Grant Scheme 2: Events

1. About this grant scheme

Through the Newcastle East High Streets Project we are making funding available to support local organisations to deliver events on and around the 5 high streets in the project area.  A key objective is to animate the high streets and make better use of the indoor/outdoor space to encourage longer dwell time and foster better connections between businesses, communities, and the heritage of the area.

Please note that this funding is focusing on preparing and delivering new small community-led events. We particularly want to see a range of events delivered during both the day and evening. 

The level of funding available is limited and demand is expected to be high. Grants will be awarded in line with the eligibility criteria set out below, but we retain the right to amend or close the scheme at any time.  

1.1 Background

Newcastle East High Streets Project is a 2-year transformation programme aiming to revitalise the high streets in the east end of the city.  Funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) this pilot will deliver changes on the ground to tackle issues around empty properties, poor quality public realm and connectivity, with a focus on Chillingham Road, Heaton Road, Heaton Park Road, Shields Road, and part of Welbeck Road. Together with business support provision and grants to animate space and foster collaborative actions between residents, community groups and businesses, the project will develop a long-term plan for the area, co-produced with the local community. Plans for Newcastle high streets unveiled | Newcastle City Council

1.2 Our priorities  

A key objective of the project is to animate the high streets and make better use of indoor/outdoor space to encourage longer dwell time and make better connections to businesses, communities and the heritage of the area.  During the project’s initial engagement phase (August to October 2022) Have Your Say Today - Project Engagement Report - Newcastle High Streets (commonplace.is) residents expressed a desire for a wider local offer that includes the provision of cultural opportunities and activities for older people, children and families.  We are now making funding available to support local organisations to deliver events on and around the 5 high streets in the project area Newcastle High Streets | Commonplace that will help to increase footfall and spend and contribute to improving the vitality of the target high streets.   

1.3 Who can apply for a grant?

It is expected that applications will be led by local organisations (within the project area) although events/activity can be delivered in collaboration with other partners (in or outside of the project area).

Applicants must be constituted organisations, registered businesses, social enterprises or sole traders. Individuals are not eligible to apply.  

Organisations are not eligible for support if:  

• They are in administration, are insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made  
• The award of grant would breach subsidy allowance limits  
• Audit checks will take place where you may be asked to support the evidence supplied. Should applicants be unable to provide satisfactory evidence, your application may be refused. If you have already received a grant, you will be required to return this to the Council. We reserve the right to request additional evidence at any time.  

1.4 What will we fund?

Activity must be focused on and around the 5 high streets i.e., Shields Road, Chillingham Road, Heaton Road, Heaton Park Road, and Welbeck Road.

We will only support activity that aligns to the values (inclusive, healthy, vibrant) and intended outcomes of the Newcastle East High Streets project.

Events/activities must take place during the financial year 2023-24.

1.5 Available grant funding

Grants of up to £10,000 are available although it is expected that the majority of grants will be up to £5,000.  Please note that this funding is focusing on preparing and delivering new small community-led events in the project area and is not for events that are already established. We particularly want to see a range of events delivered during both the day and evening.

Events/activity might include but is not limited to:

• Markets   
• Pop up shops/food   
• Community events (e.g., family fun days, celebratory events, heritage related events)
• Walks/tours

The grant funding can be used for but is not limited to:

• Professional fees
• Equipment/materials (including hire)
• Marketing materials
• Costs associated with street closures

No match funding is required but we encourage in-kind and match funding contributions where possible.

We expect to award individual grants of no greater than £10,000, with the majority of grant awards likely to be considerably lower. In exceptional circumstances we may be willing to consider grants worth more than £10,000. This will be entirely at our discretion and may require additional evidence and monitoring requirements.   

There is no minimum grant award; but strategic fit will be more difficult to justify for very small projects. We will signpost to more appropriate funds if applicable.

Only one grant will be awarded per applicant within this scheme of funding. Grant recipients may be able to apply for further funding at a later stage at our discretion.  

Applicants will be expected to collect data to demonstrate the impact of the investment (e.g., number of events taking place, number of attendees participating in events and also record the wider social and economic benefits).

 1.6 Subsidy Control

The United Kingdom has now left the European Union, and there is a new UK subsidy control regime. The previous State aid rules no longer apply in most circumstances.

Under this new subsidy control regime, the Council is permitted to award an individual/organisation up to £315,000 in the elapsed part of the current financial year, and the two financial years immediately preceding the current financial year.

Funding is subject to this allowance not being exceeded during that period. This £315,000 allowance also includes any previous funding you/your organisation received as de minimis State aid (under the previous regime). Applicants will be required to declare that receipt of this grant will not take them above this threshold.

Further information on this allowance can be found within Section 7.2 of the guidance

2. Applying for a grant

2.1 Application process

Potential applicants must first express an interest in the scheme by contacting economicdevelopment@newcastle.gov.uk. Please use ‘High Street Grants’ as your subject heading and provide a brief outline of your ideas/proposal.

If you meet the eligibility criteria, an officer will then be in contact to arrange a phone call to further discuss your proposal.  Following this, applicants will be sent an application form.

Once an application has been submitted a completeness and eligibility check will be undertaken before it is considered by the assessment panel.  The essential eligibility criteria are set out below.

We aim to make decisions within a month of the receipt of an application.  However, 

we may request further information or clarification on an application, and this may impact on the assessment schedule.

