Transient Guest Tax Grant Program Advisory Board

Minutes

Wednesday, August 24, 2016 | 1:00 p.m. | City Hall

The TGT Grant Advisory Board met to discuss program changes for the 2017 fiscal year funding.

Members in attendance were: Matthew Herbert, Derek Felch, Courtney Shipley, Katherine Simmons, Steve Horton. 

Absent: Linda Honeyman, Tim Metz. 

Staff present: Megan Gilliland and Porter Arneill.

Guests: Michael Davidson (eXplore Lawrence)

The minutes from June 16, 2016 were approved.  (Simmons, Herbert)

The committee began discussing the grant program and how to make changes for the 2017 cycle. They had met in June with some discussion items coming from the earlier meeting.  The committee discussed whether or not to require a match for funding, should program be for a specific event or programmatic funding (not date specific) and the goals of the program.

The group felt that the goals should be revised to reflect that this should be an event-specific program which has measurable economic and/or cultural economy benefits, enhances the Lawrence travel/tourism industry and enhances Lawrence’s reputation for tourist activities that pull regional visitors.  The group said they wanted applications to be submitted based on an event not a specific organization.  The group also said they wanted to see one cycle only and cap grants to $15,000 or 10% of the total funding allotment for 2017.

The committee said they would consider funding the operational costs for events but mentioned that marketing and promotion would be a strong consideration. They also said they wanted to see events become self-sustaining after a few years and not need city financial support.  The committee said they would not require a specific match for grant funding, they did feel that the events should demonstrate additional support through the coordinating organization or other, third-party funding. The committee also said they wanted to reserve the right to provide partial funding to events.

The committee wanted to see short presentations provided ahead of funding decision and deliberations.

The guidelines will be updated on the program materials.  

The committee discussed the calendar for FY2017 funding with the goal of having funding decisions completed by the end of 2016.

Explore Lawrence said they would provide an economic benefit model for any event or organization that requested it.