Tourism Organization to Award Grants
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowVisit South Bend Mishawaka will award up to $110,000 in tourism grants next year. The funding is designed to boost marketing efforts for events or organizations that create a “sense of place” for residents and drive economic development. November 24, 2014
News Release
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – St. Joseph County organizations and events exhibiting positive tourism potential have a unique opportunity to gain some extra marketing dollars with the help of a tourism grant. Up to $110,000 will be awarded to qualifying events and organizations, marking the first year the grant will total this amount. The funds are being allocated by the St. Joseph County Hotel-Motel Tax Board while the grant program will be administered by Visit South Bend Mishawaka.
“Grant support from Visit South Bend Mishawaka allows us to promote the events to a wider market, creating larger and more impactful events for the community,” says Jackie Appleman, director of communications & development for Downtown South Bend, Inc. (DTSB). “Through their grant program, Visit South Bend Mishawaka assists in creating a sense of place for our residents, a getaway for our visitors, and economic development for our businesses.”
This is the fifth year Visit South Bend Mishawaka has had the opportunity to offer the grant funds, which has awarded $350,000 to qualified recipients in the previous four years. The grant funds will be used to assist qualified organizations with the promotion of tourism activities striving to directly increase hotel/motel occupancy and create visibility for St. Joseph County. Applicants must be organizations seeking to produce and promote a well-defined tourism-oriented festival or event. Grant funds are to be used in the 2015 calendar year. The maximum funding level for any one application is $10,000.
Previous recipients of the tourism grant include Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, DTSB Art Beat, Studebaker National Museum, Center for History, Discover New Carlisle, Irish Aquatics, Bike the Bend, Sugar Camp Days and many others.
“I'd recommend that any not-for-profit organization contemplating a grant application to jump at the opportunity,” says Carol Saladin from Irish Aquatics. “The process is easy and Visit South Bend Mishawaka personnel are there to help from start to finish!”
Application, grant guidelines/requirements and evaluation criteria information is available at the Visit South Bend Mishawaka office, 401 E. Colfax Ave., Suite 310, South Bend, or on the homepage of our website visitsouthbend.com. Applications are due by January 9, 2015.
Source: Visit South Bend Mishawaka