The Rural Tourism Development Grant Program (RTDGP) guidelines for FY09 are now available. The objective of this competitive grant program is to provide coordinated funding for tourism related infrastructure projects in rural communities throughout the state. The funding amount for FY09 is $500,000. These funds assist rural economic development through tourism to strengthen the regional and local economies and expand tourism in rural and Tribal communities throughout Arizona. The primary function of the infrastructure project must be tourism development and the project must be designed to initiate economic growth and enhance future tourism development. Eligible entities include not-for-profits, government organizations and tribal government.
New for FY09! Projects that contain an Arizona centennial component will receive priority funding. A detailed description of the criteria will be included in the FY09 guidelines and projects must comply with these guidelines to be considered a centennial project. The FY09 RTDGP Guidelines define centennial projects as:
- Projects that include restoration of historic properties appropriate for use in the observance of the Arizona Centennial.
- Projects that provide a sense of unity and pride by accentuating the diverse nature of the State’s tourist destinations.
Applications are available on AOT’s business-to-business Web site www.azot.gov under the Grants section. Applications must be received by AOT no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 15, 2008. If you have any questions, please contact Glenn Schlottman, Tourism Education and Development Manager at 602-364-3727 or via e-mail at gschlottman@azot.gov. For information on the Arizona Centennial please contact Karen Churchard at 602-364-4158 or via e-mail at kchurchard@azot.gov.