01

Ambassador / Greeter Welcome programme funding

Visitor Information & Marketing

Ambassador / Greeter Welcome programme Ambassador / Greeter Welcome programme funding

02Visitor Information & Marketing |

Ambassador / Greeter Welcome programme funding

Potential costs

Volunteer residents and paid Ambassadors have been introduced to successfully supplement local tourism Welcome services across England over recent years.

However, some costs (financial and / or in kind) will need to be met and the level of funding required will depend on the Programme’s nature, size and availability of existing best practice and support services.

Costs are likely to include:

• Recruitment and selection.

• Training and CRB checks (if you require them).

• ID badges, perhaps uniforms (or part of uniforms) if you provide them.

• Web pages which can be used to promote the Programme and connect visitors

with the Ambassadors / Greeters.

• Travel expenses (if you provide them).

• Set up and management costs.

03Visitor Information & Marketing |

Potential sources of funding

Potential pots of funding / support are likely to change periodically, in line with European, National and Local priorities, but this document aims to give a snapshot guide.

• Applications for The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) must be made to regional offices before March 2013, although legacy may continue. A joint EU / Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs resource, RDPE supports rural areas to promote growth, diversification and innovation. Rural Skills and the Rural Economic Grant could be utilised for Welcome Greeter / Ambassador Programme. (www.defra.gov.uk/rural/rdpe/) Projects with similar outcomes have been RDPE funded in Cumbria, Yorkshire and Hadrian’s Wall.

• Available for destinations covering the South coast, INTERREG IV projects must be submitted in partnership with French organisations. INTERREG funding has been used to successfully establish Greeters in Kent and partner destinations in Northern France. Projects must reinforce the sense of belonging to a common space, build partnerships, build attractive places to live and visit and ensure environmental development. Again decisions will be made by March 2013, with delivery following.

• Round 3 of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is open until June 2012, with a recent announcement that RGF will be extended to March 2015 due to its success. Match funded private investment and private partnership projects aim to promote growth and employment in areas and communities most affected by public sector cuts. Bids must be for a minimum of £1m, so could be suitable for a number of Programmes working in partnership or for Ambassadors / Greeters as part of a wider Welcome programme. Several Las and LEPs have successfully bid for RGF (http://www.bis.gov.uk/RGF).

• Destinations in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are eligible for European Regional Development fund (ERDF) Convergence until March 2013. Convergence should improve the conditions for growth and development (www.convergencecornwall.com/convergence-investments/). All other destinations can apply for ERDF Competitiveness funding to promote innovation, knowledge transfer, to stimulate enterprise and support businesses and communities. Convergence and Competitiveness funding have established many successful tourism projects.

04Visitor Information & Marketing |

• Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the recent addition of Tourism Business Improvement Districts (TBIDs), offer a source of funding for tourism programmes. A study by ‘England’s Core Cities Group’ has been shared on this website (www.visitengland.org/Images/Intro%20to%20TBIDs_tcm30-29357.pdf )

• The Cabinet Office launched Big Society Capital in June 2011 for social enterprise, using funds from dormant accounts and High Street Bank investment. Applications will be made to an independent committee, via The Big Lottery Fund, for projects. The Big Lottery Fund (www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/) also offers access to several other relevant funding streams, including Awards for All, Coastal Communities Fund and People and Places.

• Business in the Community groups across the UK both offer volunteers from their own organisations and potential funding for projects which hit their Corporate Social Responsibility Targets. Contacts can be found at http://www.bitc.org.uk/.

• French and New York Greeters ask visitors for voluntary donations, also securing significant private sponsorship and in kind support from local tourism businesses.

• Big Apple Greeters ask visitors and residents to consider donating in Legacies and organise impressive events and benefits to raise awareness.

• Also raising awareness, Winchester Greeters offer Greets for MPs and Kent Media Greeters use their skills to welcome visiting journalists. • Kent Greeters and Manchester Event Volunteers utilise volunteers’ skills and experience to provide back office functions and to supervise the team. • The volunteer sector can provide significant support to attract volunteers, with a national network of Volunteer Centres, Volunteer Offices in most Las and online resources such as www.do-it.org.uk and www.timebank.org.uk