• The Tourism Attraction opportunity is for museums, historical sites, state park, etc, that are open a minimum of 100 days per year.
• The Tourism Private Sector Grant is for events/festivals – either enhancing current offerings or developing new ones.
• The Marketing Partnership Grant is for campaigns, out of home advertising and digital marketing efforts.

 

Tourism Attraction Opportunity:

Program Description Section 8a(1) of the Illinois Promotion Act (20 ILCS 665/1 et seq.) authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to award grants to counties, municipalities, units of local government, not-for-profit organizations, local promotion groups and for-profit businesses for the development or improvement of tourism attractions in Illinois. Tourism Attractions are defined as fishing and hunting areas, State parks, historical/cultural sites, areas of historic or scenic interest, museums, recreation areas, botanical gardens, theme/amusement parks, interpretive programs and other facilities or businesses that attract or serve visitors that are open to the public for a minimum of 100 days per year (if the tourism attraction is entirely event-driven, then it shall be open for a minimum of 200 hours per year), and are marketed and promoted to visitors from more than 50 miles away.

TA Session - Tourism Attraction Grant Program (420-25-2168) Thursday 10/9/25 10-11am. Registration link - https://illinois.webex.com/weblink/register/r2b3d6432abf82a39b81bea283b5338e0 *-These will be recorded so if you miss one the link will be provided on the opportunity page under technical assistance session.

Tourism Private Sector Grant Program:

Section 5(b) of the Illinois Promotion Act (20 ILCS 665) authorizes the Department to make grants to Illinois not-for-profit organizations, for-profit entities, counties, municipalities and local promotion groups to match funds from sources in the private sector for the purpose of attracting and hosting tourism events in Illinois and developing new events and festivals in Illinois or enhancing existing Illinois festivals. Tourism Event is defined as an event, such as a major convention, trade show, sporting activity or festival, with potential to attract visitors from outside a 50-mile radius and to produce significantly increased economic impact for the State of Illinois through overnight stays. Tourism Festival is defined as an organized series of public activities for a specific duration that may include, but are not limited to, cultural performances, exhibitions, fairs, or carnivals that may include music and the service of food and beverages.

TA Session - Tourism Private Sector Grant Program (420-25-2167) Wednesday 10/8/25 2-3pm. Registration link - https://illinois.webex.com/weblink/register/r51b6e8eab5fe9c671cb30ceeb8472fbe *-These will be recorded so if you miss one the link will be provided on the opportunity page under technical assistance session.

 

Marketing Partnership Program:

Program Description Section5 (a) f the Illinois Promotion Act [20 ILCS 665/5-8] authorizes the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to award grants to counties, municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, and local promotion groups for the promotion of tourism attractions, destinations and tourism events in Illinois. This particular opportunity is for projects outside Cook County. The complementary program for projects within Cook County is NOFO #: 2097-3163.

TA Session - Marketing Partnership Program (Cook and Downstate), Thursday 10/9/25 2pm - https://illinois.webex.com/weblink/register/r4d79379e919dcee3a4db17380dfeab90

*-These will be recorded so if you miss one the link will be provided on the opportunity page under technical assistance session.

 

 

Direct link to the general DCEO posting site for application documents: Apply for Funding - Grant Opportunities