Grant Awards - Fiscal Year 2025

Joint Effort Marketing

April Awards

  • Milwaukee International: Canada Travel Initiative, Visit Milwaukee, Destination Marketing - Marketing – $35,000
  • Rhinelander Area Destination Branding Campaign - YR 3, Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce, Destination Marketing - Marketing – $14,115
  • Wisconsin Children's Museums - Destinations for Families Collaboration, Building for Kids, Inc, Destination Marketing - Development – $39,550
  • Wisconsin Great River Road, All-American Adventures, Wisconsin Mississippi River Parkway Commission, Destination Marketing - Development – $39,550
  • Eau Claire Fall Festival, Visit Eau Claire, Existing Event – $5,115.12
  • Happy Holidays at the Harbor - YR2, Port Washington Tourism Council, Inc., Sales Promotion – $10,450
  • The 2025 IFSS World Championships on Dryland, Let’s Minocqua, One-Time/One-of-A-Kind – $28,250
  • LaCrosseAF - Adventure Festival, LaCrosseAF - Adventure Festival – $38,475
  • 2025 Scavenger Games: The Ultimate Citywide Adventure – YR2, East Troy Area Chamber of Commerce, New Event – $5,115.13
  • Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl - 75th Year, Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl Living Arts & Culture Center, Existing Event – $29,089.50
  • Wisconsin Art Destinations: Visit 3 = Get a T!, Paine Art Center & Gardens, Sales Promotion – $39,550

February Awards

  • A Beautiful Experience: The Midwest Grotto Tradition, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, One-Time/One-of-A-Kind – $28,250
  • American Power Boat Association Races (APBA), Midstate Events and Services, Inc., New Event – $36,844
  • APT Immersion Weekend, American Players Theatre, New Event – $39,075
  • ArtBlaze on the Beach, Joy Engine Inc., Existing Event – $17,625
  • Cheese Capital Festival – YR3, Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, New Event – $4,000
  • Cheese Passport to Green County Swiss-consin - YR 2, Green County Tourism, Sales Promotion – $18,830
  • Dairyland Balloon Jubilee, We Love Ballooning Inc., New Event – $10,000
  • Jack-O'-Lantern Nights at Racine Zoo - YR3, Racine Zoological Society Inc., New Event – $15,000
  • Northland Mardi Gras, Northland Community Club, Existing Event – $7,125
  • Rib Mountain Trail Races, Ironbull Inc., Existing Event – $8,380
  • Sun Prairie Mural Fest, Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce, New Event – $20,625
  • Tall Ships Sturgeon Bay 2025, Destination Sturgeon Bay, New Event – $38,505

November Awards

  • 102nd Annual Snowflake Ski Jump Tournament, Friends of Snowflake Ski Jumping, Inc., Existing Event – $6,750
  • Art 64 – YR3, City of Wauwatosa, New Event – $9,100
  • The Balloon Adventure – YR2, Santa Cause, Inc., New Event – $30,025
  • The Brilliance of the Spanish World:  El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán Exhibition, Milwaukee Art Museum, One-Time/One-of-A-Kind – $28,250
  • Choices of Consequence: Denmark and the Holocaust, Jewish Museum Milwaukee, One-Time/One-of-A-Kind – $15,000
  • 2025 Coon Creek Confluence, Coon Creek Community Watershed Council, Existing Event –  $15,000
  • Door County Plein Air Festival, Peninsula School of Art, Existing Event – $39,550
  • Flannelfest 2025, Downtown Janesville Inc., Existing Event – $12,000
  • Gridiron Garments, Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, One-Time/One-of-A-Kind – $27,675
  • Jurassic Journey, Friends of the Wehr Nature Center Inc., New Event – $20,000
  • Ridges & Rivers Book Festival – YR3, Friends of the Viroqua Public Library, Inc., New Event – $8,437
  • Summer Jam, Visit Eau Claire, New Event – $39,550
  • Tiffany's Gardens in Glass, Oshkosh Public Museum, One-Time/One-of-A-Kind – $28,250
  • Turtle Fest: A Shellabration at Discovery World, Discovery World, New Event – $11,350
  • Waterfowl Hunters Expo, Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Existing Event – $39,250
  • The World’s Largest Brat Fest, Brat Fest, Inc., Existing Event – $24,000

September Awards

  • Ashland County Brand Development Project, Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce, Destination Marketing - Development – $39,500
  • Dodge County Brand Development Project - YR2, Dodge County, Destination Marketing - Marketing –  $39,550
  • How Do You Winter? - YR2, Visit Eau Claire, Destination Marketing - Marketing – $35,000
  • Vilas and Oneida Counties Snowmobile Travel Campaign (Snowmobile Northwoods) - YR2, Let’s Minocqua, Destination Marketing - Marketing – $39,550

