021, The PCF announces the launch of its 'Farm for the Future', funded by Defra. The programme closed in 2025 and, over its lifetime, it supported 1,987 farms in England through one of the biggest transitions UK farming has seen in a generation. (press release and report) 

• May 2023, The PCF celebrates the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. By this point, the PCF had supported over 2,500 small farming businesses across the UK and had awarded 481 grants totalling at £11.2m, reaching over 150,000 people in rural areas. (press release) 

• August 2023, The PCF becomes the first royal charity to be renamed after the coronation, as it becomes The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF). (press release) 

• Spring 2024, The RCF launches an ambitious new strategy for 2024-28, as the charity set out to accelerate its scale and reach as an operational, delivery-focused charity by increasing and diversifying its quality programmes of support to reach even more rural communities and farm businesses. (press release) 

• May 2024, As the charity marks the first anniversary of Their Majesties' Coronation, it shares the news that its founder, His Majesty The King, will retain his Patronage of The Royal Countryside Fund. (press release) 

• March 2025, His Majesty The King, Royal Founding Patron of The Royal Countryside Fund, hosts a reception at Buckingham Palace to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary year. It was attended by representatives from 32 Farm Support Groups from across the UK, supported by the Fund, to recognise the crucial role these groups play in supporting farming families. (press release) 

• March 2025, Herefordshire farming families meet The King at an RCF event at Somerset House. Farmers spoke with The King about the RCF Regenerative Agriculture roundtable they had taken part in earlier that morning. (press release)  

• July 2025, The RCF marks its fifteenth anniversary and 15 years of royal support.