Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund Phase Two

There are many recognised ‘High Streets’ sitting within town centres in York and North Yorkshire, as well as many smaller streets in rural localities and settlements that act as focal points for retail and community-focused activity. All are considered important; it is not the intention of this Fund to exclude any applicants seeking project funding to be delivered in what they consider to be their ‘High Street’ area.

Recognising that ‘High Streets’ are all different and have different needs across the York and North Yorkshire region, this programme will be open to flexible approaches and creative solutions led by the local businesses and community groups who know their ‘High Streets’ best.

In the Application, you will be asked to describe your ‘High Street’. Your description should demonstrate an excellent understanding of your High Street and explain the specific challenges and issues which will support the business case for the need for the project to make a positive and meaningful change.

The Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund is looking for projects which can support the rejuvenation of High Streets across York and North Yorkshire.

Our ambition is to create the High Street of the future. The role of High Streets is changing to become a local destination at the heart of a community, providing a mix of retail, functional, social and recreational services and experiences. Through bringing people back to their High Streets by diversifying the offer, we aim to drive an increase to the local economy.

This fund aims to support the creation of resilient High Streets, where increased collaboration and networking amongst different stakeholders and sectors will help small businesses to thrive and create a sense of place and belonging, tailored to the unique needs of each community.

The fund is open to partnerships rather than individual businesses or individual community groups. The Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets fund aims to champion collaborative working to create meaningful change which is representative of all voices on the High Street and supports long term sustainability.

The concepts below are provided as inspiration for ideas which may be a good strategic fit for the fund. It is not intended to be a complete list; there may be other solutions and approaches which would meet the objectives of the fund.

New experiences – How can we animate our spaces, create new attractions, celebrate heritage and culture to entice people back to our High Streets? What capital schemes could help to improve the environment of the High Street?

Accessible and age friendly town centres – How can we diversify our audiences to create an accessible town centre? How can we make our town centres exciting and attractive to all age groups and to meet the needs of a wide range of users?

Thriving Communities – How can our High Streets best support the specific needs of our communities? What approaches could boost the local economy, create employment opportunities, support health and wellbeing, or reduce inequalities? How can the High Street support physical and digital inclusion?

Flexible High Streets – What can be done to create a more flexible High Street, which can attract and support new audiences at different times of the day and increase staying time and spend? What does the High Street need to bring services closer to the people who need them?

Supporting local businesses to thrive – How can businesses work together collaboratively to best support each other to provide a cohesive and complementary offer on our High Streets to drive increased spend? How can community groups and businesses support each other to support increased spend on the High Street? What upskilling and training needs would support businesses on the High Street?

Community climate action – What community climate initiatives would support the High Street? What waste reduction or circular economy initiatives could support business growth and resilience? How can High Streets become more environmentally sustainable?

Strong applications will demonstrate consideration for the long-term sustainability for your project after the initial funding period.

Funding will be made available for High Street partnerships to design and develop projects to achieve at least one of the objectives below:

• Trialling of new and creative solutions to tackle local issues on the High Street
• Broadening audiences through creating a range of resident and visitor experiences to promote the High Street as a destination that offers events, activities and spaces to increase spend, footfall and staying time
• Supporting businesses and community assets on the High Street to improve their resilience, sustainability, expand their offer and introduce new goods and services
• Creating a High Street where businesses work alongside community partners to enhance vibrancy, improve engagement and meet the needs of local communities  

The deliverable and measurable outputs and outcomes that projects could aim to achieve, include (but are not limited to):

• Amount of public realm space improved (m2)
• Number of businesses reporting increased spend
• Number of businesses introducing new goods and services
• Number of workshops and training sessions providing tailored support and advice
• Number of vacant / empty units adapted or repurposed
• Number of community groups delivering activities in High Street locations
• Number of people reporting an improved perception of the High Street or Town Centre (qualitative survey data)
• Number of organisations reporting improved environmental sustainability (e.g. due to waste reduction, changing behaviour, or community climate initiatives)
• Increase in the number events forming part of a coordinated year round programme to attract residents and visitors to High Streets
• Increased levels of footfall
• Increased dwell time
• Increased levels of consumer spend (in a defined area, where data exists)

Projects are not expected to deliver against all outputs and outcomes here within a single application or project. Projects may identify and target a selection of these deliverables to focus on to monitor project progress and impact. For each output or outcome selected, applicants will be asked to explain how a current baseline level of activity will be determined and to demonstrate that sufficient resource is allocated at the start of the project to establish this baseline.

This list of outputs and outcomes is not exhaustive. There may be additional outputs and outcomes which you believe your project can realistically deliver and measure. The application form will allow you to include and submit these.

As part of the application, you will be asked to specify the quantities of outputs and outcomes that you estimate your project will achieve. For successful applications, this will inform the content of a grant funding agreement.

