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Gage County supervisors adopt tiered visitor improvement grant policy to stretch tourism dollars
Summary
After a lengthy discussion of lodging-tax receipts and project demand, the Gage County Board of Supervisors voted 7-0 to replace a single $25,000 cap with a three-tier matching structure and staggered reapplication windows to broaden access and preserve funds.
The Gage County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 7 voted unanimously to restructure its visitor improvement (tourism) grant program, replacing the long-standing single cap with a three-tiered matching system to allow both small and larger projects access to county tourism dollars.
The board approved 50% match for projects up to $50,000 (tier 1), 35% match for projects up to $150,000 (tier 2), and 20% match for projects up to $375,000 (tier 3). The policy also sets reapplication intervals tied to each tier: awardees in tier 1 may reapply after one year, tier 2 awardees after two years and tier 3 awardees after three years. The motion passed 7-0.
Chair opened the discussion by noting the grant funds are derived from lodging taxes and are intended to boost tourism, saying the funds “are specifically to be used to try to bring in more tourism.” Board members and the tourism administrator discussed trade-offs between awarding smaller grants to more applicants and reserving capacity for larger, high-impact projects.
Loreen, representing the tourism board, told supervisors that costs for capital and maintenance projects have risen and that the existing single cap sometimes limited support for projects the committee considered worthwhile. Several supervisors said a tiered match would give the tourism committee flexibility to support projects of different sizes while protecting the county’s funding balance.
Board members debated suggested percentages and dollar bands at length and asked staff to ensure the application process remains clear. One supervisor noted that in some years total lodging-tax receipts fluctuate and that the tourism account has historically retained a reserve rather than spending to zero.
The board directed staff and the tourism committee to apply the new tiered rules to future applications and agreed the county attorney will review the policy language and any implementing materials before they are finalized and posted.
The vote followed an extended public and internal discussion; the policy change will appear in the county’s grant guidance and be administered by the tourism committee with final approvals returning to the board where required.
