Helping Barrow’s businesses grow, improve and thrive

The Barrow BID Business Grant Scheme has been created to help make Barrow town centre a better, busier and brighter place to visit, while supporting local businesses to invest, develop and grow.

Over the next five years, Barrow BID is investing £60,000 into the scheme, with the aim of supporting around 50 business projects across the town centre.

The scheme provides 50% match funding towards eligible project costs, giving businesses the opportunity to make improvements and investments that may otherwise be difficult to fund. Grant payments are exclusive of VAT.

Invest in your business

Business Development Grants are available for a wide range of projects designed to help town centre businesses improve their offer, enhance their premises, develop new initiatives and invest in their future.

Whether you're looking to make a physical improvement to your business, introduce something new, improve your customer experience or undertake a project that supports the growth and development of your business, the scheme could help make it happen.

Businesses can apply for a grant towards a single project or a wider project incorporating multiple improvements or initiatives, subject to the maximum match-funding amount available for the relevant category.

How does the funding work?

The grant scheme operates on a retrospective payment basis.

This means successful applicants must have the full project costs available upfront and be in a position to commence their project before grant funding is paid.

Once the project has been completed, applicants will be required to provide relevant paid invoices within 90 days of the grant offer date before the grant payment can be released.

In simple terms:

You invest → You complete the project → You provide your paid invoices → Barrow BID reimburses 50% of eligible costs

We want to help businesses turn good ideas into real improvements for their customers, their businesses and the wider town centre.

If you've got an idea that could help make your business better, this could be the opportunity to make it happen. 

Eligible applicants are:

• Barrow BID Levy Payers
• New businesses moving into current qualifying BID Levy hereditaments
• Voluntary BID Levy Payers (Max grant £1,000)

Projects could include:

• Exterior Improvements to a property.
• Bringing a vacant property back into use.
• Sustainability or accessability improvements.
• Provision of community or communal space.
• Energy efficiency/green energy improvements.
• Staff Training/Development
• Installation of CCTV

Please find below the grant criteria and a PDF version of the application form.

By submitting an application you are confirming your full understanding and acceptance of the grant criteria.

If you have any queries or would like to arrange a meeting to discuss your scheme, contact the BID Team, manager@barrowbid.co.uk 

Business Grant downloads

Download the Business Grant guidance and criteria information by clicking the button below:

Apply online for a Business Development Grant below (opens in Google Forms):

Download a printable copy of the Business Development Grant application form by clicking the button below:

Download an editable copy of the Business Development Grant application form by clicking the button below (Word Document):