Destination Specific Tourism Marketing Grant

The Destination Specific Tourism Marketing Grant Program is administered by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT), a state agency responsible for promoting tourism, supporting economic development through travel, and enhancing South Carolina’s visibility as a destination. This grant program is funded through legislative appropriations governed by specific provisos in the state’s annual budget, indicating that it is a structured, state-directed funding opportunity designed to drive measurable tourism outcomes. The program is intended to support large-scale, research-based destination marketing initiatives that can demonstrate a strong return on investment for the state. The primary purpose of the program is to provide financial support to destination marketing organizations for strategic tourism promotion campaigns. These campaigns are expected to increase visitation, occupancy rates, and tourism-related revenue within South Carolina. Applicants must present comprehensive marketing plans that include defined goals, target audiences, media strategies, and measurable performance indicators such as occupancy rates, RevPAR, and tax revenue impacts. The emphasis on research-based outcomes and performance metrics indicates that SCPRT prioritizes data-driven proposals that can clearly demonstrate economic benefit to the state. Funding under this program includes both recurring and non-recurring allocations. Recurring funds require a significant financial match from applicants, with a minimum request of 250,000 dollars and a required match of at least 500,000 dollars, demonstrating a strong cost-sharing expectation. Non-recurring funds, when available, do not require a match and are distributed separately once appropriated. The program also enforces limitations on fund distribution timing, including restrictions on the percentage of funds that can be awarded in early quarters and conditions for reallocating unclaimed funds later in the fiscal cycle. Eligibility is implicitly targeted toward established destination marketing organizations capable of managing large budgets and executing comprehensive tourism campaigns. Applicants must demonstrate financial stability through documentation such as audited financial statements, proof of liquid assets for matching funds, and procurement policies. Additionally, organizations must certify that matching funds are new and specifically allocated for the grant program. These requirements indicate that the program is designed for well-established entities with proven operational and financial capacity. The application process requires submission of a detailed proposal package that includes financial documentation, marketing plans, creative samples, media schedules, and evaluation methodologies. Applications must be submitted directly to SCPRT, and all submitted materials are subject to public disclosure under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. Applicants must also acknowledge that their submissions may be publicly posted, reinforcing transparency requirements tied to state funding. The program operates on a structured timeline with an initial application window beginning July 1, 2025 and closing July 18, 2025, with award notifications issued by August 15, 2025. If funds remain after the first cycle, additional quarterly application opportunities are offered, with decisions communicated by the 15th of the following month. A final opportunity for previously funded organizations may occur in April 2026 if funds remain. Recurring funds are available at the time of award, while non-recurring funds are scheduled for disbursement by February 20, 2026. Grant recipients are required to submit annual performance reports by November 1, 2026, including financial data and evidence of program impact. Reporting must follow a prescribed format and include supporting documentation such as marketing outputs and research metrics. This reporting requirement underscores the program’s accountability framework and its focus on demonstrating measurable returns to the state’s economy.

Focus on data-driven marketing strategies with clear ROI metrics and ensure all financial documentation and match requirements are fully verified prior to submission