DRIVE Tourism + Grants and Helpful Information

Program Guidelines:

• Grant is available to only Virginia DMOs who have been established for at least 6-months at time of applying) at this time
• Virginia DMOs that have participated in DRIVE Tourism, DRIVE 2.0, and/or DRIVE Outdoor are able to apply and participate in DRIVE Tourism+
• Authorized contact name for DRIVE Tourism + Application must be staff of the applicant Virginia DMO (Marketing and/or PR agencies are ineligible to apply on behalf of a Virginia DMO)
• Grant application period has closed.
• Grant workshop cycle will be April 17, 2025 – October 17, 2025
• Grant submission approval deadline: October 24, 2025
• $10,000 Maximum Award per participating DMO/Community.
• Funds are available at the close of the grant round once a grant project is submitted after a VTC-led workshop has been held with the community
• All grant projects and submissions will be reviewed and approved by VTC before funding is issued.
• Participating DMOs/Communities will be required to submit a marketing plan as part of their DRIVE Tourism + grant submission if funds are used for promotion efforts.
• Funding may be used in one of two ways: split, with up to 50% allocated to Promotion efforts and 50% to Product Development, or used entirely (100%) for Product Development
• Only one application per DMO per funding cycle
• Fifty percent (50%) in-kind match and supporting documentation required at time of grant submission
• Final report required after grant spend-down timeline has lapsed or at the conclusion of the project. Spenddown period for the grant is 18-months, with a final report due at 20-months. If project is completed prior to the conclusion of the spenddown period, final report is due 60-days from that point.

Eligible Program Expenses

• All items must support extending visitor length of stay targeting at specific target audience and geographic market
• Structures must be non-permanent or removeable
• Signage must be non-permanent or removable
• Equipment can be purchased or rented and does not have to be removeable (See ineligible list for equipment exclusions)

Marketing

• Placement of Advertisements – (includes print ads, digital, radio, television, etc.). Ads must promote the applicant’s business, region, destination, etc. to visitors. Applications that more fully integrate the “VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS” Industry Advertising Co-Op and/or PMAP Program will score higher. Please visit https://www.vatc.org/advertising/partneradvertising/ for more information on VTC Partnership Advertising Opportunities.
• Outdoor advertising through paid billboards.
• Outdoor advertising on out-of-market vehicles, including vehicle wrap partnerships with ride-share services facilitated through a third party such as Carvertise. However, these costs are only reimbursable if the advertising is occurring outside of the local market (at least 50 miles away) and is measurable through at QR code or website.  Wrapping locally owned vehicles, locality-owned vehicles, business-owned vehicles is NOT eligible.
• Creative services including agency fees, including advertising agency fees, PR agency fees, and social media management fees.  However, grant funds cannot be used to pay staff wages to do these activities.  Creative services must be invoiced with a clear description of activities, tear sheets/links/proof of activities and proof of payment must be submitted with the reimbursement request.
• Sponsorship fees to appear in Public Broadcasting or cable television series that are broadcast to a large viewing market either on television or through streaming services. It is recommended that the Virginia is for Lovers logo be incorporated into the filming through props, apparel, or posters/banners that may occur as a natural part of a scene.  A copy of the broadcast footage with the VIFL time mark should be submitted with reimbursement materials.
• Printed Materials – Travel related printed materials including brochures, media kits, event posters, group tour publications, meeting planner publications and other printed information materials designed to promote the applicant’s partner’s area as a travel destination. Such programs MUST include a marketing/distribution mechanism and plan for promoting the availability of such printed materials. For instance, applicants may include the cost of design and printing of a rack card if there is also information about where the rack card will be distributed. The same applicant could also include the costs of rack card pocket space at a Virginia Welcome Center in the marketing plan and be reimbursed for design, printing, and distribution costs.  Applications that only include printing costs and do not include a distribution plan may not qualify for an award.
• Website Development – Development and/or expansion of websites to promote the applicant’s business or destination are eligible. Maintenance and hosting fees for websites are NOT eligible. Websites must include the “VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS” logo and must provide a reciprocal link to http://www.Virginia.org from the partner’s website. Website development programs must include a marketing mechanism and plan for promoting the awareness and availability of such websites.  NOTE:  Costs associated with programming of your current website to allow data share with Virginia.org is an eligible expense.
• Participation in the Virginia Travel Guide.  For more information, please refer to https://www.vatc.org/marketing/advertising/guideadvertising/
• Digital Marketing – Search engine optimization, banner and website advertising, and other electronic marketing initiatives.
• Creation of mobile marketing applications (“Apps”) so long as they are measurable.
• Social media marketing initiatives, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
• Influencer Marketing – Use of Influencer Marketers.  To read and review our Best Practices for Influencer Marketing, please refer to https://www.vatc.org/marketing/public-relations/prbestpractices/.  NOTE:  This is a password protected page.  Information on requesting a password is available at the link above.  Please note that invoiced travel expenses, such as transportation, lodging, and meals for influencers are eligible, but alcohol expenses are not eligible.
• Production of photography and video marketing materials:
  • All photography and video marketing materials created using a DRIVE Tourism + grant should include usage rights for VTC in perpetuity. You can secure those rights for Virginia Tourism corporation in one of two ways:
    1. When creating your for-hire contract, include language that allows you to transfer usage rights to partners (like VTC). Not only is it a great way to maximize your marketing dollars, but it is a practice VTC has been implementing for years. It is what allows us to share our photo assets with partners like yourself.
       • For an example of the language we use in our contracts, see section 3 in our licensing terms & conditions. Please feel free to copy and adapt this language for your own contracts.
    2. You can have the copyright owner complete our photo & video release form. This MUST be completed by the copyright owner, not by the licensing entity.
  • For information on planning your photo shoot, please see our How to Plan a Photo Shoot document. Here, we break down our planning process while giving recommendations and tips on maximizing your budget, staying organized, and considering the details.

