State funding is available to boost economic activity, travel, and overnight stays September 2023 through May 2024 to support small tourism-related businesses. This nine-month period is referred to as the shoulder season or off season.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) 2023-2024 Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program (MMLP) competitive grant program opens August 22 and closes September 28. The maximum award for individual tourism-oriented businesses with fewer than 20 employees is $5,000. The max for organizations such as chambers is $10,000.
Virginia Tourism Corporation points out that the MMLP is a “great program for winter holiday marketing campaigns and shoulder season initiatives such as new Restaurant Weeks.” On the Northern Neck, the sole restaurant week is Virginia’s River Realm Restaurant Week; it took place January 21-31, 2023 in the eight River Realm towns, including Kilmarnock, White Stone, Irvington, and Urbanna. (Source: Save the Date: The 2023 Virginia Restaurant Weeks)
The application is not overly complicated but does require planning and coordination, which is one reason why VTC encourages businesses to review the materials prior to starting the application. All Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program materials are online save the application which will be live August 22.
Several items of note
- 1:1 cash or in-kind match is required.
- “All programs must have a lodging component since this program’s goal is to drive overnight visitation in the shoulder season. If there is a lodging deļ¬cit in the locality, the lodging partner may be a regional partner such as a state park, B&B, hotel, motel or campground.” There are several online sources to identify lodging opportunities:
- Colonial Beach Chamber of Commerce: members offering accommodations
- Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce: member list which can be sorted by type of business
- Northern Neck National Heritage Area: Wineries, Cidery, Dining & Lodging
- Northumberland County: Northumberland County, VA | Do. Stay. Eat. map
- Virginia’s River Realm: ways to stay
- All applications must involve several businesses. The language used is Partnerships/Hub & Spoke and the section is worth 25 points.
