Cooperative Grant Application

Guidelines

Purpose

Central Montana – where the views are big and the experiences are even bigger. Whether a history buff, adventure junkie, avid traveler, or family of four, Central Montana’s iconic location paralleled with its rugged past and charming hospitality can only mean one thing – a true Montana experience. Trekking after Lewis & Clark, discovering the cowboy artist, casting a line along the Missouri River, grabbing a microbrew, veering into the Milky Way -Central Montana’s best kept secret is that you can have it all

As the literal centerpiece of Montana exploration and spread across a storied landscape and 86 communities, adventure looms larger, history reaches further, culture runs deeper, and each moment is better than the last. Rooted in unfiltered experiences is a real Montana with less standing in line and more standing in awe.

Explore Central.
Explore Montana.
Explore Bigger.

Central Montana Tourism is looking for projects that advance the Central Montana Brand and economic vitality of the region by generating lodging room nights and visitor spending.

The marketing focus of Central Montana Tourism is visitors who will travel into communities within the 13-county region from a distance that will require them to spend a night. The primary target markets for Central Montana Tourism include the Montana cities of Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Helena, and Kalispell: Canadian Cities of Lethbridge and Calgary: US Metro Cities of Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Boise, Minneapolis, Seattle, Salt Lake, City, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix.

The Central Montana Tourism Brand Goals are how we want to communicate about Central Montana.

  • BOLD I Confident while staying humble
  • MODERN I Fresh appeal with a foundation of traditional Montana
  • INVITING I Casual and comfortable
  • ACCESSIBLE & WELCOMING
  • SIMPLE I Uncomplicated but still unique
  • ASPIRATIONAL I Imaginative with realistic tools and resources
  • LIVELY I Impactful and full of life

These should guide tone and voice as well as visual approach to communication and outreach.

Central Montana Tourism focuses on projects that have

  • sustainable business model to fund operations, such as paid attendees and sponsorships
  • appeal to visitors from Central Montana Tourism’s primary market
  • enough lead time that visitors could incorporate the event in their travel planning
  • positive economic impact
  • further the Central Montana Brand

Local Tourism Funds

The funds being requested are made available through the 4% lodging facilities use tax within the counties of Fergus, Toole, Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Teton, Wheatland, Meagher, Judith Basin, Pondera, Chouteau, Cascade, and Petroleum. Central Montana Tourism receives a percentage of every occupied room night of lodging facilities in the region registered with the Montana Department of Revenue and these funds are used to aid in promotion and marketing of Central Montana.

If approved, a letter of commitment will be executed between your organization and Central Montana Tourism. After an executed commitment letter, 50% of the approved investment will be dispersed, from an invoice, prior to the project start. The final 50% will be dispersed, from an invoice, after receipt of a completed impact report, upon the completion of the project.

Funds should be viewed as money to assist with events in the formative years and should not be viewed as a guaranteed continuous source of funding. There is no set number of grants awarded in any year.

Submission

Applications are accepted quarterly. Central Montana Tourism requires all funding requests must be received a minimum of 30 days prior to project implementation. Quarterly deadlines for application submissions are:

  • July 31
  • October 31
  • January 31
  • April 30

Once a completed application is received, your project will be scheduled for review at the next available Central Montana Tourism Board of Directors Meeting. You will be notified when your project has been added to the agenda.

Eligibility

Any non-profit, business, government, or tribal entities engaged in tourism related activities who are active and in good standing with the Montana Secretary of State. Applications are accepted on first come/first serve while funds are available.

Criteria

Applications will provide the following.

  1. Process to generate, track and report hotel room nights and economic impact of the event/project, if applicable.
  2. Marketing plan, budget worksheet and planning timeline.
  3. If an event, event history data, including number of hotel rooms booked, attendance and financial reports. Applies only to established projects, occurring previously.
  4. Project impact report. See REPORTING.
  5. Funding must adhere to State of Montana Regulations and Procedures for Use of lodging Facility Use Tax Revenue.

