The Tourism Advertising Promotion (TAP) Grant program is once again available for FY27. This grant program has been developed to assist South Dakota’s tourism industry with additional marketing dollars. The grant is intended to help increase travel/visitation to tourism-related events while enhancing the state’s image.
 

CHECKLIST        APPLICATION        TIMELINE        USE OF FUNDS        FINAL REPORT        FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS        CONTACT

ABOUT

The purpose of this competitive grant is to provide marketing funds for tourism-related events in South Dakota. The event may be new or ongoing. This grant program is focused on providing funding to events in smaller towns, cities, and rural areas of the state. However, all events will be considered regardless of location.

Festivals, anniversary events, special events, concerts, rodeos, powwows, etc. in South Dakota are all eligible to apply for the grant. The program is open to tourism-related businesses, events, communities, chambers of commerce, convention & visitors bureaus, tribes, and destination marketing organizations (DMOs). If you have a question about whether your DMO, business or event is eligible, please contact Calley Geigle at [email protected] for events in the Northeast or Southeast regions, or Ciara Forest at [email protected] for events in the Central or Western regions.

The YEAR 3 (FY27) application window is March 2-31, 2026.

Year 3 (FY27) Program Toolkit
 

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Travel South Dakota has worked to keep the application as simple and straight-forward as possible, but there are some necessary items from you that are required. Before you start your online application, here's what you'll want to have handy (see the PROGRAM TOOLKIT and the SAMPLE APPLICATION FORM (PDF) for more specifics):

1. Contact information — for primary point of contact, must include email
2. Event details — include event name, date, location, detailed description (be as specific as possible)
3. W-9 form — dated within the last year, if needed: blank W-9 form (link goes to IRS.gov)
4. Event marketing budget and plan — include timelines, target audiences, target markets, marketing mediums, etc.
   (downloadable TAP Grant budget tracking sheet)
5. Grant amount requested — minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000
    

APPLICATION

Applications are only accepted online. No print applications are available. There is a limit of one event per application and one application per fiscal year application window. The online form allows you to upload other documents as needed. The fiscal year 2027 application deadline is Tuesday, March 31, 2026. 

Year 3 (FY27) Online Application Form --- opens Monday, March 2, 2026
 

TIMELINE

YEAR 3: FISCAL YEAR 2027 (July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027)

• March 2-31, 2026 — application window
• April 13-17, 2026 — award notifications sent to grant recipients
• Wednesday, May 13, 2026 — signed Letter of Agreement deadline
• July 15-30, 2026 — grant payments made to successful applicants
• 60 days prior to event (at least) — recommended start of marketing
• 30 days after event — deadline for final documentation to Travel South Dakota and return of unspent funds 
  
  FY27 Online Final Report form
   

USE OF GRANT FUNDS

All TAP Grant funds must be used to market the event. These funds are subject to audit at any point. You must be diligent about expending these grant funds as outlined in your application or be subject to penalties. You should also keep meticulous financial records on the receipt and use of the grant dollars and always be prepared for a potential audit for a period of no less than three years after you have expended the funds.

BUDGET TRACKING SHEET:

Download and save this budget tracking sheet to document how you intend to spend the TAP Grant funds (not your entire event budget).

1. Use the budget tracking sheet to create your TAP Grant budget and submit with your application (question 7).
    
2. Following your event, update the budget tracking sheet with actual TAP Grant expenditures and submit with your final report (question 3). 
   
   You will need to make sure each expense listed on your budget tracking sheet matches the invoice amounts exactly. If there are a number of invoices that add up to an expense listed on the budget tracking sheet, please indicate which budget line item it is listed under.

ELIGIBLE USES:

• Television – traditional broadcast, targeted cable, advanced television commercials
• Print – magazine ads, newspaper ads, rack card
• Out-of-Home – billboards, digital displays, outdoor advertising
• Audio – radio, podcast
• Digital – display, rich media, paid search, email marketing
• Social – paid ads on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
• Ad production costs charged by vendors directly related to these efforts
• Media commission fees charged by an ad agency
• Landing page for your event (creation of a new website is ineligible) 
• Online event calendar listings (many of these should be free)
• Production costs for creation of a video or content promoting the event

INELIGIBLE USES:

• Travel show or tradeshow booths/registrations
• Swag and giveaway items (such as T-shirts, pins, bags, stickers, pens, etc.)
• Creation of a new website
• Personnel wages or salaries
• Travel guides, magazines or publications (print rack cards and event posters are eligible)
• Wayfinding and signage
• Postage
   

FINAL GRANT REPORT

Each grant recipient is responsible to submit a final grant report within 30 days of the event that includes:

• Budget tracking sheet
• Samples of Creative
• Invoices or receipts
• Performance metrics
   

PERFORMANCE METRICS

Each recipient must make a concerted effort to measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and this information should be included as part of the final grant report. The level of success can be measured by two or more of the metrics listed below.

Other measurements for your specific marketing plan or event may be used with prior approval. Please contact Calley Geigle at [email protected] for events in the Northeast or Southeast regions, or Ciara Forest at [email protected] for events in the Central or Western regions.

Year 3 (FY27) Online Final Grant Report form
 

1. Attendee count:
   Report or estimate attendance numbers from counter clickers at event entrances, vehicle counts, online RSVPs, ticket sales, etc.
    
2. Hotel occupancy/rooms booked:
   Request percent increase/decrease from local lodging properties during event.
    
3. Word-of-mouth/anecdotal reports:
   Check with several local businesses and attractions about increase/decrease in business during the event.
    
4. Tax revenue
   Contact your city finance officer to obtain local tax revenue and find out if there was an increase/decrease after the event.
    
5. Media Performance
   Measure how your specific marketing mediums performed or other points of interaction with consumers, such as:
   • Estimate of how many consumers were reached by your advertising (impressions, reach, delivery). This can be obtained from the media vendor you use, in most cases.
   • Estimate of how many consumers interacted with your paid media placement(s) or your online presence (clicks, page engagement, photo or video views, social post shares or saves, email opens etc.).
   • Estimate of how many consumers signed up or requested more information (general inquiry, e-newsletter opt-ins, brochure requests, sign-ups for giveaway or sweepstakes, etc.).
      
6. Other metrics
   If you have other methods for measuring or tracking your marketing and/or event, please check with Calley Geigle at [email protected] for events in the Northeast or Southeast regions, or Ciara Forest at [email protected] for events in the Central or Western regions for prior approval to use them in your final report.
    

FOR INFORMATION

For more information, please contact Calley Geigle at [email protected] for events in the Northeast or Southeast regions, or Ciara Forest at [email protected] for events in the Central or Western regions.