Some members have expressed an interest in producing a Bluegrass Festival to replace the long running Bitterroot Valley Bluegrass Festival.  A committee of MRBA members brainstormed about this last winter and agreed that waiting for the economy to bounce back would be prudent.

Our Governor has made money available for events that bring out-of-state tourists to Montana.  This seems like a perfect fit for our association to do a Bluegrass Festival.

If we have any grant writers in our midst, this would be a good opportunity to help support the association and bluegrass music.   If there’s someone interested in working on this, I would be willing to help.  Please contact me at phylliserck@hotmail.com.

Here’s the press release about the grants.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

 

CONTACT: Sarah Lawlor

                      Office of Tourism

                      Montana Department of Commerce

                      406-841-2893

 

                     Marissa Kozel

                     Montana Department of Commerce

                     406-841-2772

 

 

 

Montana Department of Commerce, Special Events Grants Now Available

September 25, 2009 Application Deadline

 

(HELENA) – Governor Brian Schweitzer is inviting Montana communities, organizations and tribal governments sponsoring or planning annual ongoing events to apply for $80,000 in state tourism grant funds available from the Montana Department of Commerce, Office of Tourism Special Events Grant Program (SEGP). The SEGP application deadline is September 25, 2009.

 

“Special Events Grants provide important support to one of Montana’s leading industries – tourism and recreation. Ten million people visit Montana annually, and these grants help support the local community events that draw these visitors into our towns and to our main street businesses, restaurants and lodging facilities,” said Governor Schweitzer.

 

Any Montana event is eligible to apply and the funds must be used to advertise and promote the event to target markets outside a 100-mile radius of the event site. Grants will be awarded based on a 3-tier approach that ranks communities according to population. The grants are designed to be matching funds for non-profit organizations involved in developing new annual events as well as enhancing existing community-based tourism festivals and events.

 

“We recognized the need to not only assist new emerging events but provide the opportunity for our communities to enhance their ‘hallmark’ events that have become important economic drivers in their communities,” said Anthony Preite, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “These events help to showcase our authentic people, places and experiences.”

 

The SEGP funds are provided by a 4% state tourism lodging tax which is assessed on the lodging price of all accommodations across Montana, including campgrounds. Tourism and recreation is one of Montana’s leading industries.

 

For more information about the SEGP, or to request an application, contact Carol Crockett at the Montana Office of Tourism, 406-841-2796. SEGP application materials can be downloaded from the Montana Office of Tourism’s Intranet site: www.travelmontana.mt.gov/forms.

 

###

 

Marissa P. Kozel

Communications Director, Director’s Office

Montana Department of Commerce

406-841-2772 (o)

406-465-7208 (c)

mkozel@mt.gov

 

 

Pam

Pamela Haxby-Cote

Butte Region Field Director

US Senator Jon Tester

125 West Granite

Butte, Montana  59701

406-723-3277