Sunshine Matters

I am pleased to announce that VISIT FLORIDA has recently awarded $483,105 to Florida tourism industry organizations as part of our 2014-2015 grant program.  The grants are given in four program categories, including Advertising Matching Grants; Cultural, Heritage, Rural and Nature Tourism Grants; Minority Convention Grants; and Small Business Grants.  This year, VISIT FLORIDA received a record number of applications and was able to award grants to 107 deserving businesses. Continue reading »

This week has been a busy one for VISIT FLORIDA staff who gave back to the community through involvement in two worthwhile activities.  First, fifteen volunteers from the VISIT FLORIDA staff gathered up books and headed to two Tallahassee elementary schools to participate in READ UNITED, part of the United Way of the Big Bend’s “Days of Doing” program.  There, each volunteer read aloud to a first grade class and left behind a book for each student to take home. Continue reading »

I am pleased to announce that the 2014-15 VISIT FLORIDA grant application period is now open.  Each year, VISIT FLORIDA administers six grant programs to assist Partners with marketing their businesses and publicizing the tourism advantages to the State of Florida.  Last year, VISIT FLORIDA was able to award $378,353 in grants to 85 deserving businesses. Continue reading »

For many years, the VISIT FLORIDA Charity Committee has been organizing our staff effort to fulfill the wishes and some of the basic needs for needy families in Northwest Florida during the holiday season.  Through our partnership with the Christmas Connection, VISIT FLORIDA was able to adopt three families this year – households with single moms raising from one to four kids on their own. Continue reading »

Now in its fourth year, the VISIT FLORIDA Charity Committee organized the “This Side vs. That Side” canned food drive challenge to support America’s Second Harvest of the Big Bend.  This healthy competition – with an ice cream social and bragging rights for the year on the line for the winning side – splits the VISIT FLORIDA office in half to see which side can collect the most non-perishable items for the local food bank. Continue reading »