VisitGainesville offers a conference grant for incoming meetings and conferences in 2 cycles - one in the spring and one in the fall. The purpose is to enhance Alachua County as a destination by contributing to the development of tourism as allowed by Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, Chapter 38 of the Alachua County Code of Ordinances.
To qualify, meeting professionals must complete the grant application and satisfy a number of criteria including confirming that their meeting or event produced hotel room nights in Gainesville/Alachua County. Individual grants cap at $10,000 and are available to corporate, association, or non-profit, public or privately -funded planners.
Priority for grant funding will be given to projects that have the greatest potential for bringing visitors to Alachua County who will stay in overnight in hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns, RV parks and campgrounds.
Although the application is available online any time in PDF format and Microsoft Word under the additional resources section, applications may only be submitted during the official grant cycles.
For additional information, planners may contact Nancy Fischer, nfischer@visitgainesville.com, or John Pricher, jop@visitgainesville.com, at (352) 374-5260 or toll-free at (866)778-5002.
Industry Partners - Use This Grant as a Recruiting Incentive!
The VisitGainesville Conference Grant is an excellent marketing and recruiting incentive for area hoteliers and facility managers to offer potential incoming meetings and conferences. Click here to download a press release for the upcoming grant cycle that you can provide to your meeting planners, and feel free to refer them to the VisitGainesville staff for more information on the conference grant program.
Conference Grant Calendar:
SPRING
Opens March 1st, 2012
- Deadline for turning in application - 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2012
- Review by Alachua County Staff- April 2-13, 2012
- Review by TDC Subcommittee - April 16 to May 4, 2012
- TDC approval of fund allocations - May 16, 2012
*Funds are available upon completion of conference.*
