Tourism Marketing Grant

Grants of up to $1,000 to Iowa organizations for projects, programs, and events that promote tourism in eligible locations. Funding is intended to attract visitors and generate visitor spending. Grant funds may be used for a broad range of programs and activities, including conventions, events, activities, tournaments, and facilities that increase tourism. Projects must generate visitor spending in Mason City, with a focus on visitors from outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City.

The amount of grant funds allocated directly depends on:

• The number of visitors the marketing project will attract to town
• The number of days the visitors are in town
• The number of hotel rooms used by the visitors
  

Eligible Projects and Use of Funding

• Design, production and placement costs for marketing that targets visitors who live outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City (brochures, flyers, posters, direct mail, registration materials, e-blasts, websites, print ads, radio ads, television ads, digital ads, social media ads, etc.
• Purchase of marketing lists, search engine marketing, pay-per-click marketing, Google Ad Words, etc. targeting visitors who live outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City.
• Off-site signage (billboard, wayfinding, trailblaze) targeting visitors who live outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City.
• Shuttle service for tours within Mason City/Clear Lake, transportation between convention facilities used by visitors who live outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City.
• Welcome reception food (appetizers/ hors d'oeuvres) and non-alcoholic beverages for visitors who live outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City.
• Fees must be payable to a third-party vendor.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Priority will be given to projects that focus on attracting visitors to town versus projects that focus on visitors once they have already arrived.
• Number of visitors attracted outside a 90-mile radius of Mason City by marketing project.
• Number of lodging rooms generated by marketing project.
• Distribution Plan.
• Attract visitors during the “off-season,” during the months of September-May
• Attract visitors during the week, Monday-Thursday