Hotel-Motel Grant Program changed to be more accessible

Newton City Council last week approved changes to the city’s Hotel-Motel Tourism Grants to make them more accessible to community organizations.

To accomplish this, city staff proposed the addition of quarterly deadlines, clearer guidelines and funding eligibilities, an expanded list of qualifying projects, better application communication and the having in-kind volunteer hours recognized as part of the total project budget. The latter of which garnered some discussion.

Stacy Simbro, a council member, asked how in-kind volunteer hours are factored into the application, so he requested further insight from staff. Documents show volunteer hours will be calculated at $34.79 per hour. Community Development Director Erin Chambers said volunteer hours are also used by the state.

“Just as on these grants we require them to turn in their expenses, receipts and contracts to show they have met the match, they would also have to show how many hours their volunteers gave to the project,” Chambers said, noting some state program grants also require groups to submit logged volunteer hours.

Submitting volunteer hours as part of the project budget is an advantage to applicants, Chambers added, and it helps give credit to projects receiving volunteer hours that can make tourism efforts even greater. Simbro asked if tracking the hours added undue burden on city staff. Chambers said no.

Randy Ervin, a council member and the mayor-elect, asked why the city wanted to change the Hotel-Motel Tourism Grant Program, which gives funds to different events that draw people to the city. The grants are not financed with property tax dollars. Instead, the city uses hotel-motel tax revenues to support the program.

Up to $2,500 can be awarded to applicants of the program.

Grants cannot represent more than 25 percent of the total project budget. Tourism grants have been awarded to organizations like the Jasper County Historical Museum, Newton Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Newton Main Street, HIRTA, Fierce Faith Music Festival and United Way of Jasper County.

Chambers said a lot of entities have a difficult time maximizing the available dollars from the city toward the program. The grants allow the city to invest into worthwhile events that can bring out-of-towners to Newton, enjoy the event itself and generate revenues from within the city, like at restaurants and gas stations.

According to city documents, the key changes to the program include:

• Quarterly application deadlines on Jan. 15, April 15, July 15 and Oct. 15.

• Volunteer hours recognized as part of the total project budget, valued at $34.79 per hour by www.independentsector.org.

• Clarified purpose and guidelines related to tourism impact, funding eligibility and expectations for applicants.

• Expanded list of qualifying projects, based on groups that have received funds in recent years.

• Strengthened application communication, encouraging applicants to work with community development staff before applying.