A new grant program has been created in Fort Frances.

The Destination Grant will offer financial support to organizers of events that attract people to the community.

Rainy River Future Development Corporation project manager Geoff Gillon hopes it leads to new events.

“A couple of years ago, we did a tourism planning session and came up with a three-to-four-year plan for tourism. Part of that plan was to try to stimulate some events development and support some events for the town of Fort Francis and area events that are geared to attract people to the community so we can rent rooms,” says Gillon.

“That’s the whole idea behind this – to promote the region as a destination and to fill up our accommodations, especially shoulder seasons and areas where they’re not full.”

The funding for the grant comes from a share of the accommodation tax on hotel and motel room rentals.

That tax went into effect in 2019.

Gillon says successful applications will receive up to 25% of their project costs.

“So it’s kind of a support, but they still have to come up with other sponsorships, and the event would have to generate revenues and stuff like that. We don’t want them to pay for the event. We want to support the event.”

The Rainy River District Future Development Corporation is now accepting applications.

Contact Gillon at geoff@rrfdc.on.ca  or call 807- 274- 3276.