Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant Program

The Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant Program funds promotions or events. The JEM grant has different categories to fit an organization’s needs. Each category reimburses Wisconsin nonprofit organizations for eligible promotional expenses.

Types of JEM Grants

Events

There are three types of JEM grants to support events:

New Event: This grant is for an event that has never been previously held in the area. There must be an intention to repeat the event regularly and is a project beyond the scope of daily operations. The maximum award is $39,550 per-year and three years of funding are available.
Existing Event: This grant is for expanding the promotion of an existing event. Expanding promotion can include a new geographic market, targeting a new demographic audience or promotion in a new medium. New markets, media and audiences should be chosen based on their potential to increase event attendance. The maximum award is $39,550 per year and two consecutive years of funding are available.
One-Time/One-of-a-kind: This grant is to publicize an event of major significance that has the potential to generate media coverage and attract travelers from throughout the midwest, or beyond. Anniversaries and birthdays are excluded. The maximum award is $28,250 and funding is limited to one year.

Sales Promotion

Sales Promotion: This grant is for a promotion that offers significant incentives for a limited period of time (usually 6-8 weeks) to persuade a targeted market to visit the area. Applications should include a list of participating businesses and the proposed incentives. The maximum award is $39,550 per year and two consecutive years of funding are available.

Destination Marketing

Destination Marketing grants require collaboration among at least three municipalities or communities. There are two types of Destination Marketing grants available:

Destination Marketing Development: This grant supports research and development expenses that investigate how to increase visitor spending across at least three municipalities or communities. The research will help you discover what makes your destination unique and attractive to visitors in order to define a brand and focus a marketing strategy. It can also help you acquire data to measure the impact of the visitor on the local economy. The maximum award is $39,550 and must not exceed 50% of the overall budget.
Destination Marketing: This grant is for marketing and promotion initiatives that increase visitor spending across at least three municipalities or communities. This marketing option is designed to implement the research acquired in the Destination Marketing Development grant. The marketing initiatives should occur during the off-season when the region needs a boost in tourism business. The maximum award is $10,000 per municipality or $39,550 for the project total. Destination Marketing applications are reviewed twice each year.

JEM Guidelines

The Department can reimburse up to 75 percent of a project’s first-year eligible promotional costs.
For some categories, grant support is available for subsequent years (50 percent for the second year, 25 percent for the third year).
The promotional plan must align with Travel Wisconsin’s current statewide marketing plan and target markets beyond the local area.
Organizations may not apply for JEM and Ready, Set, Go! grants for the same project, during the same fiscal year.
Applications must be submitted at least 90 days prior to the first day of expenditures using the grant funds; for example, if your first JEM funded expenditure is November 1, your application must be submitted by August 1.

JEM Grant Guidelines

JEM Grant Administrative Rules

Tracking Expenditures

How to Apply for a JEM Grant

Contact your Tourism Development Specialist or Grants Coordinator for brainstorming and guidance.
To apply for a JEM grant, go to grants.travelwisconsin.com.
Review the application before you apply

If you’ve never used the electronic grant system, please contact the Grants Coordinator to set up your organizational account. See the Electronic Grant Program User Manual for additional instructions. 

JEM Due Dates

All applications are due by 11:59 p.m.

Guidance

The Tourism Development Specialists and Grant Coordinator are available to review grant applications before the final submission. To ensure the best JEM grant application possible, we offer feedback and support throughout the entire process. Reach out to us anytime for assistance to take advantage of our expertise.