Jefferson County tourism board approves grants to local events, asks recipients to report economic impact

The Jefferson County Board of Tourism on March 24 approved a series of grant awards to local festivals and cultural organizations, directing recipients to submit invoices for payment and to work with VMI to document economic impact.

Commissioner David Bramer, who led the awards discussion, told recipients, “You need to send me an email with an invoice. My email is on the county website. Don't send it to the auditors.” He said checks will be processed after a commissioner meeting and can be mailed or picked up at the auditor’s office.

The board reviewed 28 applications and said it prioritized funding for tangible, shareable assets — such as equipment or infrastructure that multiple events can use — and for requests with specific, itemized asks rather than general marketing line items. Bramer said the board wants recipients to return with outcomes and metrics so the tourism board can evaluate its return on investment.

Awards listed at the meeting included:…