Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program

In 2025, the passage of Senate Bill 409 revised laws related to the Montana Department of Commerce and the lodging facility use tax, commonly known as the bed tax. The bill updates SB 540, which passed in 2023, restructuring the allocation of bed tax revenue by specifying how Commerce can use these funds for purposes like tourism promotion and grants. 

The purpose of the Event Grant Program is to assist Montana’s communities with destination events and new events that will increase tourism, including regional, national and international visitors; promote Montana's unique attributes; and generate additional community revenue. 

The Event Grant Program funding cycle closed Thursday, October 10.

Resources for Applicants:

• Please refer to the Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Guidelines to learn about the Event Grant Program.
• Please refer to the Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program Application to review application questions. Please note, this is for reference only. The application must be completed and submitted in the Montana Grants and Loans Portal.
• Please refer to the Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program Application Scoring Criteria to review the Destination MT Division's application scoring criteria. 
• The Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program Budget Template is required to be uploaded in the application for consideration of funding.
• Please refer to the Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program FAQs to find quick answers to questions about the funding. 

Refer to the Montana Grants and Loans Step-by-Step Instructions to create an account for access to the online application. For technical issues creating an account, please call the IT Help Desk at  406-444-2000. 

Resources for Grantees:

• The Request for Funds Template is required to be filled out upon completion of event and submitted in conjunction with the Final Event Report.
• The Final Event Report is required to be filled out upon completion of event and submitted in conjunction with the Request for Funds.

  Event Grant Toolkit:

• Nonprofit organizations should consider creating a free Canva Pro account to aid your organizations in successfully reaching their marketing and advertising goals.
• Eventbrite provides tips and guides to help elevate events. Search by event ideas, management, marketing or planning, or simply how to get started.
• Reference the Event Checklist and Production Process list to help guide your event one step at a time.
• Consider the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research for survey kits for a data-driven approach to measure success.
• Visit Commerce's Tourism Research page to explore tourism spending from credit and debit card information in the state of Montana.
• Pick up a safety tip or two for your upcoming event by reviewing the Event Safety Guide.