Visit Durango is inviting applicants for Round 2 of its 2023 Destination Advancement Grant to promote La Plata County as a socially and environmentally sustainable destination to live and visit.
Donor Name: Visit Durango
State: Colorado
County:
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/30/2023
Details:
The grant aims to lessen the environmental impact of businesses and non-profits, supporting Visit Durango’s and other governmental initiatives and developing new tourism businesses which promote a triple-bottom-line approach.
To responsibly utilize the lodger’s tax, grant projects should aim to enhance both the visitor and resident experience while promoting climate resiliency in La Plata County.
Potential Projects types and examples:
Project Types: Environmental Sustainability and Resilience:
- Improvements to existing venues and facilities to reduce resource use.
- New products to lessen the environmental impact of the business sector.
- Wayfinding and signage improvements along visitor corridors and/or to attractions, trailheads, and destination icons.
- Programs and initiatives that support Visit Durango’s or other municipalities’ ongoing initiatives, such as the Dark Sky Certification.
- Help with Trail maintenance or habitat restoration.
Project Types: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Hire an outside auditor for certifications
- Training for Staff in DEI subjects.
- Enhance workers’ quality of life and economic opportunity.
- Accessibility and ADA upgrades to a business, building, or venue.
- Decrease burden or hardship of underrepresented groups.
Project Type: Experience/Development Examples
- Agritourism tours highlighting local cuisine.
- Astrotourism experience.
- Guided outdoor recreational tours connecting landscapes and historical elements. Educational programming for Visitors.
- Ecotourism Opportunity Development.
Project Type: Process/Product Development:
- New product or tour that fulfills a gap in the County’s current visitor offerings.
- Develop water savings for a specific type of business.
- Products that could be used by multiple businesses, i.e. reusable coffee cup company.
- New tour company
Eligibility Criteria
- Grants for existing organizations must be located within La Plata County and be recognized by the state of Colorado as a for-profit or non-profit entity.
- Grantee organizations or businesses must be in good standing and not be in violation of any state, federal, or local laws or regulations.
- For-profit entities, a portion of your business income must come from tourism-related activities within La Plata County. The exact percentage will vary depending on the type of business, but all applicants must demonstrate a commitment to serving and benefiting visitors in region. This requirement helps to ensure that the funds are allocated towards businesses that directly contribute to the growth and success of local tourism economy.
- Non-Profit entities must demonstrate a commitment to serving and benefiting visitors in region.
- Grants for Organization Development require two letters of support and a business model canvas or business plan.
- For-profit entities are encouraged to consider applying for Visit Durango Destination Advancement Grant funding with a non-profit partner. Projects demonstrating collaboration between multiple community organizations of various sizes are more likely to receive grant funding.
- Promote innovative and scalable solutions.
- In case of a project scope change, grantees must notify and seek change approval from the Visit Durango grant committee.
- Interim Report to be submitted by the deadline outlined in the Grant Timeline section
- Grantee organizations or businesses must publicly recognize the funding support of Visit Durango by following Visit Durango’s branding requirements.
- Grantee organizations or businesses must submit a written report to Visit Durango at the end of the grant period, which includes a financial summary of how grant funds were utilized and demonstrates project impact on the criteria outlined in the grant award.
For more information, visit Visit Durango.
