SPRINGDALE — Several programs and events received $69,250 in grants to bring visitors to town.
“Twenty different organizations will receive grant funds in different amounts,” said Bill Rogers, vice president for communications and special projects for the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.
The Springdale Advertising and Promotion Commission approved the grants Tuesday.
“In addition to what the commission does on its own to market Springdale, it spends money on these programs that by the nature of their events, bring people to Springdale,” Rogers said.
“Each group makes a request, and the commission knows how much money they have to divvy up,” Rogers said. “If they believe a group meets the qualifications, it’s a matter of how much they can give the group and stay within the budget.”
The Renaissance Faire of the Ozarks received $2,500. The grant will be used for advertising, said Margaret Rivera, owner and general manager of the event.
“We not only want to build up our event, we also want to build up the area by bringing more people into it,” Rivera said.
The faire is scheduled for April 15 and 16 at Parsons Stadium. The event has been in Fayetteville the past nine years and this will be the first time it will be in Springdale, Rivera said.
“We decided to move to Springdale because we felt that the people we worked with so far at the Rodeo of the Ozarks have been a lot more friendlier and working with us more,” Rivera said.
It behooves the city to bring in new attractions, said Alderman Mike Lawson, who is a member of the commission.
“There’s many, many others that benefit the city of Springdale,” Lawson said. “Anytime you can bring them to Springdale, it’s a feather in our camp.”
The money for the grants comes from the 2 percent hotel tax that’s charged in Springdale, Rogers said.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the commission approved a 2017 budget of $475,500. The commission provided grants to 20 of 22 applicants, Rogers said.
“The application of two requesting groups did not align with the commission’s guidelines,” he said.
Attendance and positive impact on the community are important factors in deciding who to award a grant to, Rogers said.
The commission provided $70,250 in 20 grants last year.