Tourism Marketing Grant Program

Tourism Marketing Grant Program

Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026)

Experience Prescott - Office of Tourism

 

Please review the City of Prescott’s Tourism Events Grant Policy before filling out the grant application: For FY 2026, the City of Prescott, through the Transient Occupancy (Bed Tax), will award a total of $100,000 in grant funding for special events and/or cultural events in Prescott that also encourage visitation - specifically overnight stays. The grants are awarded to qualified non-profits based in Prescott.

 

Starting March 1st, 2025, the Prescott Tourism Office will begin accepting applications, with funding from the Transient Occupancy (Bed) Tax budget, for events commencing between July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 (FY26). The maximum amount available for any event is $5,000.00. Awards may be distributed on a sliding scale, depending on the number of successful applications received. One award per organization is permitted.

 

Note: An optional grant application workshop for ALL applicants will take place on

Thursday, March 6th, 2025 3:00pm at Prescott City Hall in the Council Chambers.

Applications must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on

Friday, April 4th 2025

Accepted formats for submitting an application to the address listed below:

• Electronic Submission                                                                         
• Handwritten applications will no longer be accepted
   

Where to submit:

City of Prescott - Office of Tourism

hello@experienceprescott.com

 

NOTE: No facsimiles will be accepted.

Applications received after 5:00 p.m. on the due date will not be considered.

**Applications Must Be Completed in their Entirety by the Due Date or they WILL NOT be considered**

The review committee will be looking for events that contribute to Prescott in the following ways:

1. The event generates a marketing message, with a strong emphasis on marketing outside of 90 miles.

2. The event creates a positive economic impact in terms of overnight stays, percentage of out-of-area visitors, and direct spending.

3. The event creates a positive community benefit including the involvement of local volunteers and coordination with other community organizations.

Other Important Information for Applicants: The Review Committee members will score each application based on a 100-point scale. Assuming that the event meets all criteria, the recommended award will be tied to the overall score. For example, An event that received a score of 75 will receive 75% of their request, subject to a sliding scale based on the number of successful applicants.

Additional rules for receiving grant funds:

1. At least 75% of the award must be used as part of your marketing budget.

2. All information must be submitted on this application form only. Please provide a brief descriptive overview. Supplemental information will not be reviewed.

3. Please be advised that all events, whether chosen for event grant funding or not, must submit a Special Event Application through the City of Prescott Recreation Services Department, and complete the special event process. Events receiving grant funding have no priority over non-funded events on the Event Calendar. All applicants will receive a copy of the Special Events Guidebook and are encouraged to use it actively.

4. If you or your organization is receiving any other funding from the City of Prescott please disclose that

5. A post-event report will be due 60 days after the event ends. The minimum standard for reporting is attached to this application. Organizations may submit additional data, graphs, presentation materials, and/or marketing materials. If an organization does not submit its post-event report it will not be considered for future funding.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

All applicants are advised that events, whether gated or non-gated, whether charging admission or not, and which are held on City parks, streets, and/or sidewalks next to streets, are held on traditional public forums within the exercise of the U.S. Constitution First Amendment rights have been and are traditionally conducted.

The City will not tolerate any restriction of such rights by applicants and/or their promoters, employees, agents, subcontractors, assigns, volunteers, security personnel, or others associated with applicants (collectively “Event Personnel”) in the holding of events. In addition, Event Personnel shall comply with all other laws, common laws, statutes, ordinances and rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, those involving the storage of guns at events held without a State of Arizona spirituous liquor license and those concerning the language that is placed on entry signs to such events.

Applicants are encouraged to consult with their own attorneys for independent legal advice about applicants’ duties and obligations concerning the subject matter contained in this paragraph.

The event must have a secular purpose, the primary effect of which may neither advance nor inhibit religion nor should it cause excessive government entanglement with religion. The event must not seek to influence the outcomes of elections or the determination of public policy through political activity.

Applicant acknowledges that applicant has read and understood this Notice, agrees to comply with and abide by its terms and has placed applicant/s initials in the space below to verify such acknowledgment and understanding.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Applicant acknowledges sponsorship recipient events will NOT receive additional financial considerations and/or services from the City of Prescott or its designees in excess of the amount of the event funding awarded.

Applicant further acknowledges reading the section Other Important Information for Applicants section on Page 2 of this document, and is aware of the post-event reporting requirement.

