West Virginia Division of Tourism Financial Assistance Contact Anna Plantz, Director, Cooperative Tourism 304.558.2200 Anna.M.Plantz@wv.gov www.wvtourism.com/mapp Target Audience Funding For-profit and non-profit tourism destinations within the state. State funds Total available: $5 to $6 Million Application Process Minimum or maximum amount a participant can receive: 1. Large minimum $20,000 total project up to $800,000 total project 50% maximum reimbursement 2. Small maximum $10,000 total project no minimum 75% maximum reimbursement 3. Fairs & Festivals maximum $10,000 total project no minimum 50% maximum reimbursement Large applications Read quarterly before Tourism Commission. Accepted: 1. January 1 for March reading 2. April 1 for June reading 3. July 1 for September reading; and 4. October 1 for December reading. Small applications Must be submitted at least 45 days before any billable work may be done on the project. Fairs & Festivals Must be submitted at least 45 days before any billable work may be done on the project. ALL PROJECTS MUST BE APPROVED BEFORE EXPENDITURES MAY BE INCURRED. W E S T V I R G I N I A D E V E L O P M E N T O F F I C E D 23
Application Process Deadlines: Large Award Level $10,000 + Applications must be received by the Division by 5 p.m. on the 1st of the following months for review on a quarterly basis at the Tourism Commission s regularly scheduled meeting. Complete applications must be received by the Division of Tourism on the following: Division of Tourism Date Due January 1 April 1 July 1 October 1 Review Date March meeting June meeting September meeting December meeting If the date due for the Large Award Level falls on a holiday or weekend, the application is due the next business day. Small Award Level Up to $7,500 and Fairs and Festivals Awards Applications must be received by the Division at least 45 days in advance of the beginning project date. Beginning project date must be set at a date before any billable work is done on the project. All MAPP Applicants Applicants must receive approval of their application before any expenses listed within the application may be incurred. Modification Deadlines: Modifications that include extension requests (maximum 6 months) must be submitted 30 days before the ending project date. Modifications requesting increases in state funding up to $10,000 or otherwise requiring Tourism Commission approval must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the monthly Commission meeting. Modifications requesting movement of media may be awarded at the discretion of the Division. No modifications shall be awarded after the ending project date. D 24 B U S I N E S S R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O R Y
Application Process Continued Reimbursement Deadlines: ALL AWARDS MUST BE CLOSED OUT WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE ENDING PROJECT DATE OF THE MAPP AWARD. Audit Deadlines: Any person receiving one or more state grants in the amount of $50,000 or more in the aggregate in a state s fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) must file a report. Person includes any corporation, partnership, association, individual or other legal entity. Person does not include state spending unit or local government as defined in WV Code 6-9-1a. Report means an engagement, such as an agreed-upon procedures engagement or other attestation engagement. Report does not mean a full-scope audit or review. Any person receiving less than $50,000 shall file a Sworn Statement of Expenditures (SOE). This report is generally prepared by the applicant. Reports and SOE shall be filed within two years of the end of the person s fiscal year in which the disbursements of the state funds by the grantor was made. Description The MAPProgram is a reimbursable partnership program that provides matching funds for innovative and effective direct advertising projects that increase visitation and tourism expenditures in West Virginia and impact the economic growth of the travel industry. All dollars awarded are matched by tourism destinations and their partners with award amounts based on the budget amounts that the participating tourism destinations and their partners are able to dedicate to the project making the MAPProgram an investment in the future, not only by the state, but by every participating business investing its own dollars. W E S T V I R G I N I A D E V E L O P M E N T O F F I C E D 25
Eligible Applicants An eligible applicant is a for-profit or non-profit entity or organization located within the state that promotes tourism within the state and is also a tourism destination. Applicants may not include vendors that would be supplying services paid for out of MAPP funds, schools or camps. Eligible Expenditures: The costs of advertising on television, radio, or other telecommunications media, in newspapers, magazines or other print media, direct mail advertising, internet media, and outdoor advertising or any combination thereof; The costs of purchasing and using mailing lists for direct mail promotions; The costs for United States postage used for direct mail only at the standard bulk mail rate; The costs of printing travel related literature provided that sixty percent (60%) of such literature is used as fulfillment for direct advertising within the approved application or approved request for modification of an approved application, and that all requests for printing are accompanied by three written bids, with written justification provided in the event that the lowest bid is not selected; or Registration fees for consumer and trade shows: Provided that the participation in such shows is for the purpose of attracting visitors to the state. Eighty-percent (80%) of a project s direct advertising must be directed toward areas outside of the local market or in major out-of-state markets for all large and small applications. Any direct advertising related to real estate must be for vacation rentals only. No direct advertising for real estate sales is permitted. Eligible expenses may include production expenses for direct advertising in the print, broadcast, internet and print costs media categories. The total cost of such production expenses may not exceed fifteen (15%) of the total cost of the above listed categories and in no event may the total cost of such production expenses exceed $10,000. Eligible expenses may include web site development, design, and upgrades to the applicant s web site. The total cost of such production expenses may not exceed $22,500 per applicant, per year as defined by the Division. Web site development, design and upgrades may not include any applicable ineligible expenditures. D 26 B U S I N E S S R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O R Y
Restrictions Ineligible Expenditures: Regular and ordinary business costs of the applicant including, but not limited to, supplies, personnel, phone, normal postage, distribution and shipping expenses or travel costs; Any costs associated with preparation of the direct advertising grant application; Costs for the rental or purchase of real estate; Construction costs; Costs of political or lobbying activities of any kind; Membership fees or dues to any organization, or solicitation of membership to any organization through advertising within a grant program authorized by this rule; Costs associated with the start up of any business or publication even if the business or publication may be totally or partially devoted to the promotion of tourism in the state; The cost of purchase of audio/visual equipment; Costs of alcoholic beverages; Costs for any expenditure not identified in the application, unless the Commission grants prior approval in writing; Costs of any public relations or research expense; Costs for key rings, bumper stickers, mugs or any other similar promotional item; Event production expenses, including costs for audio equipment, awards, entertainment, portable restrooms, labor or refreshments; Costs relating to fundraising activities; Costs associated with retail advertising, except for destination shopping which is able to produce verification that said destination attracts a minimum of eighty-five (85%) of its visitors from outside the local market provided that no retail advertising may include price point advertising; Costs of Tourist Oriented Directional Signs (TODS) and logo signs for gas, food, lodging and camping; Costs of sponsorships; Costs of items for resale; Costs for monthly or annual server/web host fees, web maintenance fees, and training; Costs for domain name registration, internal email addresses; W E S T V I R G I N I A D E V E L O P M E N T O F F I C E D 27
Restrictions Continued Ineligible Expenditures Continued: Costs associated with pay-per-click or paid search advertising, except for statewide tourism associations which represent entire segments of the tourism industry of the state, and only those associations as a whole. D 28 B U S I N E S S R E S O U R C E D I R E C T O R Y