TOURISM ATTRACTION
FEASIBILITY STUDY GRANT PROGRAM
The Department of
Parks and Tourism shall establish and implement a matching grant program for
eligible cities and counties for the purposes of tourism attraction feasibility
studies, on the basis of fifty percent (50%) state grant funds, and fifty
percent (50%) of the funds to be provided by the city or county.
Tourism feasibility
studies are defined as studies undertaken for the purpose of assessing the
potentiality of a specific tourism attraction within the city or county
boundaries. Tourism attraction means
cultural or historical site, recreational or entertainment facility, area of
natural phenomenon or scenic beauty, theme park, amusement or entertainment park, indoor or outdoor play or music show,
botanical gardens, or cultural or educational centers.
(a) There will be three grant award periods
per fiscal year with a maximum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per grant
being awarded.
(b) Only incorporated cities or counties
concerned with approved tourism feasibility studies may make application for
and qualify for funds under this program.
Unincorporated areas or communities must seek county sponsorship of
their feasibility study. Joint
applications between two incorporated cities, two counties, or a county and a
city located within that county are eligible under this program (e.g. Fort Smith/Van Buren).
(c)
Other state
funds received by a city or county qualifying or utilizing funds under this
program shall not be used as matching funds for this grant.
(d) Only one grant per fiscal year will be
allowed per city. Only one grant per
project will be allowed during the life span of the project.
(a) Each applicant must submit a statement
of the minutes or administrative order from the governing city or county board
meeting approving the matching fund grant request and a statement affirming the
amount of funds held by or committed for the project.
(b) Each city or county should appoint an
agent to act as a coordinator between the city or
county and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
(c)
All requests
for state grant funds under this program shall be prepared on forms promulgated
and/or approved by the Department of Parks and Tourism and shall be in
compliance with the provisions of this program and reasonable rules and
regulations as promulgated by the Department of Parks and Tourism.
(d) A statement of procedures that will be
used by the applicant in the study should be submitted with the
application. When the study is
contracted to a vendor outside of the governmental operation, the name of the
professional firm, a brief history and list of clients and experience, and the
procedures it will use to perform the study will be presented with the
application.
(e) All projects reimbursed using matching
fund grants shall be subject to audit by the Department of Parks and Tourism
and the State Legislative Audit Division.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR
TOURISM FEASIBILITY STUDY GRANT
(a) The Tourism Director of the Department
of Parks and Tourism shall appoint a panel to review and approve qualifications
of the grant applications and present recommendations to the Tourism Director
or his appointee for the awarding of grants.
Final approval shall be by the Executive Director of the Department of
Parks and Tourism.
(b) Grant awards will be made to eligible
applicants on the basis of available appropriated funds, but in no case will
the awards be more than the appropriated funds for this purpose. Each grant will be given on a matching one-for-one
basis. Each applying agency furnishing
one-half of the funds and the state grant being an amount equal to the funds
supplied by the applying agency. In-kind
contributions are ineligible as a match.
(c)
Submission
dates for applications will be the last Friday in July, the last Friday in September,
and the last Friday in November. The
review panel will review all applications and make recommendations within
fifteen (15) days of the application due date.
Applications must be received on or before the application due date in
order to be reviewed.
All
grant projects must be completed within 120 days/4 months of the awarding of
the grant, or they may be considered void and canceled. The Tourism Director or his appointee may
approve an extension of the completion date, but in no case may the completion
date be extended beyond June 30 of the fiscal year in which the grant was
awarded. Matching funds may only be
expended for the purpose as reported in the application and approved by the
Tourism Director or his appointee.
(d) The Department may require standard or special procedures to be used in completing some grants. In such cases, these procedures will be issued before the grant is approved, accepted, and made a part of the application.
A
copy of the tourism attraction feasibility study should be submitted within
thirty (30) days after the completion of the study. In addition, a summary of how the study will
be utilized and benefit the grantee should be submitted with the feasibility study.
Upon
completion of the terms of the grant, the grantee will submit to the Tourism
Director or his appointee on forms prepared and provided by the Department of
Parks and Tourism, the following:
(a) A completed, legible Request for Payment
form verifying that the grantee has completed and spent at least one-half of
the grant amount or total project cost from funds provided by the grantee.
(b) Copies of invoices reflecting cost of
the project.
(c)
A copy of the
grantee’s canceled checks (front and back) reflecting
that one-half or more of the grant amount has been expended as required in the
application.