2025 Governor’s Conference
Learn MoreCooperative Marketing Grants
Overview
Missouri Division of Tourism’s (MDT) cooperative marketing programs represent a significant investment, second only to its general domestic marketing budget. The programs are available each fiscal year and funding is determined by the MDT budget.
The cooperative marketing funds are distributed among three separate industry programs that are designed to maximize the resources of MDT and its partners. Funding is based on a county’s tourism level and specific program. The programs are designed to build upon underused resources/assets of MDT, build partnerships within the industry and eliminate excessive administrative requirements.
The cooperative marketing opportunities are:
- Marketing Matching Grant
- Marketing Platform Development
- Search Engine Marketing Partnership
- Domestic Trade Show Scholarship
- Travel South Scholarship
- Educational Conference Scholarship
Program Objectives
- Support and further MDT’s overall annual marketing strategy as outlined in the annual marketing plan and position Missouri to compete more effectively for travel and tourism market share.
- Create programs based on the common marketing goals of MDT and the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), thereby creating mutually beneficial marketing executions.
- Maintain programs that are efficient to implement for both MDT and its partners.
Marketing Matching Grant
The Marketing Matching Grant (MMG) program is designed to increase visitation and tourism spending in Missouri. Approved DMO media advertisement placements are reimbursed at 50% up to the approved application amount. Funding is determined by a DMO’s county tourism level and this program is available to all certified DMOs. With the match of state and local funds, MMG provides meaningful financial incentive to participants and a significant economic benefit to the state of Missouri.
Marketing Platform Development
The Marketing Platform Development (MPD) is designed for marketing investments that will be utilized beyond the fiscal year of the initial investment and reimbursed at 50% up to the approved application amount. The total for all grants under this program differ by program year; however, each grant awarded shall be limited to no more than $10,000 and shall be matched by non-state dollars. This program is available to MDT certified DMOs, non-certified DMOs, and regional partnerships.
Eligible projects include those that provide for development, improvement or expansion of tourism marketing programs and products designed to increase tourism from outside the area for greater economic impact. Costs associated with product placement, maintenance, or subscriptions will not be eligible. Each year, MDT will develop a list of platform project opportunities available for the current fiscal year. However, other platform requests can be submitted for review to be included in the next fiscal year.
Application
The MPD application opens April 1st and closes April 30th of each year. To apply for the MPD, please visit the Submittable website and complete the application.
The grant applications require several pieces of information, including vendor bids or a scope of work. The application will close on the date listed on the program calendar.
Review & Selection Process
The MPD program has a limited amount of funding available. MDT and the Cooperative Marketing Program Advisory Committee (CMPAC) will review the applications on a pass/fail basis for completeness and program compliance. Amounts of match will be awarded based on the available budget, number of partners applying and quality of the application.
At this time, no applicant may receive more than one MPD grant per fiscal year; no applicant may receive funding for a platform for which they received funding in the past three years. The DMO will be awarded or denied the grant by the last Friday of June. The program then begins on July 1st.
Reimbursement Request/Project Summary Report
The reimbursement request/project summary report and copies of the grant project (example: social media strategic plan, creative strategy, profile study) must be submitted 60 days following the completion of the project. The participant must first incur the approved expense and pay at least one-half of each invoice amount prior to submitting the expense to MDT for reimbursement. Only one request for reimbursement is allowed per DMO under the MPD grant program. All reimbursements must include a proof of expense, proof of payment and proof of performance. The Reimbursement Request should be completed on the Submittable website.
Eligible Platforms
Brand Awareness Study
MDT will assist industry partners in the funding of a Brand Awareness Study. A brand awareness study (and analysis) can give a measurement of which consumers are familiar with the brand and product. How much of the target market is aware of the brand? Understanding this information can enable you to market more efficiently and effectively.
Creative Design
It is important that tourism industry organizations have a strong, memorable identity for the brand through image marketing. Much of the advertising communication is centered on the brand’s creative and/or logo. Participants may contract with an agency to develop a logo or to design base creative ads.
