Travel and Tourism Grants

Policy and Procedures for Marketing Expenditures for Economic Development & Community Services

It shall be the policy of the Authority to fulfill the above objectives by establishing the following provisions:

• GRDA supports and assists activities, organizations, and causes which advance both governmental public purposes, as well as corporate purpose of GRDA by promoting community and economic development, tourism and recreational activities, and conservation and development of natural resources in the communities and industrial areas it serves. This support and assistance will be in compliance with state laws governing GRDA’s activities including marketing, consumer education, community relations and customer service functions which it performs.
• GRDA is a body corporate and politic created by statute and is an agency of the state of Oklahoma. As a result thereof, all funds generated, received and expended by GRDA are public funds and subject to state laws and regulations governing the receipt and expenditure of public funds in the same manner as all other state agencies. Among other activities prescribed by law, GRDA produces, sells and distributes electricity throughout its statutory district, as well as other areas. It is in competition with other electric utilities in the provision of these services.
• GRDA has had a longstanding practice of supporting and assisting organizations which promote certain public purposes as described above in GRDA’s Policy Statement. This practice has been deemed by the Board of Directors of GRDA to enhance its competitive position and to be important generally in carrying out the prudent operation of the business of GRDA.
• The Board of Directors historically viewed requests for support and assistance in light of whether such a request furthers a public purpose, as well as the corporate purposes of GRDA. The Board finds it necessary and desirable and in the best interest of GRDA and its ratepayers to affirm the application of the public purpose/corporate purpose standard and to better define the working framework for the handling of requests for support and assistance.

Tourism Accredited Zoos Program

The Tourism Accredited Zoos Program provides funding to Pennsylvania accredited zoos designated by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and the Zoological Association of America (ZAA). The mission of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Accreditation Commission is to establish, uphold, and raise the highest zoological and aquarium industry standards through self-evaluation, on-site inspection, and peer review. ZAA promotes responsible ownership, management, conservation, and propagation of animals in both privately funded and publicly funded facilities through professional standards in husbandry, animal care, safety, and ethics.

Uses

Funds may be used to support zoo facilities enhancements, new construction and/or renovations or for the development of marketing, advertising and public relations campaigns to build attendance.

Eligibility

Pennsylvania zoos that are certified by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and or the Zoological Association of America are eligible to apply for funding.

NOTE: The Vibrant Recreation and Tourism program is a directed grant program. Concept proposals are accepted on a continuous basis and projects are developed in conjunction with SNC. There is no deadline-oriented Request for Proposals or competitive scoring review.

To initiate consideration of a project, a project organizer should contact the appropriate SNC Subregional Representative. The Subregional Representative will assist with determining if the project meets SNC criteria. If it is determined that SNC will consider partnering on the project, the Subregional Representative will share the SNC Recreation and Tourism Proposal Form with the organizer and assist in developing the project and completing the Proposal Form. 

Program Objectives

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy recognizes the fundamental connection between vibrant recreation and tourism across the Region, the health and resilience of Sierra Nevada communities, and the ecological health of California’s watersheds and forests. Working with partners to strategically implement activities supporting recreation and tourism will protect these benefits and the resources that are unique to the Sierra Nevada Region.

This program aims to support innovative, collaborative efforts to enhance, promote, and develop sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities and increased access to public lands in the Sierra Nevada Region. Projects funded through this program should accomplish one or more of the following across a defined geographic region:

• Assess conditions, existing resources, needs, and opportunities to support or promote recreation and tourism throughout the Region and identify highest priority activities.
• Identify, create, and participate in partnerships to support the development of vibrant recreation and tourism throughout the Region.
• Support pilot projects or collaboratives that test innovative governance, finance, and implementation tools that can achieve sustainable recreation and tourism objectives across the Region.

Community access projects that address collaborative recreation and tourism may be supported under this program. Section 80008(c) in Proposition 68 defines “community access” as engagement programs, technical assistance, or facilities that maximize safe and equitable physical admittance, especially for low-income communities, to natural or cultural resources, community education, or recreational amenities. Such projects should include at least one of the following elements:

• Transportation
• Physical activity programming
• Resource interpretation
• Multilingual translation
• Natural science
• Workforce development and career pathways
• Education
• Communication related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other outdoor pursuits.

Wild Rivers Coast Alliance is a grant making organization associated with Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Our grant funding efforts are supported by the net proceeds from Bandon Preserve, a 13-hole par-3 golf course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.

Our focus is to fund community projects on the south coast of Oregon that are committed to triple-bottom-line results (conservation, community, and economy) and prioritize approaches that blend innovative ecological initiatives while driving economic opportunity.

Our priorities include supporting and promoting healthy fish and species habitats, working landscapes and seascapes, sustainable tourism, community collaboration, and sustainable businesses and nonprofits.

Our grant making is focused on the south coast of Oregon within the 10 watersheds from the Coquille to the Winchuck Rivers.

Medium & Large Grants

Our organization’s grant making for medium and large grants is by invitation only and happens once in the spring and once in the fall. If your organization is interested in becoming a grantee of Wild Rivers Coast Alliance.

Legends & Lore® Marker Grant Program

Does your community have a great piece of folklore that should be shared? Legends & Lore is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as part of our heritage.

Generally speaking, folklore is the stories, customs, traditions, and expressive arts and crafts that are passed on from one person to another, often from generation to generation. Folklore is the knowledge that people share as members of a group or community. Our shared identities and sense of belonging are the result of shared traditions, stories, customs, and activities.

Legends & Folklore Guidelines

The most successful applications will likely include the following common genres of folklore:

Myths — traditional stories that usually concern the nature of the cosmos; they often involve divine and supernatural beings.

Legends — traditional stories that usually concern historical events; they often involve heroes, heroines, villains, and monsters, including ghosts or haunted places.

Tall tales — traditional stories similar to legends that exaggerate the lives of local people.

Folktales — traditional stories such as fables and fairy tales that occur “outside” of cosmic or human history; they often involve animals or symbolic creatures as the main characters.

Place-name anecdotes — traditional stories that explain the reason for the name of a location.

Folksongs and ballads — traditional stories told in song that often convey myths, legends, and related folklore.

Superstitions — folk beliefs that may or may not have scientific accuracy but that are important to the community that believes in them.

Festivals, holidays, parades, and rituals that represent a community.

Certain dances, music, architecture, foodways, arts, crafts and similar performances can be folklore if they distinguish the community or region as the “home” of the item or activity.

Subjects which are not successful include:

• Historical events lacking a folkloric aspect
• Purely literary creations
• Personal/family folklore which does not extend to the greater community

IMPACT: Quality of Place

To promote well-being, foster civic pride, drive tourism, and attract, retain, and mobilize creative talent and innovative businesses through cultural, heritage, service, and recreational organizations and projects. Currently, grant and endowment funds are at work for Lead Assets, Special Events, Community Assets, and Human Services.

Community Assets - Arts, Culture, & Heritage

Arts, culture, and heritage organizations enrich the lives of residents, protect resources, and add a dimension to quality of life through performances, interpretation, preservation, and creation of new works. ECGRA's investment in arts, culture, and heritage encourages entrepreneurship and innovation, enables communities to engage in creative placemaking, plays an integral role in attracting new residents and businesses by elevating the quality of life, and protects what is unique to Erie County.

Eligible Uses of Funds

• Personnel (15% maximum of the
• amount requested from ECGRA)
• Marketing
• Facility expense related to the
• project
• Equipment and supplies
• Contracted services
• Construction – see Appendix for
• policy on Prevailing Wage
• Outcomes measurement

Please refer here for other reference only.