The Visit Tallahassee is now accepting applications for its Signature/Emerging Signature Events Grant Program.
Donor Name: Visit Tallahassee
State: Florida
County: Leon County (FL)
City: Tallahassee
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/28/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000–59,999
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
The Leon Country Tourist Development Council (TDC) was created pursuant to the State of Florida Local Option Tourist Development Act and Leon County Ordinance #88-01. The TDC administers funds collected from a local option Tourist Development Tax (TDT) on transient lodging sales. i.e. hotels/motels, and condominiums. The funds are designated to promote Tallahassee/Leon County as a preferred visitor destination for meetings and conventions, group leisure travel, special events, cultural activities and amateur sporting events.
Types of Grants
Signature Event
- An event that offers programming for the public over one or more days while demonstrating the potential to generate a minimum of 1,500 hotel room nights; Multiple day events, because of their broader economic impact to all aspects of the local economy, are preferred.
- Grant funding will not be considered for events that occurs during peak visitor periods. Peak visitor periods are generally defined as FSU home football game weekends anticipated to fill existing hotel room inventory, FAMU homecoming weekend, FSU or FAMU spring and fall graduation weekends, and Monday through Thursday during the regular legislative session. Sports and Special Events grants may be permitted during some FSU home football game weekends except for those games anticipated to fill existing hotel room inventory. Each year the Director of Tourism will provide the recommended “peak period” dates to the TDC for consideration/approval prior to the start of each grant cycle application period.
- An event that significantly distinguishes and elevates the appeal of Tallahassee/Leon County and has the potential to generate state, national and international media exposure.
- An event that has broad visitor and public appeal for motivating travel.
- An event that has an established organizational structure to fully plan, market and produce the event.
- An annual event.
Emerging Signature Event
- When an existing event meets the definition of a Signature Event, yet only estimates generating between 1,250 – 1,499 hotel room nights, and historically generates near that amount, the event may apply to be considered for designation as an Emerging Signature Event that may be eligible for increased funding and marketing support from the Leon County Division of Tourism/Visit Tallahassee.
- An Emerging Signature Event is an existing event with a record of growing attendance and room nights whose organization is interested, willing and able to grow their event to generate at least 1,500 room nights.
- Organizations must work with Leon County Division of Tourism/Visit Tallahassee staff to identify event enhancements and marketing opportunities to transition from Special or Sports Event status to Emerging Signature event grant status and funding levels.
- Organizations must be able to identify and document in their grant application what new features or aspects will be added to help grow the event, i.e. add another day of activities.
- Organizations must also agree and allow Leon County Division of Tourism/Visit Tallahassee’s Research firm of record to conduct an economic impact study of the event to substantiate/verify the event generated at or around 1,250 hotel room nights. If the initial study indicates the room nights generated did not reach the 1,250 target for hotel room nights, the organization will move back into the Special Event grant program for one year before they may reapply for the Emerging Signature Event status again.
Funding Information
Grant Request Funding Level:
- Room Nights (1,250 – 1,499): $10,000 – 14,999
- Room Nights (1,500 – 1,999): $15,000 – 25,999
- Room Nights (2,000 – 2,999): $26,000 – 37,999
- Room Nights (3,000 – 3,999): $38,000 – 49,999
- Room Nights (4,000 – 5,000): $50,000 – 59,999
Allowable Expenses
Allowable expenses include:
- Promotion, marketing and paid advertising/media buys that reach outside Tallahassee/Leon County with potential to drive overnight visitation.
- Event production and technical expenses, site fees/costs (contract help, rentals, insurance) rights fees, sanction fees, non-monetary awards and travel expenses including lodging.
Eligibility Criteria
The intent of the Signature/Emerging Signature Event Grant Program is to provide funding assistance for events that attract overnight visitors to Tallahassee/Leon County and create business for the commercial lodging industry, (hotels/motels, condominiums, short-term vacation rentals), as well as restaurants, retail establishments and other tourism related business activities. In addition to being compliant with F.S. 125.0104 the following criteria have been established to be considered for funding:
- Each application must include a signed Certification and Compliance page.
- Event must take place between October 1 and September 30 of the upcoming fiscal year.
- The event must have the potential to bring-out-of-town visitors that use commercial lodging establishments in Tallahassee/Leon County.
- Applicant must provide a marketing/promotional plan that demonstrates out-of market advertising/promotion to reach potential visitors.
- Applicant must provide a detailed event budget.
For more information, visit Visit Tallahassee.
