Leon County Accepting Tourism Grant Applications For Special Events, Sports Events and Signature or Emerging Signature Events

 Leon County Accepting Tourism Grant Applications For Special Events, Sports Events and Signature or Emerging Signature Events

The Leon County Division of Tourism’s grant applications for the 2026-27 Special Events, Sports Events and Emerging Signature/Signature Events are now open. Applications are due by Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. This opportunity represents the ongoing effort to promote tourism and provide financial support for events that have a history of attracting out-of-town tourists or show potential to do so, and generate overnight stays in Leon County.

Eligible events must take place between Oct. 1, 2026, and Sept. 30, 2027, and are required to comply with Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, for the use of Tourist Development Tax funds. Event grant applications are evaluated based on the historical or potential ability to attract overnight tourists and how the event will elevate the destination, increase overall economic and community impact, demonstrate paid out-of-area marketing activities, and include scheduled programming/activities during non-peak periods. Event funding levels are determined by the anticipated number of overnight stays in Leon County that the event generates.

All grant applicants must attend one of two Grant Orientation workshops. An in-person workshop will be held on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Leon County Office of Resource Stewardship Gathering Room, located at 1907 S. Monroe St. One additional workshop will be conducted via Teams on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 4 p.m. A recording of the July 30 workshop will be available at VisitTallahassee.com. The workshops will include:

• An overview of the online grant application portal

• An explanation of the statutory requirements of the funding

• Available funding and schedule of funding levels (based on room nights)

• Peak visitor periods where events will not be considered for funding

• The grant review process and scoring criteria

The Leon County Tourist Development Council (TDC) Grant Review Committee will review and evaluate applications and submit recommendations to the TDC for approval in September.

The 2026-27 Tourism Grant Cycle Timeline (Special, Sports and Emerging Signature/Signature Events) includes the following significant dates:

July 14 at 10 a.m.                    Workshop (In-Person)

July 30 at 4 p.m.                      Workshop (Virtual via Teams)

Aug. 6 at 5 p.m.                       Applications Due / Application Cycle Closes

Sept. 3 at 9 a.m.                      TDC Grant Review Committee Public Meeting

*Applicants Strongly Encouraged to Attend*

Sept. 10                                    Review and Final Approval by TDC

Find information on the Leon County Tourism Grant Program here or contact Genesis Leggett at 850-606-2324 or Genesis.Leggett@VisitTallahassee.com.

###

About the Leon County Division of Tourism/Visit Tallahassee: The Leon County Division of Tourism (Visit Tallahassee) is the official destination marketing organization charged with marketing Tallahassee-Leon County as a premier leisure, business and sports destination through direct sales, advertising, public relations, sports and visitor services. The Capital of Cross Country, Tallahassee-Leon County is home to the internationally recognized cross country course at Apalachee Regional Park, host of the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships. In 2025, Tallahassee-Leon County welcomed 2.6 million visitors who contributed $1.4 billion in economic impact and supported more than 12,000 tourism and hospitality jobs in our community. For more information, go to VisitTallahassee.com or call toll free 800-628-2866. Engage with Visit Tallahassee on Facebook and Instagram or visit us at the Leon County Visitor Information Center and Gift Shop located at 414 E. Bloxham St., Suite 115, Tallahassee, FL 32301.