The City of Racine and Visit Racine County established the Special Event Grant Fund to help fund events and projects that will bring in visitors from outside of the local area who are likely to stay overnight in an area lodging property. The fund utilizes 10% of the total room tax collected by the City of Racine, which is anticipated to be about $20,000.
The application is available below or at the Racine County Visitor Center, located at 14015 Washington Ave, Sturtevant, WI 53177. All applications must be received by Visit Racine County by 12 p.m. on Friday, January 10, 2025. They can be emailed to Cari Greving or mailed/dropped off at the Visitor Center. All applications will be reviewed and the grants will be announced by the end of January.
The program accepts applications from non-profit 501c-3 or 501c6 organizations for the marketing of events and projects which will occur within the City of Racine. They must be open to the general public, non-political in nature and be held in a venue that is ADA accessible. Conventions and exhibitions, as a component of a convention, and business meetings, are not eligible for funding. Organizations that were grant recipients in the past may apply, but preference will be given to first time applicants. We are especially looking for events which will seek to promote Racine’s culture, and specifically promote the lifestyle of our residents. Elements that shape our way of life such as the history of the area, our art, architecture, religion(s), recreation, sports or health/fitness will be considered for funding.
The grant is to be used for marketing the event or project outside of the Racine metropolitan area. This is a matching grant fund, which means that the organization must at a minimum match dollar-for-dollar the amount awarded. This can be done either “in-kind” or by cash. The “ideal” event will be a first time event, held over multiple days in the non-summer months that is likely to attract hundreds of overnight visitors from outside of the area that fill hotel rooms.
About Visit Racine County: Established in 1983, Visit Racine County is the accredited 501(c)(6) non-profit destination marketing organization that oversees tourism promotion and development in Racine County. Visit Racine County’s mission is to promote Racine County as an attractive destination to enhance the local economy.