Creative Strategy
Participants may contract with an ad agency or marketing communication agency to develop a creative strategy. The contracted agency will evaluate the marketing and promotional situation to determine what needs to be communicated to the marketer’s target audience. A strong, memorable identity for the brand through image marketing communication will be developed.
Marketing Plan Development
A strong marketing plan is crucial to running a successful marketing campaign. Participants may contract through an agency to lay out the advertising and marketing objectives specific to the needs of the organization. A marketing plan must be clear before the creative strategy can be determined.
Mobile Optimization
If your website is not yet optimized for mobile, consider a responsive web design. A responsive web design enables your website to react to a user’s actions and detects the medium where the site is currently being watched in order to provide the best experience possible to the user in terms of navigability and readability.
Social Media Strategy
Develop a social media strategic plan to determine which social network connects you with your target audience, determine best content types and outreach tactics, and reach targeted followers that generate more qualified leads for your organization. Participants may contract with a social media strategist to develop a strategy that includes: research and discovery, strategy development, implementation planning and measurement.
Visitor Profile Study
MDT will assist industry partners in the funding of a visitor profile study. This research provides a profile of your visitor based on demographic and behavioral characteristics such as age, income, size of travel party, activities and expenditures. Understanding this information will enable you to target your audience more efficiently and effectively.
Visual Asset Procurement
Strong visuals in marketing are vital. Because of this, MDT will assist industry partners in procuring visual assets. Participants may contract with a professional photographer and/or a videographer to build your visual asset library for marketing purposes.
Website Development
Design or upgrade your tourism website to include focused calls-to-action, enhanced images and simplified navigation to allow your visitors to find information quickly and easily. Participants may contract with a web designer to update their site.
SEM Partnership
This search engine marketing (SEM) partnership is a unified, coordinated effort that drives traffic to your site and ensures you are not in competition with MDT or other Missouri participants. Unlike the MMG and MPD programs, the SEM Partnership does not reimburse participants; rather, MDT will pay for 50% of the cost, and the SEM vendor will bill the DMO for the other 50% of the cost. This plan is on a first-come, first-served basis and the applicant must meet the criteria for participation.
The vendor’s SEM program participants receive custom-written ads, hands-on optimization, and monthly reporting of all key indicators. The SEM vendor performs an individualized website review and provides a keyword strategy for each partner. Campaigns will be established, monitored and optimized continuously to ensure fair and equitable exposure. Limited spaces are available. For additional information, contact Megan Rogers at Megan.Rogers@ded.mo.gov.
Domestic Trade Show Scholarship
The Domestic Trade Show Scholarship is intended to build Missouri’s visibility by encouraging DMO attendance at trade shows. This scholarship will reimburse DMOs for the registration and hotel costs for one trade show every fiscal year.
Travel South Scholarship
The Showcase includes scheduled appointments for international buyers and US receptive tour operators to meet face-to-face; this program is intended to build Missouri’s international presence by encouraging DMO attendance. If the DMO utilizes these funds, they are then eligible to apply for the Global Week portion of the scholarship. Global Week is designed for international media and US public relations suppliers to meet face-to-face; this program is also intended to build Missouri’s international presence through earned media placements. The scholarship can reimburse for one attendee from each DMO for the registration and hotel fees to attend the Travel South International Showcase and Travel South Global Week each fiscal year.
Educational Conference Scholarship
The Missouri Division of Tourism is committed to providing the necessary tools to help our partners promote their destinations and increase visitation and tourism spending in Missouri. The goal of this program is to provide educational opportunities for DMOs that will improve their marketing efforts. This program will reimburse DMOs for the registration and hotel costs for one conference every fiscal year.
Program Reports
FY2024
FY2023
FY2022
FY2021
FY2020
After the completion of each fiscal year, MDT will compile the year’s cooperative marketing financial data to produce the Financial Report and Co-op Summary for the public to view. See below for past cooperative marketing results.