One Stop ARPA Resources - Tourism

State awards $30 million in ARPA funding to support statewide recovery of tourism industry

The Department of Economic Development (DED) announced that it has awarded a total of $30 million through the Local Tourism Asset Development Grant Program for 26 projects across the state. The program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is focused on supporting projects that further the recovery of the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries.

• Press Release
• List of Awarded Projects
   

Grant Summary

To view the Local Tourism Asset Development Grant Program’s Grant Summary, click here.

Final Guidelines

To view the Local Tourism Asset Development Grant Program’s final guidelines, click here.

Application

You will need to complete your application for this program using the MO DED ARPA Federal Initiatives Submission Manager.

Program Description

The Local Tourism Asset Development Grant Program supports public/private partnerships intended to further the statewide recovery of the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries (Tourism Industry) from the negative economic impact of COVID-19.

This competitive grant program will support high priority local projects such as:

1. Upgrades to indoor and outdoor tourism, travel, and hospitality facilities. This can include COVID-19 mitigation and prevention measures as well as upgrades that were delayed due to the pandemic.
2. New indoor and outdoor tourism, travel, and hospitality facilities for which the planning, development, and/or construction were delayed due to the negative economic impact of COVID-19 (supporting tying the negative economic impact to the delay is required).
3. Rehabilitation, renovation, maintenance or costs to secure vacant or abandoned property to reduce their negative impact and position the property for current Tourism Industry uses.

Application close date: 12/14/2022

Award date: 4/13/2023

Total allocation: $30,000,000

Application launch date: 10/14/2022

Eligibility

Eligible Entities

• Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)
• Convention & Visitors Bureaus
• Municipalities and counties
• Other nonprofit organizations
• Chambers of Commerce (Eligible only in geographic areas under the Funding Category titled “Category 3”)

Program Requirements

This is a competitive grant program. Individual grant amounts will be subject to the following limitations:

Category 1 - County Tourism Levels 1-5

• Minimum per Project Award: $250,000
• Maximum per Project Award: $2.5 million
• Available Funds: $10 million

Category 2 - County Tourism Levels 6-8

• Minimum per Project Award: $1 million
• Maximum per Project Award: $3.5 million
• Available Funds: $14 million

• Minimum per Project Award: $250,000
• Maximum per Project Award: $1.5 million
• Available Funds: $6 million

Funding Structure

The Department intends to award all funds in one funding round, but may hold additional funding rounds prior to June 30, 2024 to ensure all available funds have been obligated prior to the ARPA funding deadline.

The State Tourism Marketing Funds will be used to expand the successful Division of Tourism statewide marketing program to help the hard-hit tourism industry recover more quickly and to better compete with states in our region. Within the funding is an additional carve out of funds for Tourism/Missouri Partnership program to more broadly promote Missouri.

The program will be used to provide grants to entertainment venues, art centers, museums, etc. Support will be provided to entities impacted by the pandemic.

Applications Open Now

DED's ARPA Entertainment Industry Grant Program opened for applications May 11, 2023, at 10 a.m. CST. You can apply now using the MO DED ARPA Federal Initiatives Submission Manager. Please note that you will need to sign up for a Submittable account to apply.

Program Resources

• Pre-Application Training (May 4, 2023) recording
• Presentation slides
• FAQs document

Program Description

The Entertainment Industry Grant Program is intended to further the statewide recovery of the entertainment industry from the negative economic impact of COVID-19. This grant program will help existing entertainment venues that plan to expand, upgrade, or improve operations. Program information based off of final guidelines is as follows:

Details

Total allocation: $5,000,000

Application launch date: May 11, 2023

Application close date: To be announced

Award date: Beginning late June 2023

Eligibility

Eligible applicants: (1) Entertainment Venues and (2) Businesses adjacent to the entertainment industry, defined as: a for-profit business with at least 51% of revenue generated from an eligible entertainment industry business

Program Requirements

Minimum applicant requirements:

• Full-time employee is defined as an individual who is scheduled to work 35 or more hours per week

Applicant must have experienced a negative economic impact as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, applicant must have been in operation in Missouri since before January 1, 2020, and be currently operating. If applicant is a type of entity required to register with the Missouri Secretary of State (SOS) to conduct business in Missouri, applicant must be registered and in good standing with the SOS and enrolled in E-Verify (if applicable). Applicant must have a Missouri Tax ID Number, a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). Applicant must submit a Vendor Input Form or already have a State of MO vendor account.

Eligible applicants are qualified to receive Program funds by submitting documentation demonstrating negative economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of declining total revenues or gross receipts of at least $10,000.

Proof is to be demonstrated by the applicant through the submission of tax or 990 filings showing a decrease in total revenue or gross receipts in 2021 as compared to gross revenue/receipts in 2019. The applicant must also submit proof of filing.

Maximum award amount is $100,000.

Funding Structure

Awards to be made on a first come, first served basis until all funds are expended, prior to the ARPA funding deadline.

DED intends to award all funds in one funding round but may hold additional funding rounds to ensure all available funds are spent.