February 2023

Hi Phil,

The Community Investment Fund is now a reality in Door County. 

In January, we hosted several information sessions that provided details about how local units of government and 501(c)(3) & 501(c)(6) organizations could apply for funding assistance supporting projects that fit specific criteria. It was great to see the interest and excitement as we shared details of this new program.

As we continue to evolve into a Community Shared Values organization that balances sustainability for our businesses, organizations, and our environment, the Destination Door County board of directors and the Door County Tourism Zone commissioners recognized it was essential to better support our municipalities and other organizations because of the increased demands on local tourism infrastructure.

This new effort is a natural evolution of our work. Using a portion of the room tax dollars paid by visitors, the Community Investment Fund will offer grants to projects that benefit our visitors while they are here and also improve the quality of life for those who live and work in Door County.  

A task force was formed in the summer of 2022 that included leaders from Destination Door County’s board of directors, the Door County Tourism Zone and other community leaders. With the Door County Community Foundation’s help and facilitation, the Community Investment Fund was created. 

Wisconsin State Lodging Tax Statute requires that we use room tax dollars in ways that benefit visitors and will reasonably likely lead to increased paid overnight stays, so that must be a requirement of any application to the Community Investment Fund. However, to earn a grant from the Community Investment Fund, a project must also demonstrate how it will meaningfully improve the quality of life for residents of Door County.

Initial priorities of the program include:

• Creative ideas that have a meaningful impact on the people who live and work in Door County

• Impact that crosses municipal boundaries

• Encourages collaboration

• Leverages additional resources

• Residents experience the positive impact of tourism

Potential project examples could include things like public park improvements or expansions, new public hiking or biking trails, public beach restoration projects, new public restroom facilities, or other projects that would enhance the Door County experience for everyone.

We encourage applications for projects that are strategic and will have long-term impact, projects that benefit many and cross municipal boundaries, AND projects that are not only good for visitors but also benefit our residents.

For anyone interested in the program that was unable to attend any of the sessions in January, there will be another in-person information session on Thursday February 9 from 10-11 AM at the Door County Community Foundation office, 222 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235.

I would encourage you to reach out to the Community Foundation before you apply …their job is to help you prepare an application that fulfills the requirements. Email grants@givedoorcounty.org or call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 to schedule an appointment.

We are all looking forward to seeing the positive impact this fund will have on Door County and on every person who calls it home. Please know that we are always here to answer any questions you may have! 

Community Investment Fund Information Sheet PDF Link

Additional information and application materials are available at CommunityInvestmentFund.org.

Julie L. Gilbert CDME CTP

President & CEO

Destination Door County

Julie@DoorCounty.com

Destination Door County is excited to announce the launch of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Mini-Grant Program. Awards in the amount of $1000 are available to any Door County business, non-profit organization, or government entity wishing to add to or upgrade their public-use Electric Vehicle Charging infrastructure. Applications open Friday, February 3rd at 8:00 am and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, assuming all eligibility requirements are met. The application process will re-open quarterly, with up to eight mini-grants awarded each quarter.

Wednesday, February 8 @ 1pm

Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St., Egg Harbor, WI

Are you interested in knowing what you could do to reach potential guests with messaging about your property's offerings? Looking for ways to supplement paid advertising to reach new guests? Destination Door County, in partnership with Geiger & Associates Public Relations, will present examples of creative packaging used by a variety of lodging properties around the U.S. The workshop will address low or no-cost ways to reach potential guests by utilizing current marketing trends to create packages and promotions to generate earned media coverage in addition to making the most of media visits with DDC and increasing earned media potential.



Please feel free to stick around after the workshop to chat informally with presenters and get feedback on creative ideas you're considering for your lodging property.