The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) invites non-profit and government organizations to submit applications for the Legacy Investment From Tourism (LIFT) Fund.
Donor Name: Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
State: North Carolina
County: Buncombe County (NC)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/01/2023
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The BCTDA’s LIFT Fund provides financial investment through grants, loan guarantees, or pledges of debt service to tourism-related capital projects that will increase patronage of lodging facilities and benefit the community at large in Buncombe County.
The BCTDA’s capital project investment funds are made possible solely through lodging taxes paid by overnight visitors staying in hotels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts in Buncombe County.
The BCTDA estimates that $10.3 million will be available for the LIFT Fund investments this year.
The LIFT Fund can be used to support the following types of tourism-related capital projects:
- Construction of a new location or relocation
- Expansion of an existing location
- Restoration or rehabilitation of an existing location
- Maintenance of a tourism-related capital project
- Design of a tourism-related capital project
- Project administration of a tourism-related capital project
- Enhancement of natural resources
- Expansion of necessary infrastructure
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicant must be a federally recognized non-profit organization or government entity.
- If the applicant is a non-profit organization, the organization must have been in operation for at least 2 years at the time of application.
Project Eligibility
- Project must be principally located in Buncombe County.
- Project must be a tourism-related capital project.
- Project must (1) demonstrate ability to increase patronage of lodging facilities, meeting facilities, and convention facilities in Buncombe County by attracting tourists, business travelers, or both and (2) benefit the community at large in Buncombe County.
- Project must demonstrate ability to balance both resident and visitor needs.
- Project must not solely benefit a single lodging owner, lodging property, or be situated on a lodging property.
- At time of application, applicant must have legal control of the property through recorded deed or long-term lease agreement. If property is owned by a municipal partner, such as the City or County, a non-profit organization may provide a letter of support or other agreement with the municipal partner.
- Applicant must show how a minimum of a 1-to-1 funding match to the requested grant amount (excluding in-kind goods and services) will be achieved.
For more information, visit BCTDA.
