Subject:
Title
Approval of the Tourist Development Council FY 2025-2026 Marketing Support Program Funding, Criteria, Application and Event Income/Event Expense Worksheet
End
Fiscal Impact:
FY 2025-2026: Program funding up to $740,000 for the Marketing Support Program. $240,000 to be utilized from the Marketing Fund (1441/293050) and $500,000 from the Cultural Fund (1446/293020).
Dept/Office:
Tourism Development Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners approve:
1. The Tourist Development Council FY 2025-2026 Marketing Support Program Funding, Criteria, Application and Event Income/Event Expense Worksheet.
2. Total funding of the FY 2025-2026 Marketing Support Program up to $740,000.
3. That the Board make the legislative finding that the Tourist Development Tax funds are authorized for each grant pursuant to Section 125.0104(5)(a)3., Florida Statutes, and Section 102-119(3)a., (3) d., (5)a. and (6)a. of the Brevard County Code of Ordinances because each grant supports an activity or event which has, as one of its main purposes, the attraction of tourists as evidenced by the promotion of the activity, service, venue or event to tourists outside Brevard County.
4. That the Board will provide allocations for $20,000 per Commission District for a total of $100,000 that is part of the total $740,000.
5. That the Tourism Development Office Director be authorized to negotiate and sign all necessary grant agreements and related documents upon County Attorney Office, Risk Management and Purchasing Services approval.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
These funds are put in place for projects approved by the Tourist Development Council and the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners. The Marketing Support Program will provide support to sports, cultural events and year-round programming.
For qualified events or year-round programming, the Marketing Support Program will provide:
• Out-of-county advertising and marketing by the Tourism Development Office
• Defray the cost of renting event venues or facilities operated by Brevard County
• Allocate funds for reimbursement of expenses from the event or year-round programming
Eligible cultural-related organizations may apply to the Marketing Support Program to seek support to enhance tourist-oriented events such as visual and performing arts including theater, concerts, recitals, opera, dance, art exhibitions, festivals, and other tourist related activities. The program is administrated by the Tourism Development Office. Reimbursements up to $45,000 are available for qualifying applicants, funding determined by measurement of out-of-county attendance by Tourism Development Office staff. Applicants awarded funds may choose how they would like to allocate funds.
Eligible sports-related organizations may apply to the Marketing Support Program to seek support to enhance athletic events on the Space Coast. Support may be reimbursement of expenses and/or defray costs of Brevard County sports facilities. This program is administered by the Tourist Development Office as part of the Marketing Support Program. Reimbursement up to $25,000 is available to support events that benefit sports tourism on the Space Coast. Qualifying grants are also subject to partial reimbursement to the TDO from the Florida Sports Foundation. Applicants awarded funds may choose how they would like to allocate funds.
The Tourist Development Council, at their March 26, 2025 meeting, voted unanimously to approve the FY 2025-2026 Marketing Support Program Funding, Criteria, Application and Income/Expense Worksheet with the changes listed below and approval of the FY 2025-2026 Marketing Support Program budget of $740,000. Of the $740,000, $20,000 was allocated to each Commission District office for a total of $100,000 from the program total.
Marketing Support Program - Criteria
1. Change all dates throughout the document from Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 to 2025-2026.
2. Change all Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 cycle dates to October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.
3. Change the word “questionnaire” to “application” throughout the document.
4. Page 2, Section 1.0 Introduction & Background, update & add language to include each district office allocation of $20,000 up to two organizations of their choice to be approved by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners.
5. Page 2, Section 2.0 Statement of Application Responsibility clarify language for “Sports - the per room night calculation as determined by the Tourism Development Office”
6. Page 3, Section 4.0 Process and Key Dates
a. update & add language to include each district office allocation of $20,000 up to two organizations of their choice to be approved by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners.
b. update dates for FY 2025-2026 cycle
7. Page 4-5, Section 5.0 Eligibility
a. update & add language to include each County commission district office allocation of $20,000 up to two organizations of their choice to be approved by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners.
b. #2, update & clarify Sports events funding calculation to read “Sports - the per room night calculation as determined by the Tourism Development Office”
c. #3, adding word “relative” to describe (1) year event experience
d. #7, adding new wording “If an event is canceled or relocates outside of Brevard County after the Notice of Award has been fully executed and reimbursement is complete, the reimbursement amount must be returned to Brevard County and no other funds may be requested. Likewise, if a Brevard County organization providing year-round programming closes or relocates outside of Brevard County within the grant cycle, all or a portion of any reimbursements must be returned to Brevard County and no further reimbursements may be requested.”
e. Following paragraph, delete the words “or 200 room nights” to align with per room night calculation funding tier.
f. (d), add words “Organizers must” to clarify expectations of organizations cooperating with TDO staff requests.
8. Page 6-7, Section 6.0 Available Funds, Support Amount Tiers updates: separated Cultural and Sports funding into two charts. Deleted Sports funding calculations from the Cultural chart.
a. Cultural- added - District Office Awards - up to $20,000
b. Cultural- edited - 5,001-10,000 - to $12,500 from $15,000
c. Cultural- edited - 10,001-25,000 - to $17,500 from $20,000
d. Cultural- edited - 25,001 - 50,000 - to $22,500 from $25,000
e. Cultural- edited - 50,001+ - to $45,000 from $50,000
f. Sports new wording “Sports funding awards will be calculated at $15 per room night. An event must meet the eligibility requirements in Section 5.0 and have a minimum of 250 room nights. Maximum funding per event is $25,000. Room night counts will be determined by the Sports Commissioner from prior years’ data and TDO staff analysis. Sports events not achieving the room night number will have their award reduced to equal number of room nights multiplied by $15.”
g. Following paragraph clarifies the allocation options for the awarded applications, new wording “to be chosen by the organization after they have been awarded funding. Organizations may allocate their award funds as they desire by the following categories:”
h. Category #1 - adding new wording “Organizations may select the events to be included in their MSP campaign but may not exceed three events.”
i. Category #2 - adding new wording “Sports awards to be determined by the Sports Commissioner from prior years’ data”
j. Category #3 - deleted words “based on projected room nights and TDO staff analysis”.
k. Last paragraph in the Section add word “the” after the word execute and delete words “60 days” after the word plan both in second to last line.
9. Page 9, Section 8.0 Application Submittal Procedures, updated date/time for Information meetings for cultural and sports
10. Page 14, Section 13.0, Terms & Conditions
a. III. Indemnification and Hold Harmless, adding wording “protection as set forth in section 768.28, Florida Statutes.”
b. IV. Insurance, adding/editing “policies on insurance known as General Liability Insurance covering the Contractor against any and all claims, demands and causes of action whatsoever for injuries received and damages to property in connection with the use, occupation, management or control”
Marketing Support Program - Application
1. Change all dates throughout the document from Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 to 2025-2026.
2. Change the word “questionnaire” to “application” throughout the document.
3. Page 19 add Event Income/Event Expense Worksheet link
Marketing Support Program - Event Income/Event Expense Worksheet
1. New document to be completed and uploaded within the application.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return a memo of the Board’s action to the Tourism Development Office and County Attorney’s Office.