Tourism Event Sponsorship Funding Application Guidelines for Events Held Between 1 August 2017 31 July 2018 is a membership-based, destination marketing organisation structured to promote the region for tourism. The following sponsorship/funding application guidelines reflect the Constitution, the Noosa Sustainable Destination Action Plan and member and community interests. Tourism events play an important role in attracting visitors to the Noosa region and therefore provides opportunities for funding applications for such events. Sponsorship/funding requests that do not meet s guidelines will not be considered. 1- DEFINITIONS: Tourism Event means an event that contributes to the Noosa economy by bringing attendees/participants primarily from outside the Noosa Shire Council boundary. Community Event means an event within the Noosa Shire Council boundary organised by a notfor-profit organisation and that primarily has attendance/participation from within the Noosa Shire Council boundary. Marketing Plan Support is direct expenditure on agreed marketing activities outside of the region undertaken by the Event Organiser to promote the event. 2 - SPONSORSHIP/FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES: offers the following: a) Cash Sponsorship: cash payments to be determined each year for up to a maximum of three years. b) Marketing Plan Support: ongoing event support with direct financial assistance for marketing of the event which may also continue at the conclusion of Cash Sponsorship support to be determined upon application and at the sole discretion of. c) Combination of a) and b). Funds will be allocated annually. Preference will be given to event funding applicants who are applying for Marketing Plan Support. Cash sponsorship will only be offered as a seeding grant to events or festivals that are deemed to have potential to provide ongoing benefit to the growth of tourism in the region. is currently preparing a new strategic plan from 2017-2022 and a review of cash sponsorship funding will form part of this long-term strategic framework. reserves the right to vary any funding terms for any event.
3 - LEVELS: The value of support offered will be determined based on the tourism and economic impact on the region. Support up to $2000 will be assessed by the CEO. Where the value of cash sponsorship or marketing plan support is higher than $2000, applications will be assessed by the Board under the following parameters: Submissions $2001 - $5000 Intended marketing oriented use of cash Detailed business plan and marketing plan Financial budget as per application And provide a Post Event Report and completed Sustainability Checklist on completion of the event Submissions $5001 - $25,000 Intended marketing oriented use of cash Detailed business plan and marketing plan Financial budget as per application A plan for event sustainability beyond the three years of any Sponsorship provided by And provide a Post Event Report and completed Sustainability Checklist on completion of the event in the format as provided by * with information collected via a visitor survey with a minimum of 100 respondents Submissions $25,001 - $40,000 Intended marketing oriented use of cash Detailed business plan and marketing plan Financial budget as per application A plan for event sustainability beyond the three years of any Sponsorship provided by And provide a Post Event Report and completed Sustainability Checklist on completion of the event in the format as provided by * with information collected via a visitor survey with a minimum of 400 respondents Submissions over $40,001 Intended marketing oriented use of cash Detailed business plan and marketing plan Financial budget as per application A plan for event sustainability beyond the three years of any Sponsorship provided by And provide a Post Event Report and completed Sustainability Checklist on completion of the event in the format as provided by * with information collected via a visitor survey with a minimum of 1000 respondents along with a minimum of an Executive Summary of an Economic Impact Statement as required by Tourism Events Queensland, prepared by an independent party *Post Event Report and Sustainability Checklist Templates to be provided at contract stage
4 - ELIGIBILITY: Any event or festival sponsored by must: Be consistent with the strategic objectives reflected in s Sustainable Destination Action Plan Build value for tourism in the Noosa region, notably: Show a capacity to generate significant national and international visitation, preferably in the traditionally low periods of February, June-August, early December Show potential to generate positive media coverage of Noosa outside South-East Queensland Be staged in the Noosa region Be committed to sourcing local suppliers and staff Demonstrate future growth and sustainability Adhere to Noosa Council policies Align with the cultural and environmental aspirations of the community Provide a description of how the event is becoming more environmentally sustainable Have proven event management experience Show stakeholder engagement Provide a proposed exit strategy for relying on sponsorship/funding to becoming a self-sufficient event 5 - EXCLUSIONS: will not consider sponsorship/funding requests for any of the following: Any community event that receives community grant funding from Noosa Council except where the event is deemed by to also have some tourism related economic benefits to Noosa ( may assist community events with in-kind marketing support) Events that are held in peak holiday periods Events that do not meet s goals and objectives Those driven by social issues that deems to have the potential to be divisive Organisations that believes are or could be linked to contentious issues Political parties reserves the right to not consider any application 6 - RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF CASH SPONSORSHIP: Cash sponsorship cannot be used for the following: Activity that could reasonably be considered part of an applicant s core, or business as usual operations Salaries of existing or permanent staff Administration expenses/sundries Capital or equipment costs Facilities maintenance Insurance and legal costs
7 - RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF MARKETING PLAN SUPPORT : Marketing plan support cannot be used for the following: Production of event programs, flyers, posters Postage and distribution costs Direct mail costs Website development Marketing material and collateral promoting the event in Noosa, i.e. street banners, big screen coverage, local signage Advertising in local newspapers, local radio, Sunshine Coast television Salaries/Contract Fees for marketing/pr/social media staff - unless it can be demonstrated that these services are driving marketing aligned to the criteria for funding as a tourism event with relevant KPIs attached to the services 8 - APPROVAL PROCESS: Applicants will be subject to standard commercial due diligence and are reminded that Tourism Noosa reports transparently on all sponsorship as required within its Constitution. The value of support offered will be issued to the applicant in writing. Approvals provide no guarantee of future or ongoing support; applications are managed within approved budget capacity. The following conditions of approval will apply to all funds under this program: The event organiser will enter into a contract with which will include stipulation of: How sponsorship funds are to be used and will be demonstrated via a sponsorship plan Signage / direct marketing / other acknowledgments of s sponsorship of the event Funds must be used only for the purpose for which they are granted. Any variation of funds must be approved by in writing in advance. Funds redirected without the approval of may result in funding being withdrawn. Sponsorship funds must be expended within the time-frame allocated Failure to comply with the proposed undertaking and contractual requirements will result in a request for a reimbursement of funds provided and will deem the applicant ineligible for future sponsorship An application must include a sustainability plan which addresses impact on the local environment. Plans must include waste management and risk management plans. 8 - POST EVENT AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING: A Post Event Report and completed sustainability checklist as outlined in section 3 is to be provided by the stated due date to to demonstrate whether the project has contributed to the aims and objectives of. A portion of the total sponsorship [a minimum of 15% and up to 25%] will be retained by Tourism Noosa until a post event report, sustainability checklist [provided by ] and all event signage has been reported and returned to.
9 - HOW TO APPLY FOR FUNDING: funding applications for events or festival to be held from 1 August 2017 31 July 2018 are open from 6 October 2016 with a closing date of 11 November 2016. To request an application form please contact Susan Ewington at events@tourismnoosa.com.au. will provide a response on the application within 90 days of the closing date. Applications close on 11 November 2016. APPLICATIONS: WHO TO CONTACT Please send your sponsorship/funding proposal to: CEO PO Box 581 Noosa Heads Qld 4567