Business Support

This grant scheme opened on 8 April 2024 to applications from businesses and organisations providing arts, creative, heritage and cultural activities for public participation in rural areas of Harborough District. The scope of the grant is to enhance existing and new visitor activities by investment in capital development projects. Eligible organisations can apply for a minimum of £5000 grant funding up to a maximum of £20,000 with 10% of total project cost required by match funding.

The grants are being managed and distributed by Harborough District Council using funding received from the government through the Rural England Prosperity Fund which is an extension of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus

Before you apply, please read the guidance for the fund including eligibility criteria. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your project, please contact business@harborough.gov.uk.

The closing date for applications is 29 November 2024.   

Eligibility Criteria:

• The grant funding must be used on capital projects. This means you must spend grants on lasting assets such as a building or equipment.
• The grants must support new or existing rural businesses and organisations to develop new arts, creative, cultural and heritage activities that will be of wider benefit to the local economy. This includes farm businesses looking to diversify income streams.
• Grants must be used for business and organisation purposes. They cannot be used for domestic property improvements or for private vehicles. 
• All projects must consider how the project can work with the natural environment to achieve objectives. 
• Grant recipients must have robust project delivery and management plans which demonstrate the viability and potential success of projects.
• The projects cannot start until a grant decision has been made. The funding must be for a new project. 
• All applicants must provide assurances that they have all the necessary permissions, such as planning approvals and freeholder consent in place prior to applying.
• The business or organisation must operate in a rural area as identified in the guidance. 
• A micro/ small/ medium sized enterprise employing between 1 and 249 staff.
• Applications are required to demonstrate that they have match funding from other sources, with the maximum funding being 90%, other than in exceptional circumstances. Projects which have been able to attract a higher percentage of match funding from their own funds or other sources, maybe more likely to be supported, as they demonstrate that the applicant has received more support and commitment from elsewhere.

View the guidance for the full criteria.

How to apply
All applications must be submitted through Grant Approval: https://www.grantapproval.co.uk/

If you have not used Grant Approval before you will need to register an account. If you have used the system before for other grants, you will just need to log in. Once you are logged in, please search select your local authority as ‘Harborough’ and then search all grants. Please select REPF Harborough District rural arts, creative, heritage and cultural activities grant. 

Before you apply, you will need:

• Two quotes for the goods/services you wish to purchase with the grant, and your preferred supplier stated.
• A detailed project delivery and management plan, which demonstrates the viability and likelihood of success of the project. If you would like support to develop your plan, please contact our team on business@harborough.gov.uk  
• Copy of your bank statement which matches the bank details you wish to have the grant paid into.

Please note: Grants will not be awarded until after applications close.