TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM

Festivals & special events application

This grant supports festivals or special events that are hosted within Porter County, have a theme that will attract a sizable number of attendees—including people from outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties—are longer than one day, and encourage overnight stays in our local lodging.
Name of festival or event*
Date of festival or event*
ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
Organization or business applying for grant
Contact person*
Mailing address*
Street Address City State Zip code
Phone*
Email*
Website
Tax ID number
Date of Incorporation
Describe your organization or business
List total dollar amount requesting
Maximum request—$2,500 (first year); $1,500 (second year); and $1,000 (third year). We only fund festivals and events for three years. This grant program is a 50% matching, reimbursable grant. If you are approved for a $2,500 grant, you must spend $5,000 in qualified marketing to receive the $2,500. Also, you will only be reimbursed for your expenses after your event or project is completed.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Location of event (include address)
Name Address City State ZIP
Please give a description of your festival or event.
Write a description that gives a good understanding of your overall festival or event. IMPORTANT: you need to write this description with the assumption that no one knows anything about your event.
Summarize how this festival or event will be marketed.
Give a DETAILED description of your overall marketing plan to attract visitors from outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties to your event. The description of the marketing plan is an important deciding factor for receiving funds. Describe how each marketing tool will achieve your goals.
Advertising or promotion placed outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Radio, TV, or newspaper ads placed outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Direct mail or brochures distributed outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Posters or flyers distributed outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Website development (NOT operation)
Professional event speaker with name recognition outside of Northwest Indiana.
Facebook ads focused outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Search engine optimization
Digital banner advertisements focused outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Online ads focused outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Content ads focused outside of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties.
Other (describe)
How will you track visitation?
What was the total visitation to your event or festival last year? If this is a new event or festival, what is your projected visitation?
How many visitors were from outside Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties? If this is a new event or festival, how many visitors do you anticipate will be from outside these counties?
List how you will measure the success of your efforts to market your festival to outside Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.
AGREEMENT

On behalf of the organization identified on this application, I certify that this application meets the eligibility requirements for the Indiana Dunes Tourism Promotion Grant and that the information entered is true and accurate.

I understand that the grant may provide up to fifty (50) percent of the total costs, not to exceed $2,500 (first year); $1,500 (second year); and $1,000 (third year), that no in-kind contributions are included in the match, that no grant will be awarded to a project completed before written notice by Indiana Dunes Tourism, and that the completed promotional material must acknowledge this grant by bearing the statement “Financial support provided by Indiana Dunes Tourism” along with the Indiana Dunes Tourism grant logo. I also understand that all documents and written evaluation of this project must be submitted to Indiana Dunes Tourism within 60 days of when the event occurred, or by December 13, 2019, whichever date comes first, unless otherwise noted by Indiana Dunes Tourism. There is a $500 forfeiture for late materials submission. Documents and written evaluations submitted after December 14, 2018 will not receive funding. See guidelines for further explanation).
Name of person completing the form*
First Last
Title
Date*