The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) offers several funding programs to assist the Virginia travel industry. Below is a summary of the current and future programs: [ See below + PM Funding Opportunities.pdf for easy printing ]
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Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant Programs
(VTC) Marketing Leverage Program
- Reimbursable grant program to leverage existing marketing funds. Requires a research-based and measurable marketing plan designed to drive tourism to Virginia
- Who is eligible: Virginia travel industry partners including small businesses, DMOs, private sector attractions, accommodations, museums, lodging and events. Note: DMOs must choose the DMO Marketing Program OR the Marketing Leverage Program. A letter of support from local or regional DMO is required. A lodging partner letter of support is required. A list of official DMOs can be found at www.vatc.org/dmolist.
- Opens: February 10, 2026. Closes: March 19, 2026
- Award Tiers:
- Tier One: 1:1 minimum cash match for award of up to $20,000
- Tier Two: 2:1 minimum cash match for award of up to $30,000
- How: Online application portal
- For information and questions, please email VTCMLPGrant@virginia.org
- Who is eligible: Official Virginia DMOs for marketing expenses that show positive and significant economic impact on tourism and must include marketing plans designed to drive visitation to Virginia. Note: DMOs must choose the DMO Marketing Program OR the Marketing Leverage Program.
- Opens: February 10, 2026. Closes: March 19, 2026.
- Award tier: Up to $15,000 with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
- How: Online application portal
- For information and questions, please email VTCDMOGrant@virginia.org
(VTC) MMLP Grant Program * DMOs please see below for the DMO MMLP Co-Op program
- Reimbursable grant program to leverage existing marketing funds. Requires a targeted and research-based marketing plan designed to drive tourism to Virginia.
- Marketing Focus: Small business and shoulder season (September to May) marketing
- Who is eligible: Small tourism-related business with 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employees including boutique retail, restaurants, food trucks, small attractions, craft breweries, distilleries, wineries, boutique lodging and B&Bs, and events focused on shoulder season visitation
- Additional eligibility: Chambers of Commerce, NGOs, such as PDCs and Main Street organizations, may apply but the application must support microbusinesses and/or shoulder season visitation with a robust marketing plan. If the Chamber, Main Street, or organization is an officially designated DMO appearing on this list www.vatc.org/dmolist then they may only apply in the VTC Vacation Starts with VA DMO MMLP Flagship program.
- Open: June 23, 2026 Close: July 30, 2026
- Max Award: $5,000
- Match: 1:1 cash or in-kind
- How: Online application portal
- For information and questions, please email VTCMLPGrant@virginia.org
Note to DMO Partners: As VTC MMLP grant funding above is limited and has become more competitive, we created the DMO MMLP Flagship Co-Op Program to allow for more DMOs to activate VTC’s flagship campaign and engage in early off-season marketing to drive visitation..
(DMO) MMLP Flagship Co-Op Program
- Reimbursable grant program to leverage existing marketing funds. Requires a targeted and research-based marketing plan designed to drive tourism to Virginia using Co-ops and Toolkits.
- Marketing Focus: Dates: TBD. must include hub and spoke with three small tourism-oriented businesses.
- Who is eligible: VTC Officially recognized DMOs appearing on this list: www.vatc.org/dmolist.
- Open: TBD Please note the shorter application window
- Award Tiers: TBD
- Match: 1:1 cash match
- How: Online application portal separate from the VTC MMLP Grant
- For information and questions, please email VTCDMOGrant@virginia.org
Virginia Special Events and Festivals Program
- Who is eligible: Virginia based special events and festivals for marketing and production of special events and festivals; special events and festivals must have at least two years of prior attendance since 2022 and must have a minimum attendance of 500 attendees Special events and festivals with less than 500 attendees should apply for the Marketing Leverage Program
- Impact of special events and/or festival must show positive and significant impact on tourism and marketing plan must be designed to drive visitation to Virginia. Only 50% of award may be spent on event production costs. Applications with plans to use production funding to expand festival capacity; add a stage, enhance visitor experience, add artisan markets, concessions, food trucks, or other revenue generating activities will score higher
- Award tiers:
- Tier One: 500-4,999 attendees; up to $5,000 award with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
- Tier Two: 5,000-19,999 attendees; up to $10,000 award with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
- Tier Three: 20,000+ attendees; up to $20,000 award with minimum 50% cash or in-kind match
- Open: September 22, 2026 Closes: October 29, 2026
- How: Online application portal
- For information and questions, please email VTCSEFProgram@virginia.org
- What’s available: $10,000 – $20,000
- Who is eligible: Virginia DMO’s only
- Open: Next round opening Summer 2026
- How: DMOs complete an online application and hold a VTC-led community workshop. The goal of the program is to create community-based strategies to increase locality competitiveness as a travel destination. Funds can be used towards program specific projects outlined in the program’s grant funding guidelines.
- Contact: Caitlin Johnson ccjohnson@virginia.org | Jacob Bower jbower@virginia.org | Sarah Austen Holzgrefe sholzgrefe@virginia.org
Tourism Development Financing Program (TDFP)
- What’s available: Gap financing towards the capital investment of new tourism product development
- Who is eligible: Economic Development Organizations
- When: Year-round; no time limitations
- How: An EDO proves a deficiency in local tourism product based on visitor demand, through current research from a locality’s Community Comprehensive, Tourism Development and Marketing Plans. A developer then proves their project fills the deficiency through pro forma and market study research. If certification is achieved, the state contributes a percentage of quarterly sales and use tax collected from the project
- Learn more at https://vatc.org/TDFP
- Please contact Wirt Confroy at wconfroy@virginia.org
Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDS)
- What’s available: A visitor fee collected by tourism businesses for tourism marketing and development
- Who is eligible: A newly formed TID Governing Board comprised of zone participating businesses
- When: Year-round; no time limitations
- How: Local lodging, dining, retail and tourism businesses petition the local government to create a TIDs plan. The plan defines zone geographic and usage parameters, and sources and uses of the funds. A newly formed governing board of participating businesses engages an administering nonprofit administrator to assist in the management of the program and funds
- Please contact wconfroy@virginia.org for more information
- Learn from VA’s first TID in action, via this exceptional example > Richmond Region Tourism TID