Local Events Sponsorship Dollars Available From Lake Erie Shores & Islands
2020 Local Events will get a little financial help thanks to Lake Erie Shores & Islands, the destination marketing organization for Erie and Ottawa counties, is re-introducing its popular grant program for events taking place in 2020. Three grants are now available, including a Conference & Event Grant, geared towards attracting quality conferences and events to the region to generate overnight stays; the Established Event Grant, for events that are well-established in the area and have previously received grant monies from Lake Erie Shores & Islands; and the all-new Sponsorship Grant.
The Sponsorship Grant is offered for new and existing community-friendly events that take place in the Lake Erie Shores & Islands region. It is designed to assist organizations and businesses to grow quality events that create media exposure, increase area economic impact, generate awareness that Lake Erie Shores & Islands is a year-round destination, and may generate overnight stays.
This grant is available to any organization actively marketing to attract visitors from outside the region. Events must be planned to stimulate economic growth and promote tourism activities in Lake Erie Shores & Islands. The applicant must demonstrate financial stability and organizational capacity to make the event a success. The generation of overnight stays is highly encouraged. Organizations/events receiving funds through other Lake Erie Shores & Islands funding streams are not eligible.
“Lake Erie Shores & Islands is committed to developing and supporting local events and helping them to be a success,” says Amanda Smith Rasnick, Director of Group Accounts. “We are dedicated to assisting events that provide exposure for the destination and encourage visitors from outside of the region to come and enjoy our communities.” The Sponsorship Grant is available for community festivals, concerts, and other special events. Applications are currently available for events occurring in the next calendar year and will be accepted until October 31, 2019. Organizations are asked to submit the event’s sponsorship packet/prospectus along with the application. All first-year events will be reimbursed granted funds upon event completion. Applications are reviewed by a committee and decisions
will be announced by November 30, 2019.
A limited amount of grant funds are available and will be dependent upon budget restrictions and the collective number of applications received. Are you ready to put the power of Lake Erie Shores & Islands promotion behind your event? Contact Amanda Smith Rasnick at 419.625.2175 or amanda@shoresandislands.com today for your Sponsorship Grant application or to inquire about the other grant opportunities. Watch for additional information in Put-in-Bay News 2019.
