Deadline: 01-Sep-2026
The Heritage Open Days Grant Programme supports organisations and businesses in Harborough District to deliver heritage visitor events and activities that celebrate local history, identity, and culture. Standard grants of £500 are available, with exceptional awards of up to £2,000 where applicants demonstrate strong need and clear justification.
The grant supports revenue costs linked to Heritage Open Day activities, marketing, visitor information, exhibitions, venue hire, speakers, guides, musicians, creative practitioners, and event equipment hire. No match funding is required, and funding must be used for new expenditure, not costs already incurred before application submission.
What is the Heritage Open Days Grant Programme?
The Heritage Open Days Grant Programme is a funding opportunity for organisations and businesses delivering heritage visitor events in Harborough District.
The programme supports activities that celebrate local history, heritage, culture, and identity.
It is designed to increase public participation in heritage experiences and strengthen the district’s visitor economy.
Main Purpose of the Grant
The main purpose of the grant is to help local organisations and businesses deliver engaging heritage events and activities.
The programme supports events that make local heritage more accessible to the public.
It also helps improve visitor services, promote local identity, and generate benefits for the local economy and community.
Focus Areas and Priorities
The programme focuses on heritage visitor experiences and public participation.
Key focus areas include:
- Local heritage activities
- Heritage visitor events
- Public participation
- Local history
- Local identity
- Marketing and promotion
- Visitor services
- Heritage tourism
- Community engagement
- Visitor experience improvement
- Local economy support
- New heritage activities
- Heritage Open Day events
Grant Amount
Standard grant awards are available at £500 per application.
In exceptional circumstances, Harborough District Council may award grants of up to £2,000.
Applicants requesting more than £500 must demonstrate sufficient need and strong justification.
No match funding is required.
Successful applicants will receive payment upon approval.
What the Grant Can Support
Funding is available only for revenue projects associated with heritage events.
Eligible costs may include:
- Hosting a Heritage Open Day during the national campaign in September 2026
- Marketing and promotional activities
- Advertising
- Website development
- Social media content
- Printed materials
- Visitor information
- Exhibition materials
- Display materials
- Professional photography
- Venue hire
- Guest speakers
- Guides
- Musicians
- Creative practitioners
- Hire of chairs and tables
- Hire of marquees
- Hire of stages
- Hire of lighting
- Hire of sound systems
- Hire of music systems
The proposed costs must support new activities or new items of expenditure.
What the Grant Cannot Support
The grant cannot be used for capital expenditure.
Ineligible costs include:
- Purchase of long-term assets
- Equipment purchases
- Property alterations
- Building improvements
- Costs incurred before submitting an application
- Retrospective expenditure
- Non-heritage-related activities
- Expenditure not linked to business or organisational purposes
Applicants should ensure that all costs are revenue-based and directly connected to the heritage event or activity.
Who is Eligible?
Applicants must operate or provide heritage visitor services within Harborough District.
Eligible applicants include:
- Micro enterprises
- Small enterprises
- Medium-sized enterprises
- Community organisations
- Voluntary organisations
- Sole traders
- Partnerships
- Limited companies
- Community Interest Companies
- Social enterprises
- Local parish councils
- Registered charities
Eligible businesses must employ between 1 and 249 staff.
Community and voluntary organisations that do not employ staff may also apply.
Operating History Requirement
Applicants must normally have been operating for at least 12 months before applying.
New or start-up organisations may discuss eligibility with the council before submitting an application.
This helps ensure that applicants understand whether they meet the programme requirements before preparing a full application.
Priority Consideration
Priority may be given to applications that show strong added value for heritage visitor experiences.
Priority may also apply to projects that:
- Support events that may otherwise not take place
- Introduce new heritage activities in Harborough District
- Increase public access to local heritage
- Improve visitor engagement
- Strengthen local identity
- Create clear community and economic benefits
Applicants should clearly explain why the proposed activity is important and how it will benefit visitors and the local area.
Applicant Requirements
Applicants must self-certify that they meet all eligibility requirements.
They must also declare any previous public grants received.
Applicants must ensure that all required permissions are in place before applying.