Applications for projects which cover multiple towns or the whole York and North Yorkshire region are welcomed. You will need to demonstrate connections with local partners have been established and that there is local demand for your service. If your project is a multi-town or regional application, please get in touch before submitting your application. 

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• Projects without measurable targets that relate to the programme objectives
• Projects which only support one business or one community group
• ‘Business as Usual’ and/or activities that the local authority, project deliverer, or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake – e.g. routine maintenance, cleaning, small repairs
• Capital schemes delivering building fabric energy efficiency measures, energy system optimisation schemes, renewable energy generation and battery storage.
• Digital trail apps
• Purchase of buildings

For activity which is already happening, such as existing events or initiatives, the application must clearly define what additionality the fund would provide.

In the application, you will be asked to provide a full breakdown of project costs. Examples of eligible costs can include but are not limited to:

• Revenue costs associated with e.g. running new events, hiring facilities, developing marketing concepts.
• Management fees associated with lead applicant administration of the grant and coordination of partnership (maximum 5% of total project costs) (e.g. monitoring, evaluation, claim forms, partnership coordination, monitoring and evaluation) Estimates for this type of cost should be detailed in the budget breakdown of your application.
• Capital costs e.g. purchasing equipment or carrying out improvements to public realm assets, infrastructure, or buildings (additional conditions may apply to grants for property improvements)
• Costs associated with established baseline data, market research and stakeholder engagement
• Reasonable staff costs associated with the delivery of activity directly linked to the project. Estimates for this type of cost should be detailed (approx hours x hourly rate) in the budget breakdown part of your application. Only time spent specifically working on this project would be claimable.

• Capital purchases of equipment which only benefits an individual business
• Capital expenditure on developments that have not secured the necessary permissions
• Capital expenditure on developments which will not be delivered within the Phase Two timeframe
• Expenditure on works or activity that is already fully funded from other sources, or that the local authority, project deliverer, end beneficiary or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake.
• Feasibility studies
• Recoverable VAT
• Project contingency costs and contingent liabilities

All applications submitted will be scored against a consistent appraisal framework. All applications and scoring will be presented to a moderation panel to make final decisions.   

For the appraisal of applications, HM Treasury’s 5 Cases methodology will be followed to ensure that applications demonstrate the strategic, economic, financial, commercial and management case for investment. This will require applicants to:

• Explain and evidence the Need for the project
• Explain and evidence the Strategic Fit with the programme objectives. Applications for new and creative activity will be considered favourably during appraisal. How your partnership demonstrates that it is representative of business and community voices will also be a consideration for appraisal.
• Explain and evidence the positive Impact the project will have and explain how measurable outputs and outcomes will be achieved. Any added value the project will achieve to maximise the public benefit from the grant funding should be described too. 
• Provide an accurate and reasonable breakdown of Project Costs and Outputs and Outcomes to determine Value for Money
• Explain how the project will be Deliverable in full within the timeframe. The Long-Term Sustainability of the initiative will also be a consideration for appraisal.
• Explain who will be Managing the Project, which partners will be collaborating, and their track record of delivery.

For successful applications, lead applicants will receive a grant offer letter and the process of contracting to enter into a funding agreement will begin. The grant offer letter and funding agreement will set requirements to: 

• Evidence that any outstanding conditions have been met or permissions secured, e.g. planning or highways approvals
• By default grants will be paid in arrears subject to evidence of defrayal (frequency and funding terms can be agreed with successful applicants at the point of award to allow the project to be delivered)

• Agree to data sharing protocols consistent with GDPR policy and the Privacy Policy of the Combined Authority.
• Adhere to Branding and Publicity guidelines which will be issued by the Combined Authority.
• Participate in providing monitoring information, focused on the reporting of expenditure, outputs and outcomes.
• Participate in Evaluation activities. This will be proportionate to the scale and scope of the project. For larger projects, there may be greater expectation on applicants (to provide case study material, to conduct surveys, to analyse value for money, etc.) over and above the reporting of outputs and outcomes.
• Participate in networking meetings alongside other successful applicants to help capture and communicate impact.

A copy of the latest accounts of the lead applicant will need to be submitted as part of application process.

For projects involving Capital works, your project will need to be compliant with all necessary Health and Safety Regulations, Building Regulations, CDM Regulations, Planning Regulations and any other applicable laws and standards.

For projects involving Capital works to buildings, written permission from the landlord is required at the application stage.

Appropriate insurance requirements as determined by activity will be required for all successful applications. 

Our High Streets Team and the Local Authority Business Support Teams are working across the region to offer advice and support on completing the application process.

Find the High Street Coordinator for your area here. 

Find your Local Authority Business Advisors for York and  North Yorkshire.