The city’s destination marketing organization is funded via hotel taxes collected by the city. For the 2019-20 fiscal year, Visit McKinney has allocated $30,000 of the hotel tax funds for issuance of grants. These funds are awarded to tourism partners to encourage them to bring new tourism dollars into the city’s economy.
Amounts awarded in November during the first round of grants included $1,700 to McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra for concert marketing in 2020, and $11,595 to Ovation Academy of Performing Arts for the promotion of their upcoming show, “Chaplin,” which takes place Jan. 16-19. The total amount available for the second round of grants is $16,705. Application presentations to the Visit McKinney Board will take place Feb. 25, and the grant awards will be made at the board’s March 24 meeting.
Information about qualifications for these grant funds as well as the guidelines and necessary forms for the application process can be found at www.visitmckinney.com/Grants.
Recipients of Visit McKinney promotional tourism grants in 2018-19 included:
- Texas Folklore Society - $3,000
- Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary - $5,000
- The Courts Tennis Complex - $4,000
- Star-Spangled Salsa Fest (Community Garden Kitchen) - $1,000
- International Festival (Imagine International School) - $3,000
- Art Meets Floral (Heard-Craig Center for the Arts) - $5,000
- Odysseus Chamber Orchestra (now McKinney Philharmonic Orchestra) - $1,500
- McKinney Art Studio Tour (Arts & Music Guild) - $7,500
For more information about grant eligibility or to consult on the viability of your project concept, please contact Visit McKinney Executive Director Dee-dee Guerra at dguerra@visitmckinney.com or call 214-544-1407.