Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing has announced that it will award $75,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching grants through the Market Vermont program to help Vermont-based organizations and businesses promote themselves outside of the state. Applicants may seek up to $10,000 for their project. Approved by the Vermont Travel and Recreation Council, Market Vermont matching grants are intended to help organizations and businesses initiate or expand events, marketing programs, advertising campaigns and public relations programs that hold great promise of producing significant, measurable increases in non-resident visits to Vermont, with the collateral goals of increasing visitor spending in Vermont.
The grant recipients, which will be awarded for Fiscal Year 2017, will be chosen by the Vermont Travel and Recreation Council.
“We are pleased to be offering a matching grant program that will help to promote Vermont as a travel destination,” said Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing Commissioner Megan Smith. “Working in partnership with local businesses and destinations to promote Vermont as a premier destination helps us to increase the total marketing spend for both the state and the partner.”
Any non-profit or profit-seeking organization with proven visitor draw to Vermont which is legally established in the State of Vermont may apply for a Market Vermont matching grant. Individuals as well as municipal, State of Vermont and federal organizations are ineligible.
Market Vermont grant monies must be invested exclusively in out-of-state marketing, advertising, promotion, sales materials, publicity, trade shows, consumer events or other activities specifically designed to encourage out-of-state guests to visit Vermont individually or in groups.
Market Vermont grant monies may not be used to pay for salaries, employee benefits, equipment purchases, rent, shipping, insurance, travel and entertainment, administrative or fixed overhead expenses of running an organization. Market Vermont grants may not be combined with other State of Vermont-funded programs or used to promote partisan positions or matters of political concern.
For a complete overview of the Market Vermont grant matching program, please visit the State of Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development website.