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Special Events Grant: Fueling Innovation and Growth for New Events in the Richmond Region

Qualifications

Must be a new event, an event within its first three years of existence, a newly created ancillary event that is designed to enhance an existing event, or an event that has not been held within the destination for at least the past three years.
Must attract at least 10% of its attendees from outside a 50-mile radius of the Richmond Region, with the attendees staying for at least one night.
Organizations that are already receiving grant or incentive funding from Richmond Region Tourism and Richmond Region Tourism Foundation are also eligible for this grant, provided they are not seeking funding for the same event already being supported.
Applicants can request up to $5,000, which will be reimbursed post-event for expenses directly related to the event.
This Grant Program has a finite amount of dollars that can be awarded to deserving organizations. It will be a competitive process and your descriptive answers will be vitally important to the committee during the review and scoring process.

The Application Process

Completed applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and awards will be granted until the fund allotment is expended.
As the grant applications are received, they will be reviewed, scored, and decisioned.
The organization applying for the grant will be notified of the decision, no later than 15 business days following application.

Application Scoring Criteria

All applications will be reviewed and decisioned by a Richmond Region Tourism Committee; each application will be weighed and reviewed according to the following criteria.

Hotel room nights, overnight visitors, and/or economic impact of event.
- Maximum possible score: 40 points
Future plans to increase the number of visitors, attract more teams, add new events etc. Please showcase how you will use these funds to aid in your promotion.
- Maximum possible score: 20 points
How will your event attract media attention and drive awareness to attract future outside events to the Region?
- Maximum possible score: 20 points
Does the event showcase the Region as a multicultural hub?
- Maximum possible score: 10 points
Do you plan to operate this event for multiple years moving forward?
- Maximum possible score: 10 points

Eligible Expenses

Facility meeting room rental fees
Rental of furniture, fixtures or equipment (i.e. stage, chairs, tables, easels, lectern, risers, etc.)
Contracted security or traffic services
Event-specific signage, printed marketing materials, advertising and media promotion
Event production and technical expense
Local permit fees
Event insurance
Transportation, shuttle, parking costs between venue and hotels
Discount on food and beverage, excluding alcohol
Charges for room set-up/changes
Box storage and shipping

Organization Information

Company name*

Description*

Nature of Event*

Please select the choice that best fits the nature of your event.

Type of Event*

Please select the choice that best fits the type of your event.

Street address*

City*

State/Region*

Postal code*

Country/Region*

Website URL*

Organization Contact Information

First Name*

Last Name*

Title within Organization*

Phone Number*

Email*

I am authorized by my organization to submit this grant application.*

Event Information

Applicable Event*

Total Estimated Attendance*

Event Description*

Please describe the event. For additional information regarding the event, you may also attach information below.

Event Information Attachment

Optional

Event Information Attachments

Optional

Event Impact and Community Value

How do you intend to use the funds?*

Please describe how you will use this grant to promote your event(s) to increase the number of visitors. How will your organization use the funds to continue to expand growth of your event(s)?

Describe your event marketing and promotion plan*

How will this event(s) showcase the Richmond Region?*

Total Amount Requested*

Please select an amount up to $5,000.00.

How many years has this event been held?*

Total Event Days*

Event Dates*

For the below questions, please use your best conservative estimate.

Estimated Percentage Out of Region Visitors*

Out of Region defined as >50 miles outside

Estimated Length of Stay per Attendee*

Express length of stay in total overnight rooms per guest

Percentage Visitors Flying in

Percentage Overnight Rooms Sleeping 4 per room*

Percentage Overnight Rooms Sleeping 3 per room*

Percentage Overnight Rooms Sleeping 2 per room*

Percentage Overnight Rooms Sleeping 1 per room*

The organization associated with the above application has received grant or incentive funding from Richmond Region Tourism during this time period (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025).*

Yes

Acknowledgement of Application Terms

In submitting this application for the Local Events Grant, the organization applying for the grant agrees to the following:

If awarded, the grant will be applied to help increase the number of visitors to the Richmond Region.
If awarded, the organization agrees to provide Richmond Region Tourism accurate details within the application for the applicable event.
- This application will help to estimate the number of hotel room nights and assess potential subsequent economic impact related to your event.
- There will additionally be a Post-Event Review, this will help to ascertain the full economic impact stemming from the event. If awarded, be prepared to document how you used the cash grant to promote your event, within the 30 days after the completion of the event.
If awarded, the organization agrees to work with Richmond Region Tourism on promoting hotel information to attendees.
If awarded, the organization agrees to include Richmond Region Tourism, and/or VisitRichmondVA branding/logo in their event collateral and promotion, both in printed materials, and event promotion and marketing online.

I acknowledge the above information is an accurate representation of the event, its anticipated attendance and impact. I understand that this is neither a legally binding contract, nor does the submission of the details therein guarantee that a cash grant award will be made to my organization.

Contact Name*

Contact Title*

E-Sign*

Date Signed*

Month/Day/Year

I consent to have my name serve as my electronic signature.*