Visit McKinney is accepting applications for grant to fund initiatives, activities or events that promote the City of McKinney as a tourism destination and bring new tourism dollars into the city’s economy.
Visit McKinney’s mission is to promote McKinney for the purpose of attracting visitors and travelers. Its goal is to generate economic impact by influencing event planners, leisure travelers and corporate travelers to choose McKinney as their destination. It is funded by hotel taxes collected by the City of McKinney.
Activities or events that promote local overnight stays receive priority consideration for the current grant opportunity. Applications must be completed in full to be considered for funding. Applications for advertising and promotional grants must demonstrate how the event will promote McKinney for the purpose of tourism and producing hotel activity. The events must be open to the public, either free or with a charge.
Funds awarded must be used for marketing, outreach, advertising and promotion of the proposed event. Grant funds are not available for items that only ticketholders or attendees receive after arriving, items needed when purchasing admission to the event, or items for use at the event or project.
To be eligible for funding, events must be well-planned with stated goals, objectives and evaluation measures that demonstrate an economic impact to the City from a tourism perspective. Preference may be given to applicants who develop and demonstrate multiple revenue streams to financially support advertising and promotion for which grant funds are requested.
Previous recipients of the Visit McKinney Tourism grant include McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra, Millhouse Foundation, Ovation Academy Shakespeare in the Park, Heritage Guild of Collin County, Marching Music Made in McKinney.
The deadline to apply is Oct. 7. Submitting a letter of inquiry is not required by recommended. Award notification will be on Nov. 29. A second funding cycle will be offered in February 2023.
Visit McKinney recommends applying at least six months prior to the date of the event or project. Applications for the current grant cycle can be submitted online.