• • • Note:  The cost of purchasing equipment for photographic and video production is NOT an eligible expense.
    • Note:  The costs of food and other props during a photo shoot are NOT eligible expenses.

• • High resolution photography and b-roll may be delivered to Sarah Atkins. Please contact her at [email protected] with assets and any questions
• Participation fees in VTC domestic sales trade show opportunities.
• Participation fees in a sales mission with VTC Domestic Sales to target markets for Tour and Travel, Meetings & Conventions or Sports Marketing.
• Participation costs in the VTC Virginia Welcome Center Partnership Marketing and Advertising Program (PMAP).  More information on PMAP is available at https://www.welcomeva.com/.
• The cost of event cancellation insurance and/or event liability insurance. Up to 10% of your overall marketing budget may be used for insurance policy costs.  However, VTC must be added as an interested party to any event liability insurance policy AND a copy of the policy must be submitted for reimbursement.  Event liability insurance is required for applications that include events, meetings, or conventions outside your normal scope of business.

Product Development

• Non-permanent camp/rest site preparation materials
  • Gravel, picnic tables, benches, portable grills, campfire rings, railroad ties for site framing
• Trail Connections/ Paths using non-permanent materials
• Surface markings (According to your local/state/federal guidelines)
• Non-permanent water access
  • Modular floating kayak launch like EZ Dock or YakPort (must have ability to be moved, but can be tethered to shoreline)
• Water Activity Equipment
  • Kayaks, Canoes, SUPs, PFDs (Excludes motorized boats)
  • Self-serve kayak rental lockers
• Bikes for rental (excludes Lime, Bird, etc.)
• Portable bike racks and equipment storage
• Bike Equipment (Helmets, other gear)
• Accessibility equipment
• Trail wheelchairs or beach wheelchairs
• Non-permanent/temporary wheelchair ramps
• Outfitter/Tour Guide Equipment

Events

• Non-permanent staging
• Site preparation
• Tables, chairs, umbrellas, lighting, portable generators

Non-Permanent Signage

• Non-permanent Banners
• Permanent signage such as that required by VDOT and permanent crosswalk markings are not permitted. (We recommend applying for the DCR Recreational Trails program for funding for these items)

Business Expansion

• Entrepreneurial workshops in community, where funds will be used, on eligible expenses by entrepreneurs (excludes Wages, meals, room rental for internal meetings or workshops)

Studies

Grant funding for qualifying or approved studies is limited to 50% of the overall grant fund total.

Ineligible Program Expenses

Permanent Structures

• Permanent fixtures, signage, or buildings
• Permanent structures (paved surfaces, permanent kayak launches)

Studies for pre-determined/specific structures on predesignated land/area of locality

• Example: A study for a specific business on a specific location
• Environmental Design studies

Administrative Costs or Equipment

• Administrative costs such as office space, salaries and personnel costs, office supplies, office equipment, vehicles, fand other cost of doing business expenses
• Insurance expenses
• Mileage expenses

• Vehicles/Trucks/Trailers
• Registration/conference fees

Grant Requirements:

• In-kind match for 50% eligible items (required at time of grant submission at close of grant round)
• Either a dollar for dollar or in-kind match of at least 50% of requested funds is required at time of grant submission at the close of the grant round. Match items may be either marketing or development values. Keep in mind you can use existing marketing or development efforts as match. VTC awarded funds such as MLP, DMO grant, Special Event and Festival, previous DRIVE programs, or ARPA cannot be used as match. Examples of eligible match items may include:
• Cash
• Owned, earned, paid media value (six month look back allowed for media value)
• Land or property value
• Administrative costs such as salaries, volunteer hourly value (Current estimated national value of each volunteer hour is $29.95) and personnel costs
• Site preparation work
• Equipment costs (rental or cost of use)

Participating communities in the DRIVE Tourism + Grant Program are required to complete a VTC-led workshop before submitting for grant funding. Upon completion of the workshop, participating communities will be able to apply for their $10,000 grant funding. See DRIVE Tourism + Grants and Helpful Information (www.vatc.org/drivetourismplus-helpful-information) for project examples and grant funding criteria.