The Tourist Development Council (TDC) Grants Program is responsive on a quarterly basis to organizations/events which promote Miami-Dade County’s appeal as a tourist destination by sponsoring tourist-oriented sports events, cultural and special events (visual and performing arts, including theater, concerts, recitals, opera, dance, art exhibitions, and festivals) and television origination projects.
Donor Name: Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs
State: Florida
County: Miami-Dade County (FL)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The TDC’s objective in funding events is to attract tourists from outside of Miami-Dade County into the area; encourage overnight stays in Miami-Dade County motels and hotels; and perpetuate an environment for growth in the tourism industry in Miami-Dade County. The TDC investments are focused on further developing exemplary existing programs and stimulating new activities. Applicants not meeting these criteria should consider applications to other Department programs. The TDC will provide priority attention to grant requests for activities and events that serve as major tourism generators in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year (July – September). The TDC, a nine-member volunteer advisory board established by Florida Statute Section 125.0104, meets as a panel to review and make funding recommendations to the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners with the idea of developing and enhancing the image of Miami-Dade County locally, nationally and internationally.
Categories
The Tourist Development Council awards grants to not-for-profit organizations, local government and/or municipalities, and for-profit organizations producing tourist-oriented activities in four categories:
- Special Events/Promotions – including major festivals, performances, events and programs with significant cultural or entertainment components that attract national and international attention and are promoted and open to the public.
- Sporting Events – including professional and amateur level national and international competitions that can provide specific evidence of substantially increasing the economic activity at hotels within Miami-Dade County. Collegiate sporting activities are ineligible, except for major tournaments or events with significant, quantifiable tourism impact for Miami-Dade County, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Television – telecast programs, syndicated productions, and documentaries promoting Miami-Dade County. Commercial films/movies are not eligible for funding through the TDC.
- Government/Municipalities – producing major festivals, performances, events, and programs with significant cultural or entertainment components that attract national and international attention and are promoted and open to the public.
Funding Information
- Division A – Total Project Budget of $50,000 or less may request up to $5,000.
- Division B – Total Project Budget of $50,001 – $100,000 may request up to $10,000.
- Division C – Total Project Budget of $100,001 – $250,000 may request up to $25,000.
- Division D – Total Project Budget above $250,000 may request up to $35,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be eligible to apply, an organization must:
- be legally incorporated as a NOT-FOR-PROFIT corporation, with a designated tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, or a unit of local GOVERNMENT/MUNICIPALITY, with a designated Federal Employment Identification number. Applications from not-for-profit organizations designated tax-exempt under other subsections of 501(c) will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Proof of incorporation (entire document with State stamp) and IRS tax-exempt designation is required at the time of application; or
- be a FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION with a designated Federal Employment Identification number. Proof of incorporation (entire document with State stamp) and IRS designation is required at the time of application. FOR-PROFIT projects must have less than a three-year track record in Miami-Dade County. Funding for FOR-PROFIT activities and projects shall be considered only when such funding may be instrumental in attracting large-scale annual events to establish Miami-Dade County as their permanent location and/or in providing incentive to encourage FOR-PROFIT organizations to choose Miami-Dade County as the location for major, one-time tourism-attracting activities or projects;
- be active and in good standing with regard to its registration status with the Florida Division of Corporations pursuant to Chapter 617, Florida Statutes;
- NOT be an educational organization or facility (such as a daycare/preschool or school)
- NOT be a higher education institution whose proposed project is for degree seeking academic purposes, in service of other academic purposes or is primarily for the academic community’s benefit;
- NOT be a religious organization whose proposed project, in whole or in part, is designed to promote religious or sectarian activities or to encourage the preference of a particular religion;
- present the project for which funding is being sought in Miami-Dade County for the benefit of Miami-Dade County tourists and residents;
- have both a strong tourism and cultural component;
- ensure that projects are open and accessible to Miami-Dade County tourists and residents;
- utilize hotels located within the boundaries of Miami-Dade County as their “event hotels; “and
- be in full compliance with grant agreement requirements of any previous grants provided through the Tourist Development Council or other Miami-Dade County funding sources, including timely and satisfactory submission of all reports.
- In addition to the eligibility requirements listed above for stand-alone arts organizations, public or private institutions of higher education must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- The application’s primary mission is to present or produce artistic/cultural programming;
- The public at-large is the primary target audience and direct beneficiaries of the program;
- The organization’s programming is not directly related to the university’s academic programs; and
- The organization’s programming is not primarily for the academic community’s benefit.
For more information, visit MDCDCA.
