Deadline: 01-Sep-2026
The Visitor Event Grant Programme supports businesses and organisations delivering visitor events and public-facing activities in Harborough District. Grants range from £500 to £2,000 per application, with higher awards considered in exceptional cases at the Council’s discretion.
The programme supports revenue-based projects that improve visitor activities, increase public participation, enhance visitor experiences, and generate benefits for the local economy and community. No match funding is required, but applicants must provide required permissions, two quotations for each item of expenditure, and a matching bank statement.
What is the Visitor Event Grant Programme?
The Visitor Event Grant Programme is a funding opportunity for businesses and organisations that deliver visitor events and activities in Harborough District.
The programme supports public participation events that attract visitors, improve local experiences, and contribute to community and economic benefits.
It is designed to support both new and existing visitor events and activities.
Main Purpose of the Programme
The main purpose of the programme is to strengthen the local visitor economy in Harborough District.
The grant helps businesses, community organisations, and local groups improve visitor event services, develop activities, and increase public participation.
It also aims to enhance community experiences by supporting events that bring people together and add value to local places.
Focus Areas and Priorities
The programme focuses on visitor event development, public participation, and local economic benefit.
Key focus areas include:
- Visitor events
- Visitor activities
- Public participation
- Local economy development
- Community experiences
- Event service improvement
- New visitor events
- Existing visitor events
- Visitor experience enhancement
- Local tourism activity
- Community and voluntary sector activity
- Business-led visitor events
Key Concepts Explained
Visitor Events
Visitor events are public-facing activities designed to attract participants, audiences, customers, or visitors.
These may include festivals, cultural events, community activities, local tourism events, seasonal attractions, public workshops, markets, exhibitions, performances, or other visitor-focused experiences.
Revenue Projects
Revenue projects are projects that support operational or day-to-day costs.
Under this programme, funding can be used for revenue costs rather than capital costs. This means the grant can support activity delivery, services, promotion, staffing, materials, or event-related running costs, but not lasting assets such as buildings or major equipment.
Public Participation
Public participation means that the event or activity should be accessible to the public and should encourage people to attend, engage, or take part.
The programme is intended for activities that benefit visitors, residents, local communities, and the wider economy.
Match Funding
Match funding means the applicant contributes additional funds alongside the grant.
Under this programme, no match funding is required.
Grant Amount
Eligible applicants can apply for grants ranging from £500 to £2,000 per application.
In exceptional circumstances, higher awards may be considered at the discretion of the Council.
Applicants should request a realistic amount that is clearly linked to the proposed event or activity.
Match Funding Requirement
No match funding is required.
This means applicants do not need to provide their own financial contribution to match the grant request.
However, applicants should still provide a clear and justified budget for the proposed spending.
Eligible Project Type
Funding can only be used for revenue projects.
Eligible revenue costs may include operational and day-to-day business or organisational costs linked to visitor events or activities.
The grant cannot be used for capital expenditure on lasting assets.
What the Grant Can Support
The grant can support new spending connected to visitor event delivery.
Eligible activities may include:
- Development of visitor events
- Improvement of visitor event services
- Delivery of public activities
- Promotion of visitor participation
- Operational costs linked to events
- Day-to-day event delivery costs
- Activities that improve visitor experiences
- Activities that benefit the local economy
- Activities that support community experiences
Costs must be incurred after the application is submitted.
What the Grant Cannot Support
The programme cannot support costs that do not meet the revenue project requirement.
Ineligible costs include:
- Capital expenditure on lasting assets
- Buildings
- Equipment purchased as a long-term asset
- Costs incurred before submitting an application
- Retrospective spending
- Spending not linked to business or organisational purposes
Applicants should ensure that all proposed costs are new, eligible, and clearly connected to the visitor event or activity.
Who is Eligible?
Applicants must operate or provide visitor event services in 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.
Eligible Location
Applicants must operate or provide visitor event services in Harborough District.
The proposed event or activity should clearly benefit visitors, communities, or the local economy within the district.
Applicants should explain how their event contributes to Harborough District’s visitor offer and community life.
Applicant Requirements
Applicants must use the funding only for business or organisational purposes.
They must also confirm that all required permissions are in place before applying.
Required permissions may include:
- Planning approvals
- Freeholder consent
- Licensing requirements
- Other relevant permissions needed to deliver the event or activity
Applicants should check these requirements carefully before submitting their application.
