This is one of six UK Shared Prosperity Key Funds available in Wrexham County Borough. Funding for the grant is provided by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

UK Government logo
Levelling Up logo

The purpose of this grant is to contribute towards the aims that will be set out in our Placemaking Plan - to improve the centre of Wrexham and encourage people to re-imagine and influence how it should look, feel, and function. 

The ambition to become the UK City of Culture in 2029, with the submission due in 2025, means the next few years are a critical period for shaping the centre of Wrexham. As part of this ambition, we want to encourage high quality large-scale events that contribute towards developing the economy.

A total of £55,000 has now been made available to apply for; to host one-off events that increase footfall within the city centre and make an impact to the county borough. 

The following grants are available:

  • 3 x £10,000 grants
  • 5 x £5000 grants

We are inviting cultural organisations, community groups, businesses, and third sector organisations to apply for these grants to deliver cultural activity to take place within Wrexham City Centre before October 31, 2024.

To be eligible to apply, the applicant must be a constituted and established voluntary organisation, business or community group, and have a bank or building society account in the name of the organisation or have a host organisation willing to accept the funds on your behalf.

Payments will not be made to individuals. Applications from individuals will not be accepted. 

Application objectives

Applications must meet the following core criteria:

  • Demonstrate the ability to accurately capture/measure and report the mandatory SPF output of levels of increased footfall during the event and contribute to delivery of wider SPF outputs and outcomes within the boundaries of the city centre as outlined within the Placemaking Plan
  • Demonstrate that the event is adding something of high value to the local community, adding something new and different to the current cultural offer
  • Demonstrate that SPF funding is a requirement to enable this event or activity to go ahead 
  • All promotion and marketing related to the activity must indicate funding support through SPF through inclusion of the ‘Levelling Up’ logo, and support of the Wrecsam 2029 City of Culture bid through inclusion of the campaign’s logo
  • Events must take place and all funding must be spent by October 31, 2024
  • The grant will be paid retrospectively therefore your organisation will have to cover the project costs in order to complete the project before claiming the grant from SPF. Interim expenditure claims can be submitted before the event/activity is completed

Applications that meet one or more of the following local objectives are likely to be scored higher:

  • Promoting Wrexham as the centre of trade and events in North Wales
  • Demonstrating Wrexham’s ambition/ability to host events and activity of international significance
  • Celebrating Wrexham’s desire to be The UK “Capital of Play”
  • Showing Wrexham as a leader in innovation
  • Emphasis on Welsh language and heritage
  • Celebrating cultural diversity and improving accessibility to events/activities
  • Demonstrate why Wrexham would deserve the title of ‘UK City of Culture 2029’

Projects are likely to score higher where:

  • They demonstrate how they will address a current gap in provision or an identified need
  • They reference how activities are relevant to local plans and strategies
  • They refer to any market research, needs analysis or local statistics to support the project
  • They provide evidence from any pilot projects or previous activity to demonstrate sufficient need and demand
  • Existing delivery partners have indicated that there is no duplication with existing provision
  • They complement or add value to existing activity and provision to create a legacy
  • They refer to any local consultation or engagement exercises and explain how this has influenced the development of the project
  • They demonstrate clear support from local partners and stakeholders and explain how they have been engaged
  • They explain the roles of local partners and stakeholders in project implementation
  • They are deliverable within the stated timescale
  • The delivery milestones are realistic and achievable
  • They represent an efficient mode of delivery
  • The project budget is realistic and has been calculated on sound evidence
  • It will operate at an appropriate scale and the management, administration and overheads costs are proportionate to the activity and project delivery costs
  • They can provide an element of cash match funding
  • The stated outputs and outcomes reflect project activities and are achievable
  • The project costs are proportionate to proposed outputs, outcomes and beneficiaries
  • The projects have the potential to make a significant and meaningful contribution to Wrexham
  • It is clear that the projects would not proceed, or could only be delivered on a smaller scale without UK SPF support

Projects are likely to score higher where the applicant organisation (and any delivery partners):

  • Have the necessary skills and experience in delivering a project of this size and scale
  • Have the required resources (staff, organisational, operational) and expertise
  • Have the capacity and capability to manage the project as described

Applications must demonstrate reasonable costs for activity / value for money, and any expenditure must be evidenced in respect of all costs.

Organisations must keep records, receipts and invoices of monies spent for a period of 10 years in order to allow our internal or external auditors access if required.

How to apply

Submit a full application form to outline your project and allow us to verify if your organisation and proposed project is eligible to apply to the key fund. The form will be provided through MyAccount, which allows you to save progress, upload evidence and prepare your full application for submission. 
 

You will need to register an account for your organisation on MyAccount to be able to do this.

Start now

Once full applications are received, the next steps will be:

  1. The full application will be appraised by the relevant key fund team.
  2. Views sought from relevant stakeholders.
  3. The Local Advisory Panel will assess and prioritise the project, then approve or reject the full application. 
  4. All applicants will be advised of a decision.
  5. We will then issue formal grant funding agreements for successful applications 

By submitting a full application, you authorise us (Wrexham Council) to make any necessary enquiries to check any information that is required for the administration of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme. The information you provide may also be shared with others as stated within Wrexham’s Key Fund Privacy Notice. 

Deadlines and timeframe for applications 

Full applications must be received by March 31, 2024.

Future opportunities to submit bids may be opened, if funds remain available.

You will be notified of the outcome of your application by email.

When will the grant payment be made?

Payments to applicants will be made retrospectively once evidenced expenditure claims (receipts and invoices) are submitted. Interim expenditure claims can be submitted before the event/activity is completed.