Okaloosa County BOCC — May 4, 2013 — Special Event & Sponsorship Funding — reading text

SECTION THREE: SPECIAL EVENT AND SPONSORSHIP FUNDING F.100 PURPOSE The goal of the Tourist Development Department’s Special Event and Sponsorship funding program is to increase awareness of the Emerald Coast as a tourist destination and to drive incremental room occupancy in the sub- county taxing district, particularly during low or shoulder seasons. F.200 AUTHORIZATION 1) The Tourist Development Department will set aside a portion of the overall annual budget as a budgeted line item(s) (determined on a fiscal year basis during the County’s budget process) in a funding program to supplement the efforts of individuals, groups, and organizations planning, coordinating, and managing special events, festivals, meetings, and conventions (“Events”) expected to directly benefit local tourism and to drive incremental room occupancy in the sub-county taxing district, particularly during low or shoulder seasons. 2) When funding is provided, it will be to promote and attract incremental tourism and not to support administrative costs. F.300 Special Event and Sponsorship Funding Guidelines: 1) Location of Event: The Event must take place within Okaloosa County. 2) Application: Applicants must submit a Special Event and Sponsorship Funding Application, a copy of which is attached hereto. A completed application shall be submitted no later than sixty (60) days prior to the start of the Event(s) to the Tourist Development Department Director. 3) Authorized uses of Special Event and Sponsorship funds: a. Vendor-contracted Host Fee(s); b. Pre-Event marketing/attendance stimulation initiatives; c. Emerald Coast Convention Center rental offsets; and d. Any other use of Special Event and Sponsorship funds is unauthorized. 4) Requirements for Pre-Event Marketing/Attendance Stimulation Initiatives: The Okaloosa County tourist development logo and appropriate web links must appear prominently in Event marketing materials (written and/or electronic) supported by the Special Event and Sponsorship funding. Marketing must take place in areas outside of Okaloosa County to ensure that funds will be used to attract overnight visitors. Social media advertising is acceptable, but audience selection must be documented. 5) Additional Requirements: Funding recipients shall agree to work with Tourist Development Department staff to enhance joint attendance stimulation outreach efforts. Such efforts include, but are not limited to, social media development and interaction, public relations and publicity initiatives, webpage links and landing pages, lodging facility reservation channels, and joint photograph and video. 6) Funding Parameters: a) Funding for Pre-Event marketing/attendance stimulation initiatives and Emerald Coast Convention Center rental offsets shall be determined based upon the completed Application form as follows: • Up to $10 per historically documented or anticipated room night with a maximum amount of $20,000 per Event. b) Funding for Vendor-Contracted Host Fees shall not exceed $20,000 per Event. 7) Funding Expense Reimbursement Form: Funding recipients shall submit a Funding Expense Reimbursement Form to the Tourist Development Department Director to seek reimbursement for the item(s) approved in their Special Event and Sponsorship Funding Application. 8) Final Evaluation Report: Funding recipients must submit a Special Event and Sponsorship Post-Event Report, a copy of which is attached hereto. The Post-Event Report shall be submitted to the Tourist Development Department Director no later than thirty (30) days after the date of the Event(s). Failure to submit the Post-Event Report shall deem the funding recipient ineligible for future Special Event and Sponsorship funding. F.400 PROCEDURE Special Event and Sponsorship Funding Application forms are available by contacting the Tourist Development Department. The number and extent of awards will be dependent upon the availability of designated funds from year to year. The following procedures shall apply to Special Event/Sponsorship funding requests: 1) Requests for funding shall be made to the Director or his designated agent on the approved application form. All applicants requesting Special Event/Sponsorship funding shall submit a completed application form to the Director at least sixty (60) days in advance of the anticipated Event date. The Director or designated agent will review the application form to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements. The Director or designated agent reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant prior to making decisions on whether to award funding. 2) The history and experience of the applicant and/or the organization is extremely important when considering the award of any funds as well as the soundness and potential of the proposed or existing Event to drive incremental room occupancy in the sub-county taxing district, particularly during low or shoulder seasons. 1) If an applicant is granted an award, the applicant shall acknowledge in writing the terms and conditions applicable to receiving such funding. 2) Invoices for Pre-Event marketing/attendance stimulation initiatives and Emerald Coast Convention Center rental offsets may be submitted for payment to the Tourist Development Department Director after completion of specific activities detailed in the approved application. Invoices shall be accompanied by a Special Event and Sponsorship Expense Reimbursement Form, a copy of which is attached hereto.