Explore Huntsville 2025-26 Visitor Attraction Grant Application

Before you begin

Grant applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Explore Huntsville's Executive Director, Kelly Haywood, to ensure your event or project meets our criteria. You can reach her at kelly@huntsvillemat.com.

Once you begin your application, you will not be able to save and return to it. You can download a copy of the questions here to compile your answers before completing the form.

About your organization

Your organization's operating name

Your organization's legal name (if different from operating name)

Your organization's address

Your organization's website

Main contact name

Main contact email

Main contact phone number

What is your role with the organization?

Staff

Volunteer

Owner

I am requesting funds for myself

How is your organization classified?

Charity

Non-profit

For-profit

Unregistered

About your event or project

Name of your event or project

Event / project category

Event / project description

Event / project start date

Event / project end date

Event / project location

What permits and/or approvals are necessary for this project? Please provide the status of each.

What is your capacity to develop and deliver this event/project?

Outline your contingency/cancellation plan. (Note: Should there be substantial deviation from the event/project as outlined in this application, you may be required to return all or part of any funding received from HMATA.)

Assessment and performance measures

What are your goals and objectives for your event/project? (These could include ticket sales, number of visitors, website traffic, newsletter subscriptions, awareness, etc.)

How will you measure the success of your event/project?

How will you enhance or differentiate this event / project from past iterations? (Note: One of our goals is to improve visitor experiences. Returning events that do not provide a substantially different visitor experience will not be considered.)

Describe how your event/project will support HMATA’s 2023-2025 strategic plan (see the link below).

Describe how this event/project will attract visitors to Huntsville and/or drive destination awareness of Huntsville specifically.

What other impact will this event/project have on the Huntsville community? (Could include economic growth, job creation, innovation, enhancement of visitor experience, etc.)

HMATA’s organizational values are: being collaborative, being creative, being progressive, being inclusive, and respecting our natural environment. Describe how your event/project aligns with these values.

Economic benefits

Estimated number of visitors from outside Muskoka

Estimated number of local (Muskoka) visitors

How will funding from the Huntsville Municipal Accommodation Tax Association result in overnight stays in Huntsville at accommodations which collect the MAT?

Estimated number of overnight stays (number of rooms per night)

How will you measure actual overnight stays for your event/project?

What other economic spillover will your event/project have?

Who are your partner organizations for this event/project? (Could include hotels, restaurants, tourism operators, etc.)

Optional for events: Include a Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model (TREIM) report to accompany your submission.

Communications / marketing plan

How will you attract out-of-town participants/visitors to your event?

What marketing/promotional tactics will you use?

When and how will you share your event/project stories with HMATA?

Budget and funding

Please upload your event/project budget. (Note: Applications that do not include a detailed budget will not be considered for funding.)

What other sources of funding or in-kind donations have you secured for your event/project? (Include federal, provincial, and regional/municipal grants or subsidies; private sponsorships or donations; and in-kind donations.)

What is your organization’s financial contribution to this event/project?

What amount are you requesting from HMATA?

Please specify which elements of your event/project HMATA funds would be used for.

How does your budget differ from past iterations? (Note: Only enhancements or new experiences will be considered for funding.)

Note: Should HMATA funding be approved, you will be required to:

Provide proof of commercial general liability insurance of $5M+ that names HMATA as an insured party.
Recognize HMATA’s support in media releases and with logo visibility at the event and on your website.

Certification

I am authorized to sign on behalf of this organization. I certify that the information contained in this application and all supporting documentation is accurate and complete. I agree to provide any additional information that may be reasonably required for the purposes of assessing this application and administering funding. I also agree to submit a final report (guidelines will be provided to successful applicants) upon completion of this event/project. I acknowledge that if any of this information is misrepresented, this application shall be deemed to be withdrawn.

Signature of authorized representative

Date