Tourism Development Funding
(formerly called marketing grants)
The City of Cedar Falls and its Tourism Division offers funding to be used to attract, develop, or market an event, meeting or convention, sporting competition or attraction, which will bring visitors to Cedar Falls thereby increasing overnight stays and/or tourism spending. Applications can be submitted to Cedar Falls Tourism at any time throughout the year and funds will be awarded until they are depleted. Applications MUST be received at least 90 days prior to your intended project. Projects eligible to receive funding are limited to events, attractions and projects that will potentially create overnight tourism and/or encourage tourism-related economic activity in Cedar Falls.
Eligible Applications - Events/projects that bring overnight visitors to Cedar Falls.
Meetings/conferences/conventions, tradeshows, amateur athletic events, military, and other reunions. New community events may qualify if significant marketing is done outside of a 50 mile radius and hotel blocks are set up and tracked. *Please note: political events are not eligible.
In awarding funds, greatest consideration is given to events based on the following criteria:
- Economic impact on the community
- Multiple day events which encourage overnight stays in Cedar Falls
- This is demonstrated through working with the Tourism staff to set up room blocks at hotels and a follow-up report from the hotels following the event
- Ability to draw a majority of participants from more than 50 miles out-of-town
- Development of new events with the potential to recur annually or retention and expansion of significant existing events
- Events held during off-peak or shoulder seasons, example January or August. Contact Cedar Falls Tourism for dates
- Demonstrated need for funding
Application Materials
Documents are available here for your convenience in PDF and Microsoft Word formats. If you have questions about eligible events/projects, please call Cedar Falls Tourism at 319-268-4266.
Submit Your Tourism Development Grant Application Electronically
All questions are mandatory. When all questions have been answered and you have uploaded the required documentation, click Submit at the bottom of the form.