WILLIAMSBURG — The City of Williamsburg announced the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) Program will begin accepting online applications on Feb. 1.
Established in 2017 to increase patronage to restaurants, attractions, hotels, and events through financial assistance and reinvestment in tourism products, place-making projects, and public-private partnerships, this is the second application cycle after an extended pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city said the first application cycle, which concluded in November 2019, funded several projects, including:
- The fourth lighted field at Kiwanis Park
- The design of a new wayfinding system
- A portable stage
- New furniture in City Square for Williamsburg Regional Library
- The further study and design of a regional indoor sports complex
Application is a two-phase process:
- Application (Feb. 1 through March 15)
- Selected qualified applicants present proposed projects to the Tourism Development Grant Review Committee (Summer 2023)
The Tourism Development Grant Review Committee will then present its funding recommendations to city council in the fall of 2023, with approved applicants receiving funding in late 2023 or early 2024.
The 2023 application process is online. Applicants can save their progress and easily upload attachments.
The city said the Economic Development Department and the Tourism Development Grant Review Committee will host two open house information sessions — one virtual and one in-person — for potential applicants to ask questions about proposed projects or the application process:
- Virtual: Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 1 p.m. Register online.
- In-person: Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. at the Williamsburg Community Building
More information on the Tourism Development may be found at williamsburgva.gov/tdf.
