The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is accepting applications for its Special Events & Festivals Program to assist with marketing and production of established Virginia special events and festivals.
Donor Name: Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC)
State: Virginia
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/11/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Preference is given to special events and festivals that have a significant and positive economic impact on the Virginia local community with significant local/regional cash or in-kind match.
Funding Levels
Funding Available: $800,000
- Tier One: 500-4,999 attendees; up to $5,000 award with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
- Tier Two: 5,000-19,999 attendees; up to $10,000 award with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
- Tier Three: 20,000+ attendees; up to $20,000 award with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants to the Special Events & Festivals Sponsorship Program…
- Must be a tourism-oriented business/organization applying for an event or festival occurring in 2 or more years since 2017. The event or festival must be a minimum of two consecutive days. The goal of this program is to increase overnight event visitation and visitor spending.
- Events must show a significant and positive economic impact on the surrounding community.
- Must be an operational business/organization and have a FEIN or SSN (if sole proprietor)
- Cannot be a personal health and wellness business, such as nail salons, gyms, massage parlors, and yoga studios. The aforementioned businesses located in a lodging resort, as a tourism attraction, are eligible to apply.
- Cannot be a federal or state agency.
- Cannot be a vendor of services, such as an advertising agency, PR firm, printing agency, television channel, web developer, influencer, marketing consultant, etc.
- Cannot apply for a start-up event.
- Cannot apply for an event/concert series that occurs weekly or monthly such as First Friday events. Event series can apply for the Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program or the Marketing Leverage Program.
- Cannot apply for an event with fewer than 500 attendees. Events with fewer than 500 attendees can apply for the Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program or Marketing Leverage Program.
For more information, visit VTC.