August Awards

  • Between the Bluffs Frothbite Fest – YR2, Explore La Crosse, Existing Event – $10,000
  • Bockfest – YR2, City of West Bend, New Event – $8,750
  • Christkindlmarket Door County – YR3, Sister Bay Historical Society, New Event – $8,700
  • Haunted Happenings – YR2, The Grand Oshkosh, Existing Event – $20,358.62
  • Make Baraboo Your Winter Quarters!, Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce, Sales Promotion – $10,425
  • Skiing Wisconsin First Tracks Friday – YR2, Skiing Wisconsin Inc, Sales Promotion – $24,176
  • Snowy Traditions Start in Bayfield – YR2, Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau, Sales Promotion – $19,750
  • Waupun Ice Fest – YR2, Destination Lake Winnebago, New Event – $19,095
  • World's Tallest Glass Tree – YR2, Mack Glass Community, Existing Event – $36,500

Meetings Mean Business

February Awards

  • CIES 2027 Annual Conference, Destination Madison – $10,000
  • 2025 International Moose Convention, Visit Milwaukee – $30,000

September Awards

  • 2027 CCDA National Conference, Destination Madison - $20,000
  • 2025 Midwest Honey Bee Expo, Waukesha Pewaukee Convention & Visitors Bureau – $5,500
  • REDCap Con, Stevens Point Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – $8,628
  • Strength in Service: The Midwest Summit on Resilience and Renewal, Visit Eau Claire – $9,295

Ready, Set, Go!

April Awards

  • 2026 Kayak Adventure Series presented by GoPro, Visit Eau Claire – $2,270.60
  • USA BMX Northwoods National 2026 Event, Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce – $5,000
  • USA Cycling Masters and Junior Road National Championships, Racine County Convention & Visitors Bureau – $6,000

February Awards

  • American Junior Golf Association Rolex Girls Junior Championship, Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – $5,000
  • B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Explore La Crosse – $10,000
  • 2026 US Ski & Snowboard Cross-Country Junior Nationals, Cable Area Chamber of Commerce – $15,000

September Awards

  • International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup Speedskating, Visit Milwaukee – $14,195
  • Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship, Explore La Crosse –  $10,000
  • National Walleye Tour Qualifying Event, Explore La Crosse – $2,500
  • Professional Pickleball Association - Challenger Series, Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce – $10,000
  • Ranger XC Relays presented by Footlocker, Visit Kenosha – $1,000
  • USA Fencing 2025 National Championships and July Challenge, Visit Milwaukee - $15,805
  • World Axe and Knife Throwing Championships, Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau – $14,806.40
  • World Horseshoe Championship Tournament, Wausau/Central Wisconsin Convention & Visitor Bureau – $25,000

Tourist Information Center

January Awards

  • Algoma, Algoma Area Chamber of Commerce – $1,000
  • Ashland, Friends of the Center – $3,000
  • Beloit, Visit Beloit – $7,500
  • Door County, Destination Door County – $4,500
  • Florence, Friends of the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center - $1,000
  • Hayward, Hayward Lakes VCB – $1,000
  • Kenosha, Visit Kenosha – $7,500
  • La Crosse, Explore La Crosse – $7,500
  • Ladysmith, Rusk County Tourism – $500
  • Madeline Island, Madeline Island Chamber of Commerce – $3,000
  • Marinette, City of Marinette – $6,250
  • Milwaukee, Visit Milwaukee – $500
  • Minocqua, Let’s Minocqua – $1,000
  • Mount Horeb, Mount Horeb Chamber of Commerce – $500
  • Platteville, Platteville Chamber of Commerce – $6,250
  • Prairie du Chien, Prairie du Chien Chamber of Commerce – $7,500
  • Racine, Racine County Convention & Visitors Bureau – $1,000
  • St Croix Falls, Polk County Tourism – $5,000
  • Stevens Point, Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – $7,500
  • Sturgeon Bay, Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center – $500
  • Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau – $7,500

July Awards

  • Algoma, Algoma Area Chamber of Commerce – $2,000
  • Beloit, Visit Beloit – $7,500
  • Door County, Destination Door County – $6,750
  • Hayward, Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce – $1,000
  • Kenosha, Visit Kenosha – $7,500
  • La Crosse, Explore La Crosse – $7,500
  • Marinette, City of Marinette – $6,750
  • Mount Horeb, Mount Horeb Chamber of Commerce – $2,000
  • Platteville, Platteville Chamber of Commerce – $7,500
  • Prairie du Chien, Prairie du Chien Chamber of Commerce – $7,500
  • Rhinelander, Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce – $1,500
  • St Croix Falls, Polk County Tourism – $7,250
  • Stevens Point, Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau – $7,250
  • Washburn County, Washburn County Tourism Association – $500
  • Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau – $7,500

Annual Grant Reports

Our grant programs have helped destinations across the state bring their ideas to life. Click on the reports below for a full listing of grant recipients for each fiscal year.