Marketing Partnership Program - Balance of State

The Marketing Partnership Program - Balance of State is administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, a state agency responsible for economic growth, tourism development, and community investment across Illinois. This program is authorized under the Illinois Promotion Act and is designed to support tourism marketing initiatives outside of Cook County. It reflects the state’s broader strategy to increase tourism-related economic activity by promoting destinations, attractions, and events that drive overnight stays and visitor spending. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to match and leverage local funds with state resources to expand tourism promotion efforts. The program specifically targets projects that can demonstrate the ability to increase visitation, hotel stays, and regional economic activity. Eligible activities include a wide range of marketing and promotional efforts such as advertising campaigns, website development, travel guides, trade show participation, and market research. The program emphasizes outreach beyond local areas, requiring most promotional efforts to target audiences located more than 50 miles from the destination. Funding for this opportunity totals $1,250,000, with individual awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Projects must have a minimum total cost of $20,000 and applicants are required to provide a dollar-for-dollar match equal to at least 100 percent of the grant award. The program allows funding for up to 50 percent of total project costs for qualifying projects that demonstrate strong potential to generate overnight stays. However, indirect costs are not allowed, and administrative expenses, event production costs, and certain promotional items are explicitly ineligible. Pre-award costs may be reimbursed if incurred on or after July 1, 2026. Eligible applicants include counties, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, and local tourism promotion groups located outside of Cook County. Applicants must meet several compliance requirements, including registration in the Illinois GATA Grantee Portal, maintaining a valid SAM registration, and demonstrating good standing with state and federal systems. Entities must not be listed on exclusion or stop payment lists, and only one application per entity is permitted. In-kind contributions are not allowed as part of the required match. Applications must be submitted electronically through the designated Smartsheet form and include several required components such as a Uniform Grant Application, budget template, conflict of interest disclosure, mandatory disclosure, and a program-specific application. All documents must be properly signed by an authorized representative. The application deadline is June 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM. A technical assistance session is offered but not mandatory. Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow submission requirements, as incomplete or late applications may be rejected without review. Applications are reviewed through a competitive merit-based process using a 100-point scoring system. Evaluation criteria focus on demonstrated need, organizational capacity, and project quality. Reviewers assess how well the project aligns with marketing strategies, its potential to increase tourism and overnight stays, and the applicant’s ability to execute and measure results. Awards are issued based on ranking until funds are exhausted, with a minimum score threshold required for consideration. Following submission, successful applicants will receive a Notice of State Award and enter a grant agreement phase, which may take several months. The anticipated period of performance extends through June 30, 2027. Grantees are required to submit periodic financial and performance reports and are subject to monitoring and audit requirements. For additional information, applicants may contact Dana Huston at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity via email at ceo.tourismgrants@illinois.gov.

Focus on demonstrating measurable tourism impact including overnight stays and revenue increases; align project with data driven marketing strategies; clearly document matching funds availability