Private organizations accustomed to getting money from Santa Rosa County to help promote their tourism-related events are facing a new funding process this year.

The Local Marketing Funding Program will replace the old process of groups requesting funding individually throughout the year.

The county’s budget line for local event marketing will now be approved once a year as part of the annual budget process.

Organizations must complete the grant application by Aug. 31, to be considered for an estimated $70,000 of tourist development tax funding for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Events and organizations that have received tourism marketing money in the past year include the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society in Holley, which received $5,000; the Navarre Beach Songwriters Festival, which got about $2,900; and the Munson Community Heritage Festival, which was allocated $2,000, among others.

A workshop is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, at the Navarre Visitor Center, 8543 U.S. 98 in Navarre for prospective applicants.

A similar workshop was held in Milton last Thursday.

“The motivation behind the change is to get the projects set on the fiscal budget cycle,” said Julie Morgan, executive director of the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council. “This will allow a uniform aid to private organization process in a timely fashion.”

The grants support events that focus on increasing out-of-market awareness of Santa Rosa County, particularly during the spring and fall, with the goal of increasing hotel, campground and vacation condo rentals. The grants may cover promotion, marketing, program expenses, advertising, production and technical expenses, site fees, rentals, insurance, rights and sanction fees.

Brenda Stokes, president of the Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society, attended the workshop in Milton last week and plans to be at the Wednesday meeting.

The Kiln Walk uses the grant to fund marketing for the annual Gulf Coast Clay Conference, held in February.

"They really sat down and explained everything piece by piece," Stokes said. "I don't know for sure that they've changed anything. I think they are just clarifying the grant process, period.

“I was looking back through older paperwork and there was more paperwork in the past than there is for the one now. I'm not particularly concerned about not getting the grant. In the past, we've done all our homework. We always show all our receipts and we've had everything in perfect order."

The grants are funded through the county’s 5 percent “bed tax” – a fee tacked on to hotel and other short-term lodging bills. State law requires that money to be used to promote tourism.

Other details of the grant program include:

-- The maximum request should not to exceed $5,000.

-- An event can be funded for a maximum of three years, unless continuation is recommended by the TDC and approved by the Santa Rosa County Commission.

-- Events must take place in 2015-2016 fiscal year unless recommended by the TDC and approved by the County Commission.

-- Post-event documentation, including a detailed budget, post-event profit and loss statement and visitor survey to help gauge return on investment must be provided.

-- Funding will be provided as reimbursement for approved actual expenditures at the end of the event.

-- Expenses which are not be covered by the grants include administrative expenses, building renovation/remodeling expenses, purchase of permanent equipment or alcoholic beverages, donations, scholarships, travel expenses, social or hospitality functions, or programs for the purpose of soliciting advertising or sponsorships.

Marshall Fuqua, chairman of the Munson Community Heritage Festival, also likes the new process. He thinks it may enable his event to get more funding from the county. The Munson festival occurs every October at Krul Lake Recreation Area.

“I was getting $1,500 to $2,000 in funding from the county a year. Through this process, I can get up to $5,000 a year. If I can do double the funding, I can do twice the advertising,” said Fuqua, who was also at the Milton meeting. “It’s an application process we have to go through, but I understand accountability with the county government.”

Projects for the 2015-2016 cycle will be reviewed and ranked by the TDC on Sept. 16. The TDC will make recommendations to the County Commission for approval in October.

The new process will not impact events that are directly sponsored by the TDC, like the annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour and the Navarre Beach Sand Sculpting Festival.