Tourism Enhancement Grants Now Available

The Tourism Enhancement Grant applications are available for counties and cities seeking to enhance existing tourism assets or develop new infrastructure to increase economic impact.

Funded by the Rural Economic Opportunity Act of 2016, the second round of Tourism Enhancement Grants offers communities grants of up to $50,000 with a match requirement based on economic status. Counties and cities that have a desire to develop a tourism asset plan are also eligible for up to $20,000.

Tourism Enhancement Grants are designed for cities and counties seeking to invest in local tourism infrastructure assets such as stages, boat ramps, scenic pull-offs and other resources that target expanding local tourism.

In July, TNECD and Tourist Development awarded Tourism Enhancement Grants to 29 local communities after receiving 61 submissions during the first application round. 

Interested local governments must submit their completed application by Nov. 30, 2016. Additional information about the grant application is available here or at tn.gov/TourismGrant.