Tourism Advertising Grant Program

The Tourism Advertising Grant Program is administered by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism and is designed to expand the economic benefits of tourism throughout the state. The program provides competitive, reimbursable matching funds to qualified tourism marketing organizations to support direct advertising expenditures. Its overarching purpose is to strengthen and extend the Discover South Carolina brand while maximizing both state and local financial resources. By requiring a cost-sharing structure, the program ensures that grant recipients actively invest in tourism promotion efforts that target out-of-market audiences and generate measurable economic impact. The grant operates strictly as a reimbursement program, meaning that recipients must first incur and pay for eligible advertising expenses before receiving grant funds. Applicants can select between two match structures: a one-to-one match, which reimburses up to 50 percent of eligible expenses, or a two-to-one match, which reimburses approximately 33 percent. Funding caps vary based on project category, including festivals or events, attractions, and destination marketing organizations. For example, destination-level applicants may request up to 45,000 under the one-to-one structure or up to 100,000 under the two-to-one structure, provided they meet the corresponding expenditure requirements. Only cash contributions are eligible as matching funds, and in-kind contributions are explicitly prohibited. Eligible applicants include South Carolina tourism region organizations, nonprofit organizations with a primary mission of tourism marketing, and local government entities operating established tourism marketing programs. All applicants must be headquartered in South Carolina, registered in the state vendor system, possess a valid federal employer identification number, and have operated for at least one year prior to the fiscal year start. In addition, applicants must achieve a minimum evaluation score of 70 during the competitive review process. Certain entities are excluded, including state agencies, for-profit organizations, organizations receiving recurring federal appropriations, and those already receiving other state tourism marketing grants. Funds must be used exclusively for paid advertising activities that promote tourism-related destinations, attractions, or events accessible to the general public. Eligible expenses include various forms of media such as print, broadcast, digital, search engine marketing, and social media advertising, provided they meet strict program guidelines. Advertising must target audiences at least 50 miles outside the applicant’s location when conducted in-state, and all materials must prominently feature the Discover South Carolina branding. Costs related to production, creative design, printing, or agency commissions are not eligible for reimbursement, and all expenditures must occur within the program’s fiscal year window from July 1 through June 30. The application process is conducted through an online Webgrants system, and only complete applications submitted by the stated deadline are considered. Applications are evaluated by a committee appointed by the administering agency, which has discretion to approve, partially fund, or reject proposed budget items. Award amounts are directly tied to the applicant’s evaluation score, meaning that higher-scoring applications receive a greater proportion of their requested funding. Successful applicants are notified by early June and must execute a grant agreement within 30 days to initiate their project. Following award, recipients are required to submit quarterly reimbursement claims along with detailed documentation, including invoices, proof of payment, and evidence of advertising performance. Final claims must be submitted by mid-June or by the project completion date specified in the agreement. The program includes rigorous audit requirements, and recipients must retain all documentation for at least three years. Failure to utilize a substantial portion of awarded funds may result in reduced funding in future cycles, reinforcing the program’s emphasis on accountability and effective resource utilization. The program operates on an annual fiscal cycle with recurring reimbursement deadlines throughout the year, including October 1, January 2, April 1, and June 30 as the final submission deadline. These structured timelines ensure ongoing monitoring and performance tracking while allowing organizations to execute multi-phase advertising campaigns. Overall, the Tourism Advertising Grant Program serves as a strategic investment tool to enhance South Carolina’s tourism visibility, support local economies, and drive sustained visitor engagement.

Ensure all advertising aligns with Discover South Carolina branding and meets distance requirements; submit complete documentation for reimbursement; apply only for funds you can fully utilize to avoid future penalties