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Naturally L&A activation fund increases funds available for marketing · North Shore News

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  The naturally L&A activation program has an all-new set of guidelines this year.
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  With dedicated marketing support as a highlight, there were also other major changes made to
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  the program.
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  General program guidelines have been changed to reflect a different set of eligible projects
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  as well as offering a continuous intake period.
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  Staff noted that by providing dedicated marketing support, narrowing the project focus, and extending
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  the intake period, the program will provide a better potential return on investment for
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  both project organizers and the county.
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  Director of Community and Development Services Stephen Paul explains the history of the program.
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  Our activation program is going for a number of years where we have $40,000 that's split
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  evenly amongst our four municipalities, $10,000 per, and we've been providing funding to help
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  with new events, recreational products, and activities, cultural products, beautification.
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  There's quite a wide range of that.
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  Paul gave a breakdown of the new marketing support.
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  We would fund up to $5,000 and using this as an example, so if it's a $5,000 project,
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  80% would go directly to the project to help with their events and all the different aspects
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  of what that might be.
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  And then 20%, so $1,000 if we're looking at a $5,000 program would be held back and we
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  would actually do marketing support directly for that event or that tourism product on
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  their behalf.
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  Paul explains why marketing support was a focus for staff.
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  One of the things that we have found with these projects that we've funded is that the
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  marketing is sometimes not as strong as what we would wish it to be and the activation
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  fund really is about getting new products in our marketplace, but also really trying
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  to enhance our natural and A brand.
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  So we feel if we invest 20% of that funding, that will go a long ways in trying to bring
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  new people, new visitors, and enhance our brand within Lenox, Sainton County.
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  Paul breaks down the changes to eligible applicants.
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  We want to fine tune the categories that would be eligible for funding to new events, existing
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  events, new tourism products, and tourism project enhancements only.
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  And in reality, that's what the lion's share of all the applications have been improved
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  over the years really fall within those four categories.
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  Paul describes how the new continuous intake period will work.
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  We would just have an open application process.
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  We wouldn't do strictly one per year.
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  We would ask that all applications are submitted at least three months prior to the event or
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  the product launch.
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  And then from there, we would go until the $40,000 is depleted or if we have money left
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  over, we roll that into the following year as well.
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  Warden John Wise showed his support for the new changes.
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  I think those refinements are good.
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  The marketing one in particular, that's pretty critical.
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  Council unanimously voted to carry the motion.
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  We need a mover to note and receive and to move that the activation program be revised
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  by narrowing the project focus, providing dedicated marketing support, and offering
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  a continuous intake period.
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  Councillor Davidson, Councillor Hogg, all in favor?
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  Carried.
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  Thank you.
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  For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
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  This is North Shore News.