OAKHURST – Visit Yosemite | Madera County has awarded $20,000 in grant money to five Madera County nonprofit tourism partner businesses. Each organization applied for the 2019 VYMC Tourism Improvement Grant to enhance visitor experience and was awarded up to $5,000.
“A boost in local tourism produced additional funding, so we thought a great way to spend it was to share with the nonprofit community to help them enhance their tourism-driven projects” says Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of Visit Yosemite | Madera County.
“The committee really had a hard time picking which projects would receive the grants because there were so many amazing ideas submitted. We hope to continue our tourism-driven growth and the grant program again in the spring of 2020.”
The 2019 winners are:
$5,000 Eastern Madera County Chamber Alliance – Enhancing Main Street Corridors
$5,000 Golden Chain Theater – Golden Chain Theater Exterior Beautification Project
$5,000 North Fork Rancheria Indian Housing Authority – North Fork Cultural Monument
$2,500 Oakhurst Community Park – Irrigation Retrofit
$2,500 San Joaquin Valley Paleontology Foundation – Mono Indian Exhibit Garden/Plants
The visitors bureau is also a sponsor of many local tourism events throughout the year.
“Our mission is to promote tourism to Madera County and many of our local events bring in visitors and athletes from all over the world who fall in love with all that we have to offer in Madera County, so it makes sense to partner with these events,” Salisbury notes.
Funded by a 2% Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) assessment on all lodging in the unincorporated area of Madera County, Visit Yosemite | Madera County also receives some funding from Madera County for tourism marketing, tourism grants that they apply for as they become available from different sources and the annual Partners In Tourism dues from non-lodging establishments such as attractions and restaurants.
“We are so happy to be able to give back to some of our partners that have supported tourism by supporting the bureau with great tourism products and yearly dues.”
For more information email Rhonda Salisbury or visit the Visit Yosemite | Madera County website.
