Indiana Dunes
Tourism is offering grant money to people and groups who plan to bring
visitors into the county by building new attractions or by organizing
festivals, events, business meetings and sports tournaments during 2015.
A total of $50,000
is available to be awarded in 2015. Indiana Dunes Tourism, the official
tourism bureau of Porter County, is specifically looking to fund things that
will bring visitors from outside of the Lake/Porter/LaPorte county area,
fill hotel rooms and have a positive economic impact on local businesses and
attractions.
For the first time,
grants are available to for-profit entities. In past years, grants could
only be awarded to nonprofit organizations. All grant recipients are
required to match the awarded amount dollar for dollar.
The grants can be
used for such things as development of new attractions, and advertising,
printing and promotional expenses that bring visitors to Porter County and
encourage overnight stays. The funds can also be used to develop brochures,
websites and other tools that encourage visitation.
The following
grants are available: product development, $5,000 annually; sponsorship,
$3,000 annually; and marketing, festivals, events, meetings and seminars,
$2,500 for the first year, $1,500 for the second year and $1,000 for the
third year.
Organizations
interested in being a part of the 2015 grant program should contact Boyer at
patti@indianadunes.com or 219-926-2255, ext. 225. Applications for 2015
grants must be completed and returned by mail, e-mail, fax or in person to
Boyer by 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, 2014.
In 2014, Indiana
Dunes Tourism awarded grants to Lutheran Basketball Association for a
basketball tournament in Valparaiso, Taltree Arboretum & Gardens for a GLOW:
Art After Dark Festival, Lorie’s Lakeside Century bicycle race, and others.
Grants are funded
by the tax collected on hotel room rentals in the county.