Grant Submission and Selection Criteria

No applicant may use any other VISIT FLORIDA grant funds, for the same project or as matching funds. 

All Grant application submissions must:

1. Clearly define program concept.                                                                                                                         The purpose of the grant program is to attract national conferences and conventions for minority persons to   the state of Florida, not subsidize existing events.
2. Economic impact of the program.                                                                                                                        Quantify and estimate the economic impact of the conference or convention on the local area and also the potential for generation of future business.
3. Detail marketing strategy.                                                                                                                                    Include goals, objectives and desired outcome.
4. Describe implementation plan and budget.                                                                                                          Include timeline for marketing plan and detail budget expenses.
5. Clearly demonstrate ability and/or prior experience.                                                                                           To receive the grant the applicant must demonstrate their ability and/or prior experience of attracting/soliciting, and/or hosting national or regional conferences or conventions.
6. Illustrate local support.                                                                                                                                     Show illustrated support of other local government and non-profits in the area.
7. Demonstrate a need for advertising assistance.                                                                                                  Will this project happen without these grant funds?

EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS GRANT AWARD PROGRAMS

• Produce and publish a multicultural visitor guide and planner for distribution to meeting planners, association executives, trade show managers and event planners.  Advertising placed and press releases generated promoting the availability of the guide and planner.
• A direct mail campaign targeting African American associations, meeting planners, and other minority associations promoting an area’s hotels/attractions to prospective meeting and convention planners.
• A marketing, promotion and sales initiative to promote and introduce a new convention center to minority convention meeting planners.  As a result of these efforts, the Grantee has been able to attract two additional meetings to the area.