Travel Nevada awards over $1.65 million to Silver State tourism agencies

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Commission on Tourism on Nov. 4 approved $1.65 million in COVID-19 Rural Recovery Grants to several Silver State tourism agencies.

NCOT also approved $44,921 to six agenies in grant funding for its Volunteer Impact Program.

Both grant programs were made possible through the federal CARES Act, and both programs will be administered by the Nevada Division of Tourism, according to a Nov. 4 press release from Travel Nevada.

Some of the projects funded are as follows:

• A $15,000 grant was awarded to Northern Nevada's Cowboy Country for digital billboards in Reno-Sparks to showcase its towns and communities are practicing social distancing.
• The Boulder City Chamber of Commerce received $7,500 to run a commercial campaign on KLAS-TV, the CBS affiliate in Las Vegas, to promote community businesses that are working to keep guests safe and healthy.
• A $19,000 award was granted to Nevada Silver Trails to execute a social media campaign that will feature destinations, attractions and events where practices are in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• The Churchill Arts Council in Fallon received $16,650 for photography and videos that will demonstrate visitors enjoying the facility while practicing social distancing.
• A $2,000 grant was given to the Carson City Symphony Association to promote and live-stream a holiday music concert on Dec. 13, the organization’s first live performance in several months.

According to the Nov. 4 press release, the Volunteer Impact Program is a separate program administered by Travel Nevada and designed, in part, to support rural tourism destinations with infrastructure projects.

COVID grants through this program will fund capital projects that ensure social distancing and/or promote safety messaging. Among the approved projects:

• An $8,000 award was given to the town of Pahrump for a mural project in the community’s Petrack Park that will feature “safe and open” messaging.
• The Austin Historical Society was granted $6,000 to replace old signage at the Austin Museum. The updated signage will include “open and safe” messaging.

According to Travel Nevada, grant awardees in both programs will need to complete their projects before Dec. 30 to qualify for reimbursement, per the federal CARES Act.