Visitor experience grant


Are you a businesses, organisation or collaborative group based in Staithes and the surrounding area? We are offering a fund to support local tourism businesses to develop new products and services that showcase the North York Moors and its special qualities.

What is the Visitor experience grant?

As a result of the continued working of polyhalite and salt over a 25-year period from 2023 at Boulby Mine, a s106 agreement has been secured to provide compensation and mitigation against any negative impacts on the tourism economy within Staithes and surrounding area. Out of this contribution, a fund to support local tourism business to develop new products and services that showcase the North York Moors and its special qualities has been developed.

This Fund is designed to support new activity by businesses and organisations that promote the North York Moors.

We encourage local businesses to apply for funds to aid diversification, particularly activity that extends the season, provides a high quality visitor experience, encouraging off-peak visits, supports the net zero carbon agenda and embodies the regenerative tourism principles.

The criteria

Projects must contribute to all of the following priorities:

  1. Increase awareness of and visits to the project area and the North York Moors National Park
  2. Encourage visitors to build a closer relationship with the place and understand its local distinctiveness/special qualities;
  3. Ensure that project supports regenerative tourism principles, that is activities:
    - Must leave the place better than before, be it improving the area's tranquillity or the natural and historic environment;
    - Support the development of inclusive tourism - create products and places where everyone feels welcome
    - Should have the support of the local communities relevant to the project.
    - Allow visitors to contribute positively to the local community (by economic, social or environmental means).
  4. Should support the net zero carbon agenda set out by the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
  5. Demonstrate that it benefits health and wellbeing for visitors in line with our Management Plan objective

What kind of project does the funding support?

The fund is available to support new or additional activity. Therefore applications must include only activity which is considered 'new', i.e. working with new partners, targeting new markets, developing new products/packages, or new business start-ups.

Existing groups/businesses must ensure their project demonstrates development or progression from previous activity undertaken.

Only marketing costs that support collaborations or new product development will be considered.

Eligibility

  • Applications must be located within eligible project area of Staithes and surrounding parishes (marked in red)
  • The contribution is open to individuals, businesses, and other organisations, with priority given to collaborative projects, which will benefit the area as a whole, and those with wider community gains.
  • Priority will be given to those that have joined and are actively participating in the North York Moors Tourism Network.
  • The funding cannot support repeat activity and should not be considered as long term or core funding.

No funding can be awarded retrospectively so you should ensure no activity commences prior to the funding agreement being signed.

Funding

Applicants applying for £4,000 or less are eligible for 100% funding from the National Park Authority.

Applicants applying for over £4,000 will require match funding. Contributions will be awarded at the following rates:

  • Voluntary sector, not for profit organisations and registered charities – up to 70%
  • Collaborative groups (informal or formal e.g. business and trade forums) – up to 70%
  • Individual businesses/private individual – up to 50%

You are asked to request a particular contribution value (up to the relevant contribution rate) within the application form. However, please be aware that if a contribution is agreed, it may be at a different value.

Applying for the grant

The deadline to apply for the 2024/25 grant is 31 December 2024. Applications will be considered throughout the year. However, applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis and, as the fund is limited, you are strongly advised to submit your form as early as possible.

Please contact our Community Engagement Officer via email or phone 01439 772700 for an informal discussion about your application.

If your project is eligible, you will be contacted with the application process details.

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