DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Wednesday, June 27, 2012                            

 

                           Sarah Lawlor

                      Montana Department of Commerce

                      Montana Office of Tourism

                      406-841-2893

 

                      Marissa Kozel

                      Communications Director

                      Montana Department of Commerce

                      406-841-2772

 

 

 

October 19, 2012 Application Deadline

(HELENA) - Montana communities, organizations and tribal governments sponsoring or planning community-based tourism festivals and events are invited to apply for $200,000 in state tourism grant funds available from the Montana Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism Special Events Grant Program (SEGP). The SEGP application deadline is October 19, 2012.

 

"Since its inception in 2002, the Special Event grant program has been able to provide $757,500 in grant money to 89 events across the state,” said Dore Schwinden, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “Hosting events and festivals adds to the vibrancy of our towns and communities. They compel travelers to stay longer and more thoroughly explore the area adding both dollars to our main street businesses and a deeper, more enriching travel experience for our visitors.”

 

Any Montana event is eligible to apply and the funds must be used to advertise and promote the event to target markets outside a 100-mile radius of the event site. Grants will be awarded based on a 3-tier approach that ranks communities according to population. The grants are designed to be matching funds for non-profit organizations involved in developing new annual events as well as enhancing existing community-based tourism festivals and events.

 

 

The SEGP funds are provided by a 4% state tourism lodging tax which is assessed on the lodging price of all accommodations across Montana, including campgrounds. 

 

Tourism and recreation is one of Montana's largest industries. In 2011, 10.5 million people visited Montana spending $2.8 billion during their stay. Non-resident travel supports 39,000 jobs in Montana. These jobs employ 7.7% of the state’s total labor force, which means that one in every 13 Montana workers is supported by out-of-state travel.

 

For more information about the SEGP, or to request an application, contact Carol Crockett at the Montana Office of Tourism, 406-841-2796, ccrockett@mt.gov. SEGP application materials can be downloaded from the Montana Office of Tourism’s Intranet site: www.travelmontana.mt.gov/forms/.

 

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