Eau Claire, Wis. (June 4, 2021) - Visit Eau Claire is proud to award $90,500 in Tourism and Cultural Arts Grants to area organizations and events. Included in this funding is a one-time, additional $41,000 in grants approved by Visit Eau Claire’s board of directors to assist local organizations that struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an additional $9,000 approved by our Sports Commission. The April round of grants produced 33 applicants that totaled over $166,950 in requested funding. “In direct correlation to the record breaking request and need for grants, we doubled our annual grant allocation for this round alone. The Chippewa Valley has come together throughout COVID-19 to take care of each other, and it was our turn to do the same. These events and organizations are vital to not only our success every year and our comeback, but to our future success as a community. This extra funding will not impact our ability to fund the November round of grants,” said executive director Benny Anderson.

The Tourism Grant program is intended to encourage tourism development and promotion through events that will generate overnight stays and/or extend visitor stays while creating a positive image of the Eau Claire area. It is appropriate for new and expanding festivals, sports tournaments, conventions, and other special events that have a room night impact on Chippewa Valley area hotels. It can be used to offset marketing, advertising, printing, postage and mailing costs.

The Cultural Arts Grants are awarded in partnership with the Wisconsin Arts Board and are intended to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of arts and culture in the region. Proposals may include performing arts, visual media, literary arts, folk art, festivals, local history, artist series, cultural programs for grades K-12, cultural traditions, or public art installations/programs. It can be used for any expense related to a cultural program that nourishes artistic expression and development, or enhances the enjoyment and understanding of arts and culture for community residents.

This round’s recipients for the Cultural Arts Grants are:

Chippewa Valley Musuem
Eau Claire Area Economic Development-Gala
Eau Claire International Film Festival
eDance Company
Mabel Tainter Theater

This round’s recipients for the Tourism Grants are:

90's Water Street Reunion
Artisan Forge Studios
Blue Ox Music Festival
C&G Promotions LLC
City of Altoona - Pumpkin Festival
Eau Claire Area Economic Development event at River Prairie
Royal Credit Union (RCU) Foundation
Seymour Ball Club
The Children's Museum of Eau Claire
Toward One Wisconsin Conference - The Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS)
Wisconsin Farm Technology Days (Hospitality Shuttle, Hospitality Country Hoedown)

This round’s recipients for the Sports Commission Grants are:

Ohio Valley Babe Ruth Regional Tournament
Wisconsin Babe Ruth State Tournament
Eau Claire United Soccer Tournament
Wisconsin Baseball Association Regional Tournament

There were a few organizations that were not able to be awarded grants; however, Visit Eau Claire is working with them to find other ways for their events to be successful.

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