The Alliance for Downtown New York, the nonprofit managing Lower Manhattan’s business improvement district, has opened applications for its new Walking Tour Incubator Grant Program.
Donor Name: Alliance for Downtown New York
State: New York
City: New York City
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/10/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $12,500
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
The Walking Tour Incubator Grant Program will award grants of up to $12,500 each to five tourism entrepreneurs who will develop a walking tour experience that can be sustained in Lower Manhattan for at least one year. Applicants do not need to have walking tour experience, but should demonstrate entrepreneurial instincts and the ability to illustrate a path to success. Each applicant should offer an idea for a walking tour that is compelling and original. A preference will be given to those who go beyond the traditional downtown highlights and do not solely focus on the role of the financial industry in Lower Manhattan’s evolution.
Walking tours can incorporate areas south of Chambers Street in Lower Manhattan, including Battery Park City, the Seaport and Governors Island, and may touch on a wide variety of subject matters, such as: running tours, food tours, historical tours, points of interest off the beaten path or film-and-TV tours. They encourage BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and other underrepresented groups to apply.
Funding Information
The program will award grants of up to $12,500 each — $7,500 now with a possible additional installment of $5,000 based on completion of goals — to five entrepreneurs who can develop compelling and original walking tour experiences that can be sustained in Lower Manhattan for at least one year.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible participants must meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrate an ability to run a business.
- Have some relevant familiarity with tourism, preferably with NYC at large or specifically Lower Manhattan.
- Be based close enough to NYC that they can effectively run and scale a localized tour seven days a week.
- Aim to not only launch a walking tour business, but also scale it beyond the one-person operation.
For more information, visit Alliance for Downtown New York.
