2021-2022 Partnership Opportunities from Central Counties

Central Counties Tourism modified its industry partner program to address these concerns regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, to support organizations working at keeping their guests, and potential guests, engaged as the region slowly reopens.

Priority applications

Central Counties Tourism supports and promotes tourism providers in Durham Region, York Region and Headwaters Tourism Region, with four target areas:

1 Capacity Building, helping the tourism industry to: attract and retain guests; be better prepared for tourism; leverage investments to bring in the group-tour market; offset the costs of tourism workshops and meetings in preparation for tourism readiness.

2 Product/Experience Development, including research (like finding the stories, curating them and delivering them to the public via podcast, brochure, etc.), hard costs associated with building new tourism products/experiences (except capital expenditures), like signage, exhibitions, maps, podcasts, apps, etc.; festival development – both new festivals and festival improvements, which can include operation items like staging, talent, fencing, etc.; operating costs to implement new elements to increase attendance, like security, ticketing, gates, signs, etc.

3 Communications/Marketing, including familiarization tours, festival promotion, media, advertising, co-ops, wayfinding.

NOTE  If your project isn’t repesented in the above criteria, it may still be eligible for partnership with the CCDT. Contact ForthWrite Canada by clicking here and we can begin the discussion.

New intake periods

March 15, 2021 for projects beginning April 1 – May 31
May 15, 2021 for projects beginning June 1 – July 31
July 15, 2021 for projects beginning August 1 – September 30
Sept 15, 2021 for projects beginning October 1 – December 31
December 15, 2021 for projects beginning January 1 – March 31, 2022

Finances

Not a grant, the partnership with CCT offers up to 40 per cent of project cost. Conditions require that an organization’s portion of the money be spent before the CCT contributes their portion. Subsequently, be prepared to show proof of payment for your portion of your budget to the CCT before accessing their portion of the partnership funds.

Once a partner submits proof (bank statements, cashed cheques, paid credit card statements) of invoice payments, they can submit for unpaid invoices to CCT, who will pay them directly to the vendor.

Partnership advantages

Central Counties will help your project by offering their network of contacts, and ability to share success stories through their communications across the region.

How to apply

For assistance in preparing your application, contact ForthWrite Canada by clicking here.

Step 1 – Review

Look at your proposed project through a tourism lens. Is your project going to help you drive and retain visitors from outside of your area? Is there opportunity for them to spend money while they are here? Is there a way to measure the success of your project and at what points are you going to share your stories with CCT?

Step 2 – Project Brief

Describe the project and how it will fit with one or more of CCT’s priorities. Explain how the partnership will further the success of the project. Please see APPENDIX I for a template.

Step 3 – Project Budget

How much money does your organization have to support the project? What does the project budget (revenue & expenses) look like with CCT’s participation? Please note your investment can’t come from other provincial sources (e.g. grants).

Step 4 – Metrics

Explain what project success (ROI) looks like. How will success be measured and reported to CCT?

Step 5 – Submit your Proposal

For assistance submitting contact ForthWrite Canada by clicking here.

Step 6 – Project Review

Assistance in preparing and reviewing project applications in advance of submission deadline is available, upon request.

NOTE  The CCT’s The Partnership Committee meets to approve the applications within 10 business days of application deadlines. All applicants will be notified the following week regarding the status of the partnership.

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