Gov. Phil Scott Announces 16 Projects Received Transformational Tourism Grants

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, December 17, 2024

GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT ANNOUNCES 16 PROJECTS RECEIVED TRANSFORMATIONAL TOURISM GRANTS
Nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and regional development organizations will share $1.5M in funding

Montpelier, Vt. - Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing today announced the recipients of the Transformational Tourism, Events, and Regional Marketing (T-TERM) Grant Program. The T-TERM grant program was created to help events and communities offering unique visitor experiences to expand and/or market themselves to attract more out-of-state visitors and increase overnight stays.

"These grants are funding projects that will help revitalize communities across the state," says Governor Phil Scott. "Tourism is an important part of our economy, and our small businesses, restaurants and shops all benefit from the revenue brought in by visitors coming to Vermont."

Sixteen organizations will share $1,496,838 in T-TERM funding. Of the 16 grants, three are for statewide initiatives and 13 are regionally based. Grants fit into the following categories: Arts and Culture Events (1), Development of Creative Assets and Targeted Marketing Campaigns (5), Outdoor Recreation Events and Promotion (3), Festivals (2), and Destination Development (5).

The Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce won an $85,000 grant to promote culturally inclusive tourism in the region. Matt Harrington, executive director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce, says the T-TERM grant will enhance the visitor experience while fostering pride and economic growth.

"This grant is a game-changer for The Shires of Southwestern Vermont, allowing us to highlight and celebrate our growing cultural diversity," says Harrington. "We will craft innovative marketing campaigns and authentic storytelling initiatives on platforms like www.exploretheshires.com to showcase the rich tapestry of arts, history, food, and traditions that make our corner of Vermont unique."

Shelburne Museum is using a $131,000 T-TERM grant to expand Winter Lights, transforming it into a destination event and creating a visual gateway between the village of Shelburne and the Museum.

"The T-TERM grant enabled a new partnership between Shelburne Museum and the Town of Shelburne to expand lighting installations along the main gateway into Shelburne and engage shops, restaurants and hotels in the seasonal seven-week event," said Thomas Denenberg, director, Shelburne Museum. "The grant also supported the Museum's efforts to reach a wider audience from farther away raising the profile of Winter Lights in Boston, Albany and Montreal and drawing visitors not just to experience the magic of Winter Lights on our campus, but also to shop, dine and stay in the community."

Examples of other T-TERM investments include:

• Catamount Film & Arts is using a $150,000 grant to create a 12-month campaign promoting LGBTQIA+ Arts Programming and Events in the Northeast Kingdom including collaborating with lodging establishments to enhance the visitor experience.
• Come Alive Outside will use $79,000 to expand Rutland County's Winterfest into a multi-day event by adding a chili cook-off, freestyle snowboarding competition, and a snowmobiling expo. They will also expand the Winterfest Drag Show and turn the snow carving event into a U.S. National Snow Sculpting qualifier.
• Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro will use a $78,318 grant to promote its Curds & Curling event which features a wheel of cheese as a curling stone. They will also use grant money to buy a synthetic ice rink.
• Kelly S. Brush Foundation will use $62,750 to engage and inspire individuals to take advantage of adaptive-accessible mountain biking opportunities throughout Vermont.
• Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce will use a $50,000 grant to target visitors in Montreal, Boston, and New York with a video campaign promoting food and outdoor recreation.
• ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain will use a $117,800 grant to create and expand an immersive Champ experience exhibit about Lake Champlain's legendary lake monster.
• Mad Valley Sports is using a $52,970 grant to expand the Mad Marathon by adding a Kids Fun Run, Mad Mile for teenagers, and expand participation to adaptive athletes in the Mad Half, 10K, and 5K events. There will also be a promotional campaign targeting hearing-impaired guided runners and hand cycle athletes.
• Montpelier Alive! is attracting visitors with its Bridge Illumination Project. The $150,000 T-TERM grant will help fund the effort to light up six historic bridges as Montpelier works to establish a new identity as "The City of Bridges".
• Newport Downtown Development is launching the Newport Peddlers Project with a $112,000 grant to create a unique, destination shopping experience utilizing transportable, custom 'peddler carts' to showcase local businesses around the downtown area, taking advantage of the scenic beauty of the nearby Lake Memphremagog.
• Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce will use a $78,000 grant to launch a social media, influencer, and digital marketing campaign to promote tourism, create virtual tours, and promote eight regional events.
• St. Johnsbury Works! Is using a $65,000 grant to create a campaign promoting St. Johnsbury to out-of-state visitors, letting them know that the town is right off Interstate 91 and easy to get to, as well as features a walkable downtown, world-class performing arts series, and arts and culture experiences for all ages.
• Stowe Area Association will create new photos and videos with a $50,000 grant to promote Stowe as a four-season destination that reflects their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• Vermont Cheese Council will use an $85,000 grant to transform the Vermont Cheese Festival into Vermont Cheese Week to take place between Labor Day and before foliage season begins. The council intends to market the event to younger and more diverse people with an advertising and social media campaign.
• Vermont Mountain Bike Association will use a $150,000 grant to encourage multi-day tourism by creating a statewide visitor guide to mountain biking featuring 36-, 48-, and 72-hour itineraries along 12-16 trail-centered destinations. The guide will also list resources for lodging, food, gear shops, and more.

"By design, these grants are funding projects that have the potential for long-term impact in attracting more visitors," says Tourism Commissioner Heather Pelham. "We're really excited to see these creative projects come to life to fuel visitor spending in regions throughout the state, now and into the future."

Click on the "Progress Report" tab on the VDTM website for more details on T-TERM award distribution and recipients.

T-TERM grants are funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as part of an award to the state in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries. The U.S. Economic Development Administration approved all T-TERM grants.

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