Tourism Divisions

American Civil War Sesquicentennial Tourism Marketing Program

Applications are due on March 15, 2012.

The Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission (the Commission) and the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) have created a special American Civil War Sesquicentennial Tourism Marketing Program.  This program will help Virginia community organizations, working in partnership with the local tourism industry, in promoting the

observance of the 150th

anniversary of the American Civil War.

This objective can be accomplished through actions including the following:

• Encouraging and stimulating investment by combined efforts of local, regional and statewide entities for Civil War-related cultural marketing initiatives.
• Marketing Virginia as a year-round travel destination for individuals and groups.
• Marketing the historical and cultural attractions of Virginia to international travelers.

Proposed events or programs must support and further the Commission's established programs, annual conference themes and goals (www.virginiacivilwar.org/grants) which include the following:

Diversity:  The commemoration will be inclusive of and meaningful to people of all ages and backgrounds:

Inclusiveness:  The commemoration will tell a balanced story of Virginia during the American Civil War, incorporating Union and Confederate perspectives and the narratives of those who were soldiers and civilians, enslaved and free.

Education:  The commemoration will include a strong education component designed to inspire renewed interest in Virginia history and will create opportunities to re-examine the lessons of the past and the legacies of the Civil War to understand how they affect the present and shape the future.

Permanence:  The commemoration will imprint Virginia history and leave a valuable and positive legacy well beyond 2015.

A minimum of three entities must partner financially to apply for funding consideration.  One of the partners must be a Virginia Sesquicentennial Local Committee.  Partners may consist of Virginia towns, cities, counties, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination marketing organizations (DMO), private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and not-for-profit entities.  All applications must include a letter of support from each DMO(s) within the project coverage area.  DMOs can be – and are encouraged to be – partners in the application.  A list of DMOs can be found at http://www.vatc.org/csir/dmolist.asp.   Programs that are regional in scope are encouraged.  All applicable partners in the application must be listed on www.Virginia.org and must provide a reciprocal link to www.Virginia.org and to www.virginiacivilwar.org from their website.  One partner must serve as the fiscal agent who will administer the program, and must have a Federal Employer Identification Number.  The applicants can only apply for one project per funding cycle.  A potential vendor of services for or to the application partnership program, either directly or indirectly, cannot be a partner in the application.  Applicants are encouraged to seek services through a competitive bid process and are encouraged to utilize SWAM (Small, Women, or Minority-Owned Business) vendors, when possible.  For more information, please visit http://www.dmbe.virginia.gov/.

Applicants can apply for up to $5,000 with a 1:1 match required. The match is a cash match only and is on a reimbursement basis upon receipt of documentation.  No in-kind services or costs will be allowed for matching purposes without prior written approval of the Commission and VTC.

Questions regarding the American Civil War Sesquicentennial Tourism Marketing Program should be addressed to Steve Galyean at sgalyean@virginia.org or 804-545-5517.