Required permissions may include:
- Planning approvals
- Landlord consent
- Building owner permissions
- Other relevant permissions needed to deliver the event
Organisations in liquidation, dissolved, struck off, or subject to a striking-off notice are not eligible for funding.
How the Grant Works
Applicants submit a proposal for a heritage visitor event or activity in Harborough District.
The application should explain the event purpose, heritage theme, target audience, visitor benefits, community value, and local economic impact.
The council reviews the application, eligibility, proposed costs, permissions, and justification.
If approved, the successful applicant receives the grant payment and uses it for eligible new revenue expenditure.
How to Apply
Applicants should first confirm that they operate or provide heritage visitor services in Harborough District.
They should then prepare a clear description of the heritage event or activity.
The application should explain how the project will celebrate local history, increase public participation, improve visitor experience, and support the local economy or community.
Applicants should also confirm that the project involves new expenditure and that no costs have been incurred before submission.
Suggested Application Steps
- Confirm that the applicant operates or provides heritage visitor services in Harborough District.
- Check that the organisation or business is an eligible applicant type.
- Confirm that the applicant has normally operated for at least 12 months.
- Identify the heritage event or activity to be supported.
- Explain how the activity celebrates local history, heritage, or identity.
- Confirm whether the event will take place during the national Heritage Open Days campaign in September 2026.
- Prepare a budget for eligible revenue costs.
- Request £500 as a standard grant or provide strong justification for up to £2,000.
- Confirm that no costs have been incurred before applying.
- Secure all required permissions, including planning approvals, landlord consent, or building owner permissions.
- Declare any previous public grants received.
- Self-certify that all eligibility requirements are met.
- Submit the application through the official council process.
Why It Matters
Heritage events help communities celebrate local identity, history, culture, and shared stories.
They also attract visitors, increase participation, and support local businesses, venues, creatives, and community organisations.
The Heritage Open Days Grant Programme matters because it helps make heritage more accessible to the public.
It also supports new and existing heritage activities that may not happen without financial support.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid requesting funding for capital costs such as equipment purchases, building improvements, or property alterations.
They should not include costs already incurred before the application is submitted.
Applicants should not apply without confirming that all required permissions are in place.
Applications should avoid vague descriptions of heritage value or public benefit.
Applicants requesting more than £500 should not omit a strong explanation of need and justification.
Organisations that are dissolved, in liquidation, struck off, or subject to a striking-off notice are not eligible and should not apply.
Tips for Strong Applications
A strong application should clearly explain the heritage theme and why it matters to Harborough District.
Applicants should show how the activity will increase public participation and improve the visitor experience.
The proposal should explain how the grant will add value or make the event possible.
Applicants should include a clear budget focused only on eligible revenue costs.
The application should also highlight local economic and community benefits.
Projects introducing new heritage activities or reaching wider audiences should clearly explain their added value.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Heritage Open Days Grant Programme?
The Heritage Open Days Grant Programme supports organisations and businesses in Harborough District to deliver heritage visitor events and activities that celebrate local history, heritage, and identity.
2. How much funding is available per application?
Standard grants are available at £500 per application. In exceptional circumstances, grants of up to £2,000 may be awarded where sufficient need and justification are demonstrated.
3. Is match funding required?
No. Match funding is not required.
4. What can the grant fund?
The grant can fund revenue costs linked to heritage events, including marketing, visitor information, exhibition materials, venue hire, speakers, guides, musicians, creative practitioners, and event equipment hire.
5. Can the grant pay for equipment or building improvements?
No. The grant cannot be used for capital expenditure, including equipment purchases, property alterations, building improvements, or long-term assets.
6. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, CICs, social enterprises, parish councils, registered charities, and community or voluntary organisations operating heritage visitor services in Harborough District.
7. Are new organisations eligible?
Applicants must normally have operated for at least 12 months. New or start-up organisations may discuss eligibility with the council before applying.
Conclusion
The Heritage Open Days Grant Programme provides practical support for heritage visitor events and activities across Harborough District.
With standard grants of £500 and exceptional awards of up to £2,000, the programme helps organisations and businesses celebrate local history, improve visitor experiences, and increase public participation.
Applicants should ensure their project is heritage-focused, revenue-based, locally delivered, supported by required permissions, and clearly beneficial to the local economy and community.
For more information, visit Harborough District Council.