Required Supporting Documents
Applicants must submit supporting documents with their application.
Required documents include:
- Two quotations for each proposed item of expenditure
- A copy of a bank statement
- Bank details matching the account into which the grant will be paid
- Evidence of required permissions where applicable
- Business or organisational information
- Details of the proposed visitor event or activity
Providing complete documents can help avoid delays or rejection.
How the Programme Works
The programme provides grant funding to eligible businesses and organisations delivering visitor events in Harborough District.
Applicants submit a proposal explaining the event or activity, expected public participation, visitor benefit, community value, and local economic impact.
The Council reviews the application, proposed costs, eligibility, permissions, quotations, and bank details.
Approved applicants can use the grant for eligible new revenue spending linked to the visitor event or activity.
How to Apply
Applicants should first confirm that they operate or provide visitor event services in Harborough District.
They should then prepare a clear project description explaining the event or activity, who will participate, how the public will benefit, and how the local economy or community will be strengthened.
Applicants must prepare a budget and obtain two quotations for each proposed item of expenditure.
They must also ensure that all necessary permissions and approvals are in place before applying.
Suggested Application Steps
- Confirm that your business or organisation operates in Harborough District.
- Confirm that your project is a visitor event or public participation activity.
- Check that the proposed costs are revenue costs, not capital expenditure.
- Make sure no costs have been incurred before submitting the application.
- Prepare a clear event or activity description.
- Explain how the project will improve visitor experiences or increase public participation.
- Show how the project will benefit the local economy or community.
- Prepare a budget between £500 and £2,000, unless requesting exceptional higher support.
- Obtain two quotations for each proposed item of expenditure.
- Confirm that planning approvals, freeholder consent, licensing, and other permissions are in place.
- Prepare a bank statement matching the grant payment account.
- Submit the application through the official Council process.
Why It Matters
Visitor events can help strengthen local economies by attracting people to town centres, villages, businesses, cultural spaces, and community venues.
They also create opportunities for residents and visitors to participate in local activities, discover local places, and support local organisations.
The Visitor Event Grant Programme matters because it helps businesses and community groups improve event quality, increase participation, and deliver better visitor experiences in Harborough District.
By supporting revenue costs, the programme helps applicants manage practical event delivery needs without requiring match funding.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid requesting funding for capital expenditure such as buildings or long-term equipment.
They should not include costs that were incurred before submitting the application.
Applicants should not apply without ensuring that all required permissions are in place.
Applications should not include vague descriptions of visitor or community benefit.
Applicants should avoid submitting only one quotation where two quotations are required for each item of expenditure.
They should also make sure the submitted bank statement matches the account where the grant will be paid.
Tips for Strong Applications
A strong application should clearly explain the event, target audience, expected participation, and visitor benefit.
Applicants should show how the event will support Harborough District’s local economy and community experiences.
The budget should be simple, realistic, and supported by two quotations for each item.
Applicants should clearly confirm that the project involves new spending and that no costs have already been incurred.
The proposal should also explain how the event will be delivered safely, legally, and with all necessary approvals in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Visitor Event Grant Programme?
The Visitor Event Grant Programme supports businesses and organisations delivering visitor events and public activities in Harborough District.
2. How much funding is available per application?
Applicants can apply for grants ranging from £500 to £2,000. In exceptional circumstances, higher awards may be considered at the Council’s discretion.
3. Is match funding required?
No. Match funding is not required for this programme.
4. 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 visitor event services in Harborough District.
5. What can the funding be used for?
Funding can be used for revenue projects, including operational and day-to-day costs linked to visitor events and activities.
6. Can the grant fund equipment or buildings?
No. The grant cannot be used for capital expenditure on lasting assets such as buildings or equipment.
7. What documents are required?
Applicants must provide two quotations for each proposed item of expenditure and a bank statement matching the account into which the grant will be paid. They must also ensure that relevant permissions, approvals, and licences are in place.
Conclusion
The Visitor Event Grant Programme provides practical funding for businesses and organisations delivering public visitor events in Harborough District.
With grants from £500 to £2,000 and no match funding requirement, the programme helps support new and existing visitor activities that strengthen the local economy and improve community experiences.
Applicants should ensure their project is revenue-based, located in Harborough District, supported by required permissions, backed by two quotations per expenditure item, and focused on clear visitor and community benefits.
For more information, visit Harborough District Council.
