Tourism Development Grant

Local grants are available for businesses in the Harborough district to help them enhance the local tourism offer and grow the visitor economy. Do you have a project that could attract more visitors, create a new attraction, or improve the guest experience? Apply for our new fund now!

Eligible businesses are invited to apply for a grant of between £500 and £2,000. Applications are open to any business or organisation in the Harborough district with a project that will strengthen our local visitor economy.

The grants are managed and distributed by Harborough District Council using £50,000 received from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This fund sits under the Communities and Place investment priority.

The Tourism Development Grant 25-26 supports projects that will achieve measurable impacts, such as:

• Enhancing the visitor experience and increasing footfall.
• Developing new attractions and tourism products.
• Supporting the growth and sustainability of local hospitality businesses.
• Creating new employment opportunities within the district's visitor economy.

This could include projects to improve visitor facilities, create new local experiences, launch marketing campaigns, or adopt digital tools to reach new audiences.

How to apply

All applications must be submitted online through the www.grantapproval.co.uk website.

If you have not used this system before, you will need to register for an account. Once you are registered and logged onto the system, select 'Harborough' as your local authority and click 'find schemes'. The title of the fund in the online system is 'Tourism Development Grant'.

Before you apply, you will need to prepare:

• At least two quotations for any assets, products, equipment, or services that will be purchased with this grant. These quotations should be from different suppliers.
• A Bank Statement to match the bank details provided on the application, clearly showing the bank account name, sort code, and account number. The bank account name must correspond with the name of the organisation applying.
• Evidence of relevant permissions or licences obtained (if applicable to your project, e.g., planning permission, landlord consent).
• Proof of ownership or lease agreement if any alterations/works are proposed to a building or land (if applicable).

Key Dates for Your Calendar

The grant scheme opened for applications on 12 September 2025.

The scheme will close for applications on 28 February 2026.

Please note: Applications will not be accepted after this date. Applications will be reviewed on the closure of the application window.