Webster Parish Tourism holding grant workshop today
The Webster Parish Tourism Bureau will be hosting their annual Major Grant Workshop on Tuesday, October 16th from 5:00 to 6:00 PM at their office.
“Any local non-profit organizations can come learn about an opportunity to receive some grant funds to host a major event in Webster Parish. These events look like festivals, races like 5ks, conferences, anything that would generate publicity for Webster Parish by pulling in on the population, especially the population outside of Webster Parish,” Director of the Webster Parish Tourism Bureau Serena Gray said.
The Tourism Bureau uses tax dollars from hotels, motels, RV parks, and campsites to fund the grant.
“These are dollars that are coming from visitors and it’s going right back to visitors by providing them with another event that they can come and attend,” Gray said.
The grants are matching grants that can be up to $4000. If a non-profit organization has an event they want to put on, they can raise a cash amount towards the event and receive that same amount in grant funding.
“Events happen all over the parish. Wherever that event is hosted, it’s really going to benefit that community because it’s bringing in visitors from outside of the area to come into where the event is hosted,” Gray said.
The events benefited by this grant in the past included Grilling on Main, The Burn Run, The Scottish Tartan Festival, The Springhill Rodeo, and in years past, the Lumberjack Festival.
The bureau will go over the grant application and process for non-profit organizations that attend.