Event Matching Grant

The Carbon County Office of Tourism, guided by its Destination Development Plan, administers the 2026 Event Matching Grant to support event organizers in promoting tourism within Carbon County, Utah. This grant initiative is managed through the County’s Tax Advisory Board and focuses on increasing economic activity and visibility for the region by leveraging out-of-area visitors. The core intent is to grow Transient Room Tax (TRT) and restaurant tax revenues through tourism, making the area a more attractive and sustainable travel destination. This reimbursement-based program provides matching funds of up to $1,500 for eligible events that demonstrate potential to attract overnight visitors. A 1:1 cash match is required, meaning applicants must provide funds equal to the amount awarded. Disbursement is split into two parts: 50% upon signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and the remaining 50% after submission and approval of a final report. This report must include documentation of the advertising activities and evidence of the tourism impact. Eligibility is open to nonprofits, municipalities, public agencies, and for-profit event organizers, provided they can show measurable tourism benefits. To qualify, events must be at least two days long, encourage overnight stays, and include a marketing plan targeted specifically at visitors outside Carbon and Emery counties. Collaboration with local lodging partners is required, along with tracking of overnight visits. Fundable activities are limited to advertising channels that reach non-local audiences. These include paid ads on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, radio, newspapers, billboards, and event promotion sites like Eventbrite. However, funding may not be used for printing, giveaways, staff costs, or in-kind contributions. Importantly, all funded marketing must feature the Carbon Corridor logo and website, and marketing content must be submitted for approval at least two weeks before launch. Application materials must cover an event summary and schedule, marketing plan and budget, lodging partnerships, branding commitments, proof of matching funds, and confirmation of attendance at an upcoming Tax Advisory Board meeting. Marketing for small and medium events should begin no less than 20 days before the event, while larger festivals and conferences are expected to initiate marketing at least three months in advance. The application window for this program opens on December 8, 2025, and closes on May 1, 2026. Late applications will not be accepted. All funded recipients must submit a final report within 30 days after their event, detailing advertising outputs, financial spending, visitor data, and the inclusion of the required branding.

Ensure that marketing content targets out-of-area visitors and contains required branding; submit content two weeks prior to launch.