There is currently no deadline for this scheme, though this may change in the future as funding is awarded. We expect the first applications to be assessed in April 2023, with subsequent assessments taking place roughly every month (except December).

2.2 Assessment of the eligibility of your application

On receiving an application, we will check whether it meets the following essential criteria:

• Business is not in administration/insolvent/dissolved or subject to a striking off notice/proposal to strike off notice.
• Award of grant will not breach Subsidy Control limits (£315,000 as of January 2023).
• The application form is fully completed, signed, and dated and you must have sent us all the supporting information we ask for (including evidence of 3 quotes to demonstrate value for money).
• Application includes itemised breakdown of project costs and total project cost.
• Application includes explanation on how value for money is being obtained.

2.3 Panel assessment of the project

Applications will be considered by a panel who will review each on a case-by-case basis; and reach a view based on the strategic value of the investment in the wider context of the Newcastle East High Streets Project.

This assessment will consider whether the outputs that will be achieved by each grant will directly or indirectly contribute towards project output targets and provide good value for money. The panel may decide to approve, reject, or ask for further clarification or amendments to the proposals. There is no appeals process. 

The panel will use the following criteria to assess an application:

• Application demonstrates that event/activity will be focused on or around the target high streets (Shields Road, Chillingham Road, Heaton Road, Heaton Park Road, and Welbeck Road).
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate how the proposed event/activity will help to animate the high streets and facilitate better connections between residents, businesses, and communities in the project area.
• Application demonstrates that the proposed event/activity aligns to the values of the Newcastle East High Streets Project.
• Application demonstrates how the investment will deliver North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) outputs (number of cultural/tourism/community events taking place, and number of attendees participating in a cultural/tourism/community event).

Grant awards will be made at the levels set out above to applicants satisfying the above eligibility criteria, subject to the availability of resources.  

2.4 Receiving a grant offer

You will be notified in writing if you have been successful with your application.

Prior to receiving a formal offer of a grant, we will provide you with a Subsidy Control Eligibility letter to be returned where applicable, to confirm that the amount of financial assistance offered will not cause your organisation to exceed the Minimal Financial Assistance threshold. This is to ensure compliance with legal obligations governing the award of subsidies by the Council and other public bodies.

The grant offer will include:

• The maximum value of the grant as well the value of your match-funding and the grant intervention rate.
• Details of your grant including start and completion dates, outputs agreed, when payments will be made and when Monitoring Returns are due.
• General terms and conditions including how to promote the grant and details of document retention.

Together with your grant offer letter, we will send you:

• A Successful Applicant Pack, to include our financial claim form, output forms and logo pack.
• A Monitoring Return template to enable you to report your project’s progress and outputs on agreed dates.

You will have two weeks to accept the offer, and sign and return the offer.  On-going support will be provided by the project team throughout the delivery of your project.

Successful applicants will receive written confirmation stating that by accepting the grant payment, they confirm they are eligible for the grant scheme, including that any payments accepted will be subject to subsidy control requirements. 

2.5 Event Procedures & Permissions

Following a formal grant offer, an Event Application Form will need to be completed for all outdoor events to ensure the necessary permissions and safety arrangements are in place.  The form will be submitted to NCC’s Events Team for the relevant checks and support will be available to help applicants complete the necessary information.

If the event/activity is taking place indoors then we will ask for evidence that the required insurances are in place and risk assessments have been undertaken.    

2.6 Promoting your Project

As part of your grant offer letter, you will commit to acknowledging your Newcastle East High Streets grant.  We require that you make reference to the programme and the funding in your project’s promotional materials where applicable (websites, press releases and social media content), stating that it is funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority and the UK Government thorough the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and using logos that will be provided in a logo pack.

The wording below should be used:

“This [project] has been supported by the Newcastle East High Streets Programme, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the North of Tyne Combined Authority as the lead authority.”

For social media please use the hashtag #newcastleeasthighstreets

You will also be required to provide copies or screenshots of promotional materials at the end of the project.

2.7 Grant payment

The grant will typically be paid retrospectively once evidence of spend has been provided, though we will consider a more flexible schedule of payments according to the needs of the business/organisation.  A payment schedule will be included in the offer letter.

Payments will be paid on submission of a Claim Form(s) and production of invoices and receipts and evidence of defrayal e.g., a bank statement.

Final payment (10%) will only be made upon satisfactory completion of activity. 

You must also enclose the below documentation:

• For all events and activities held, a count of activity is expected to be provided including evidence, for example an event evaluation report.
• Verified attendance statistics should also be provided, as well as event sign in sheets with details of participants.
• You must also provide evidence of how the event/activities were publicised (for example, copies of flyers and other communication).

Documentation should be sent to economicdevelopment@newcastle.gov.uk

If you have any queries in relation to the payments or evidence we require, please contact Vanessa Nogueras, Programme Support Officer, on 0191 211 5673, or vanessa.nogueras@newcastle.gov.uk 

The last date you can claim money from us is 3 months from the completion of your project. If you expect any delays, please contact us as soon as possible.

Failure to deliver any output targets set may result in clawback. 

2.8 After project completion

Upon completion of your project, we will provide you with a Subsidy Control Confirmation Letter where applicable, with details of the total grant received, which you must retain for 3 years.

The grant approved is funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority and the UK Government thorough the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In accordance with funding regulations, you are required to keep relevant evidence until at least December 2033.

Grants are part of the Newcastle East High Streets Programme, funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with the North East Combined Authority as the lead authority.