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Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau Offers 6 Grants for Local Events
(FINDLAY, Ohio, January 15, 2019) The Hancock County Convention & Visitors Bureau is once again offering grant programs in 2019 to support local events. The Community Connect Program, Co Op Advertising Grant, Tourism Development Program and Tourism Growth Program, as well as two new programs, the Tournament Builder Program and Rebrand/Annual Program Marketing will be available.
- The Community Connect Program: No matching funds necessary, up to $500. Special consideration will be given to rural events taking place outside of the City of Findlay. Funds must be used for marketing and advertising costs, and applications are due 30 days before the date of the event.
- The Co Op Advertising Grant: A 50% matching grant, up to $3,000. Funds must be used for advertising and promotion costs, and applications are due 60 days before the date of the event.
- The Tourism Development Program: A 50% matching grant, up to $8,000. Eligible events must be new events in year one or two of existence. Organizations are limited to one application per year. Applications for events occurring March 1, 2019-February 28, 2020 are due Monday, February 11, 2019.
- The Tourism Growth Program: A 50% matching grant, up to $5,000. Eligible events must be already established, with concrete plans for significant growth and must be in year one or two of growth period. Organizations are limited to one application per year. Applications for events occurring March 1, 2019-February 28, 2020 are due Monday, February 11, 2019.
- Tournament Builder Program: A 50% matching grant, up to $5,000. Assist Sports Tournaments by building awareness of the Findlay area and show a growth pattern that benefits the community, including a track record of overnight stays. Organizations are not limited to a single application. Applications for events occurring March 1, 2019-February 28, 2020 are due Monday, February 11, 2019.
- Rebrand/Annual Program Marketing: A 50% matching grant, up to $5,000. Assist with marketing costs of an organization rebrand or the general marketing of a venue or non-profit organization and must fit within the CVB mission. Special preference given to organizations that adhere to one of the four CVB priority areas (Overnight Accommodations, Signature Events, Community Image Building and Hospitality Partnership Growth) and a strategic regional marketing reach outside of Hancock County. Rebrand/Marketing Project must take place within 2019 year, applications are due Monday, February 11, 2019
Also new this year is the ability to create an account on VisitFindlay.com to save grant information year-to-year, making the process easier and faster – especially for repeat applicants. Accounts can also be used to add events to the VisitFindlay.com calendar, making the process more efficient.
In 2018, more than $150,000 was awarded by the CVB to support community events including sports tournaments and races, agricultural programs, festivals, conferences, cultural and heritage programming and performing arts. Beyond grant dollars, the CVB has many free resources available for those planning events, working on travel & tourism-related projects, and community members as well. Call or email to ensure you are taking advantage of all that your CVB has to offer!
For detailed information about the grant programs, or to obtain a copy of the applications, go to VisitFindlay.com and click on the menu for “Meeting and Partner Resources”. Or, call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 419.422.3315, or email [email protected].
