Tourism Advertising Promotion Grant Program

The Tourism Advertising Promotion Grant Program, commonly referred to as the TAP Grant Program, is administered by Travel South Dakota through the South Dakota Department of Tourism. The program is designed to provide supplemental marketing funding to tourism-related events that can increase visitation to South Dakota while also enhancing the overall image of the state as a travel destination. Although all eligible events throughout South Dakota may apply, the program specifically emphasizes support for smaller towns, cities, and rural communities. Eligible events may include festivals, anniversary celebrations, concerts, rodeos, powwows, and other tourism-focused attractions that draw visitors and stimulate local economic activity. The grant opportunity is competitive and applications are evaluated based on the strength and effectiveness of the proposed marketing plan and event promotion strategy. The grant program is open to a broad range of applicants connected to tourism and destination promotion activities within South Dakota. Eligible applicants include tourism-related businesses, events, communities, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, tribes, and destination marketing organizations. Applicants are limited to one event per application during each fiscal year application cycle, although organizations hosting multiple events may submit separate applications for each eligible event. The grant is nonmatching, meaning recipients are not required to provide matching funds or cost share contributions in order to receive an award. However, applicants are encouraged to supplement TAP Grant dollars with additional local or organizational marketing investments when possible. Funding through the TAP Grant Program is restricted exclusively to advertising and promotional activities associated with the approved tourism event. Eligible expenses include television advertising, radio and podcast promotion, print advertising, outdoor and billboard advertising, digital marketing campaigns, social media advertising, media commission fees, event landing pages, online event listings, and production costs associated with promotional videos or advertising content. The grant may also cover advertising production costs directly charged by vendors. Several categories of expenses are specifically prohibited, including travel show booths, tradeshow registrations, promotional giveaway items, creation of entirely new websites, employee salaries or wages, travel guides, wayfinding signage, and postage. Grant recipients are required to maintain detailed financial documentation regarding the use of funds and may be subject to audit for at least three years following expenditure of grant funds. For the fiscal year 2027 cycle, the application window opened on March 2, 2026 and closed on March 31, 2026. Applications were accepted exclusively through an online application portal and no paper submissions were permitted. Required application materials included contact information, detailed event information, a current W-9 form if applicable, an event marketing budget and plan, and the requested grant amount. Applicants were required to submit a marketing strategy that identified target audiences, target markets, marketing mediums, campaign timelines, and planned expenditures. The program established a minimum request amount of 1000 dollars and a maximum request amount of 10000 dollars. Supporting documentation such as a budget tracking worksheet was also required as part of the submission process. Award notifications for the fiscal year 2027 cycle were scheduled to be distributed between April 13 and April 17, 2026. Successful applicants were then required to return a signed Letter of Agreement by May 13, 2026 in order to receive funding. Grant payments were expected to be distributed between July 15 and July 30, 2026. Recipients were advised to begin marketing activities at least 15 to 30 days prior to their event date. Following the event, recipients were required to submit a final report within 30 days that documented use of grant funds and included invoices, creative samples, performance metrics, and updated budget tracking sheets. Any unspent grant dollars were required to be returned to Travel South Dakota within the same 30-day post-event period. The TAP Grant Program places strong emphasis on measurable tourism and marketing outcomes. Recipients are expected to evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns using metrics such as attendance counts, hotel occupancy changes, local tax revenue impacts, media impressions, online engagement statistics, inquiries, and other event-specific indicators. Applicants may also propose alternative measurement approaches with prior approval from program staff. The program guidance repeatedly stresses the importance of strategic marketing plans that efficiently use available resources to reach clearly identified audiences and markets. Reviewers appear to prioritize applicants who demonstrate strong planning, targeted promotion, and clear tourism impact potential. Program administration and applicant assistance are handled by regional contacts within Travel South Dakota. Calley Geigle serves as the contact for events in the Northeast and Southeast regions of the state, while Ciara Forest supports applicants in the Central and Western regions. Both contacts provide guidance regarding applicant eligibility, marketing metrics, and final reporting requirements. The TAP Grant Program is recurring on an annual fiscal year basis, and applicants who either receive or do not receive funding may reapply in future years using a new application submission during the next annual cycle.

Develop a detailed and targeted marketing plan that clearly identifies audience demographics, target markets, timelines, and advertising channels. Prioritize measurable tourism impact and efficient use of funds. Ensure all requested documentation and budget details are complete and aligned with eligible marketing expenses.