Horsham Visitor Experience Grants
Horsham Visitor Experience grants are an injection of funding aimed at micro and small businesses based or operating in the Horsham District.
This grant offers more than financial assistance to businesses. It also offers support from business experts and the opportunity to develop your visitor experience idea via mentoring workshops and seminars. To find out more email the grant team.
We offered businesses and organisations up to £5,000 to fund new visitor-experience projects which generate footfall in the Horsham District. This funding is designed to help businesses and organisations create new or significantly enhanced experiences to the Horsham tourist offer. Preference will be given to smaller independent businesses with a business plan and those who consider the value of International Markets. Grants may be considered for other projects, subject to funding.
Monies will be provided to grantees on submission of receipts for project costs. Grantees must submit receipts to Horsham District Council over a rolling period (between dates of grant award and 1 March 2025). The grant money must be spent, and receipts submitted by 1 March 2025.
Please note: Businesses are required to pay the initial costs of up to £5,000 and must have available match funding of 25%. Grant awards of up to £5,000 will be reimbursed upon receiving copies of the invoices and/or receipts.
Horsham District Council will finalise checks that the applicants are legitimate businesses prior to notification of any grant award.
Eligibility requirements
What eligibility requirements must I meet to apply for the Horsham Visitor Experience funding?
To apply, your business must meet all the following requirements:
- Be an active business registered with Companies House or HMRC. Limited Companies, Charities, CIC’s and sole traders may apply. Start-ups are not eligible for this grant.
- Be able to evidence your business is actively trading. Proof of trading may include Companies House document; Business Bank Statement; Insurance for business; UTR (Unique Taxpayer Reference) or tax correspondence from HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs); Business rates bill.
- Employ less than 50 employees and have an annual turnover of less than €10million. This includes both micro and small businesses.
- Be able to meet the match funding requirement: Minimum 25% of total project cost.
- Be able to provide a costed project plan for your visitor experience.
- Be able to provide a fully costed, 3-year business plan.
- Businesses are required to attend our business training and experience workshop.
- Businesses must have a visitor experience designed and ready to launch by March 2025. The visitor experience must have taken place by September 2025 and an evaluation received by December 2025.
- Projects must run within the Horsham District and benefit the local economy. Your business can be based outside the Horsham District so long as your output occurs within the Horsham District. See link to map of Horsham District
- Businesses are required to acknowledge Horsham District Council’s contribution in all marketing and publicity associated with the project being funded and use the logos supplied.
What types of projects can the Horsham Visitor Experience grant fund towards?
Examples of projects:
Funding must be for a new standout visitor experience that invites footfall.
- Creating a programme of open days/taster days/itineraries/retreats.
- Creating visitor experiences for international markets (which may target Chinese, North American, Scandinavian inbound markets from Gatwick airport for example)
- Creation of a new experiences, collaborating with other businesses or operators.
- Creating a festival (literary, music, sustainable, food, heritage, rural, viticulture etc...).
- Creation of trails or tours.
- Creating experiences showcasing the cultural and natural environment of the Horsham District.
- Creating hospitality and catering offers to enhance the visitor experience.
- Creating experiences highlighting or celebrating nature, rural experiences, heritage, culture and making visitors feel connected to the region.
- Creating experiences focusing on accessibility and inclusion.
- Creating overnight stays or immersive experiences.
Strong applications will include, but are not limited to:
- Projects that support green sustainable, accessible and inclusive objectives.
- Projects that feature a regular offer for visitors (not just a one-off event).
- Projects that address the wider remit of attracting overnight-staying visitors.
- Please note funding CANNOT be for marketing materials, insurance or promotion alone.
Can I use Horsham Visitor Experience funding retrospectively?
No, a Horsham Visitor Experience grant cannot go towards project expenditure that was spent prior to the date of application.
I’ve received a SPF grant before, can I apply again?
Previous UKSPF grant recipients are invited to apply. Only one grant can be accessed per business
Subsidy Control - The programme is funded by the UK Government as part of its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). UKSPF provides subsidies to businesses under Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA), under which businesses cannot receive more than £315,000 in a three-year period. Businesses may not receive a subsidy from the programme that causes them to exceed this limit.
I don’t have a business plan, can I still apply?
If you need support with your business plan, there are resources available via The West Sussex Business Hub.
What project expenditure is ineligible?
- Salaries of staff.
- Experiences outside of the Horsham District
- Marketing materials or promotion unrelated to the visitor experience.
- Other ‘business as usual’ expenditure (planning costs, overheads, rent or stock).
- Insurance costs
The selection process
Applications will be decided through a selection panel led by Experience Sussex and Horsham District Council.
Applications will be assessed on their eligibility and on creating the maximum impact for the visitor economy in Horsham for both domestic and international visitors.
Outcomes and measures against which funding is measured:
- Funding for the development and promotion (both trade and consumer) of the visitor economy, such as local attractions, trails, tours and tourism products more generally.
- Strengthening local entrepreneurial ecosystems and supporting businesses at all stages of their development to start, sustain, grow and innovate, including through local networks.
Grant money release dates
The Horsham Visitor Experience Grants are now closed to applications.
- Grant recipients will be selected by October 31, 2024.
- Monies will be provided to grantees on submission of receipts provided to Horsham District Council over a rolling period. The grant money must be spent, and receipts submitted by 1 March 2025.
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After you apply
After you have submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming receipt of your application.
You will be notified by email of the outcome. Applicants are notified of a decision within 4 weeks of submitting their application.
The Horsham Visitor Experience Grant is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.