Agreements

  1. Investment provided will be used for tourism marketing and promotion.
  2. Where and when appropriate, acknowledge Central Montana Tourism’s investment with either the Central Montana logo or the statement” Made possible in partnership with Central Montana Tourism using local tourism funding.”
  3. Central Montana Tourism would like the opportunity to promote other experiences in Central Montana where and when appropriate, at the discretion of the partner. Promotion opportunities Central Montana Tourism would consider:
      1. Listing of experiences in the area preceding and proceeding an event.
      2. Welcome letter sent to participants.
      3. Event program ad, welcome introduction, or prize entry opportunity.
      4. Other mutually beneficial endeavors.
    • When discussing your community or the region in Montana, “Montana” will always be spelled out in its entirety.
    • Central Montana Tourism’s Brand Goals will be met in any material representations of the project.
    • Central Montana Travel Planners will be required to be on display in association with the project.
    • Central Montana Tourism may provide up to, but not more than, 50% of any one line-item within a project and under no circumstances fund more than 50% of the total budget.

    Reporting

    Central Montana Tourism requires reporting regarding the impact your funded project had. Failure to comply with Agreements and Reporting will affect future funding. If final report is not provided by the date identified in the commitment letter, remaining funding will not be awarded. Reports should include required items outlined in commitment letter. Sample reporting requirements could include, but are not limited to:

    1. The summary of income and expenses, with attached invoices. Expenses prior to the date of the signed commitment letter will not be paid.
    2. Samples of any marketing used to promote the project.
      1. Central Montana Tourism’s logo or statement of investment must be present.
    3. Number of attendees/participants/users at/with the project/event and where they came from; either by zip/postal code or by County/Municipality and State/ Province.
    4. Number of rooms, by night, used at local lodging facilities, if applicable.
    5. The level of engagement/growth that was a result of the grant funds received.

    Scoring

    Each application will be scored using identical criteria and can earn a maximum of 205 points. The point distribution is as follows:


    Criteria    		Total Available Points
    Long Term Impact20
    New or Growing Project15
    First Time Applicant20
    Completeness of Application (Questions & Budget)20
    Marketing Plan20
    Project Timelines10
    Central Montana Tourism Marketing Opportunities10
    Sustainable Business Model20
    Appeal to Central Montana Tourism Primary Market20
    Lead Time to Promote Project20
    Non-Profit Organization Structure20
    Diversified Funding Sources10

    Application Process

    1. Eligible applicants must complete current Central Montana Tourism Cooperative Grant application and submit by quarterly deadline.
    2. Central Montana Tourism Staff will conduct an internal review of criteria.
    3. All pre-screened applications will be scheduled for action by Central Montana Tourism Board of Directors 30 days after the quarterly deadline.
    4. Notification of Board of Directors action will be made in writing to applicant. Applicants who receive funds will be provided a commitment letter.
    5. Upon execution of the commitment letter, funds are available for disbursement in accordance with the commitment letter.
    6. If the project completion report is received past the deadline the remaining grant funds may be reduced or not be awarded.

    Past Projects

    A few samples of past projects Central Montana Tourism has funded include:

    • $250 to Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump for Brochure Reprint
    • $430 to Choteau Chamber of Commerce for Visitor Guide Distribution
    • $1,500 to Montana Cowboy Poetry Gather to support Paid Media Campaign
    • $2,150 to Blaine County Museum for Billboards

    Questions should be directed to Avery Hughes, 406-761-5036 or [email protected].

    Tourism Cooperative Grant
    Type of Funding Requested

    Contact

    Tell us about the primary contact person and company that will coordinate the tourism project.
    Name
    Name
    Mailing Address
    Mailing Address

    Project

    These next questions are related to the specific tourism project funding is being requested for.
    Is this a new project/ event?
    Has this project been funded by Central Montana Tourism previously?
    A marketing plan can be attached in place of this narrative.

    Maximum file size: 52.43MB

    NOTE: If approved for funding, Central Montana Tourism’s logo or statement of investment will need to be included in marketing messages with final approval from Central Montana Tourism.

    Will you be using a professional graphic designer or marketing agency?

    Financials

    These next set of questions are in relation to the financial portion of the tourism project funding is being requested for.

    Projected Budget

    Please complete the Budget Form and upload it here.

    Maximum file size: 52.43MB

    NOTE: Central Montana Tourism funds cannot be used for administrative expenses. Receipts of expenses grant funds are used for will be required.

    Indicate in dollars.
    If different than primary contact, please include contact. company, title, email, phone and mailing address.

    NOTE: Central Montana Tourism will disperse 50% of approved funds prior to the event. The final 50% will be dispersed after receipt of completed impact report.

    Your Organization

    Maximum file size: 52.43MB

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