CERTIFICATION

Hereby certify that the statements made in this application are true and complete to the best of my knowledge and that I am authorized to execute the application. Intentional omissions or falsification of information is sufficient grounds for denial of the application and subsequent revocation of the permit. I agree to indemnify, defend and save harmless the City and its respective officers, agents, employees, and volunteers from any and all losses, claims, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs, resulting from the conduct of the applicant, sponsor or promoter, their employees, suppliers, vendors, agents, any of their guests, invitees or licensees with regard to the event applied for. I agree to indemnify, defend and save harmless the City and its respective officers, agents, employees, and volunteers from any and all losses, claims, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs resulting from any facility, park or lake closure due to inclement weather. In such an instance, I understand that all event participants must follow the City’s guidelines and procedures for lake/facility evacuation and that this event is being held inside the City limits and all City rules and regulations apply. I also understand that the City reserves the right to determine if park facilities are unusable as a result of inclement weather. I realize my submittal of this application request constitutes a contract between myself and the City of Prescott and is a release of liability. I am the said applicant and submit this application request of my own free will.

Room Nights - is a hospitality industry term for room occupancy at a hotel property. Room night is a statistical metric for the hotel industry. It is calculated by multiplying one room times the nights stayed. Room night example: One guest booking one room for three nights would be said to generate three room nights.

1 room X 3 nights = 3 room nights

Local - Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Dewey, and adjacent County.

Regional - All of Yavapai County - All of the above plus Verde Valley including Sedona, Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Camp Verde. Plus Mayer, Cordes Lake, Black Canyon City, Seligman, and Ashfork.

Statewide - Everything in Arizona outside of Yavapai County including Flagstaff, and Phoenix.

National - All of the United States, outside of Arizona.

International - Outside of the United States

Participants - Staff, volunteers, vendors, etc - People working or supporting the event.

Attendees - is guests attending the event that are not considered a participant

 

Room Nights Formula

STEP ONE: (A) # of Attendees + (B) Number of Participants = (C) Event Total Attendance

STEP TWO: (C) Total Event Attendance / 2 (assumes double occupancy) = (D) Number of Rooms Needed

STEP THREE: (D) Number of Rooms Needed x (E) Number of Nights Stayed = (F) Total Number of Room Nights

STEP FOUR: (F) Total Number of Room Nights X .25 (Represents Out of Town Visitors from 90+ miles or more)

= Answer for Grant Application

 

EXAMPLE - A tourism event has 100 Staff & Volunteers (Participants),

They anticipate 10,000 attendees. It's likely that out-of-town visitors will stay 3 nights for their four-day event.

 

STEP ONE - (A) 10,000 + (B) 100 = (C) 10,100

STEP TWO - (C) 10,100 / 2 = (D) 5,050

STEP THREE - (D) 5,050 x (E) 3 = (F) 15,150

STEP FOUR - (F) 15,150 x .25 = 3,788

It's estimated that the tourism event will generate 3,788 room nights. 

Event Contact Information:

Economic Impact:

In the table below, identify percent of expected attendance by region:

The 5 regions together should equal = 100%

Local = Quad Cities (Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley & Dewey/Humboldt)

Regional = Yavapai County

Statewide = The Rest of Arizona

National = USA Excluding Arizona

International = Worldwide Excluding USA

Room Nights - is a hospitality industry term for room occupancy at a hotel property. Room night is a statistical metric for the hotel industry. It is calculated by multiplying one room times the nights stayed. Room night example: One guest booking one room for three nights would be said to generate three room nights.

1 room X 3 nights = 3 room nights

Room Nights Formula

STEP ONE: (A) # of Attendees + (B) Number of Participants = (C) Event Total Attendance

STEP TWO: (C) Total Event Attendance / 2 (assumes double occupancy) = (D) Number of Rooms Needed

STEP THREE: (D) Number of Rooms Needed x (E) Number of Nights Stayed = (F) Total Number of Room Nights

STEP FOUR: (F) Total Number of Room Nights X .25 (Represents Out of Town Visitors from 90+ miles or more)

= Answer for Grant Application

 

EXAMPLE - A tourism event has 100 Staff & Volunteers (Participants),

They anticipate 10,000 attendees. It's likely that out-of-town visitors will stay 3 nights for their four-day event.

 

STEP ONE - (A) 10,000 + (B) 100 = (C) 10,100

STEP TWO - (C) 10,100 / 2 = (D) 5,050

STEP THREE - (D) 5,050 x (E) 3 = (F) 15,150

STEP FOUR - (F) 15,150 x .25 = 3,788

It's estimated that the tourism event will generate 3,788 room nights. 

Placed Media (advertising): Describe where advertising will be purchased, i.e. local, regional, statewide, and/or national. Include the amount spent and the percentage of the media budget.

 

Earned Media (publicity): List where publicity is obtained and describe what medium, i.e. public relations activities, editorial coverage, articles written about event/organization, etc. Include the estimated value earned and the percent of the budget affected.

*Value of placed media + estimated value of earned media = total marketing budget*

Community Benefit