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Visit Nebraska Announces Tourism Grant Recipients

PRESS RELEASE

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jenn Gjerde at 402-525-4455, or [email protected]
Ben Jones at 402-326-9941, or [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LINCOLN, Neb. (Feb. 14, 2025) — Visit Nebraska today announced grant awards totaling $749,077.32 in the combined application cycle of the Community Impact and Visit Nebraska Marketing Grant programs. The Commission received a total of 88 applications this grant cycle requesting $2,075,475.57 in funding.
 
“As more potential visitors continue to consider Nebraska as a travel destination, we are excited to once again see new communities and events apply for our grant program," said John Ricks, Nebraska Tourism executive director. "Nebraska has so much to offer, and we want to ensure that communities in all corners of our state are able to see the impact of increased visibility.”

Awardees this grant cycle include:

  • American Jr Shorthorn Association - National Junior Shorthorn Show & Youth Conference in Grand Island: $50,000.00
  • Arbor Day Foundation - Directed-Marketing Campaign: $13,875.00
  • Bayard Transcript - Songwriter's Festival, Vendor and Art Fair Promotion: $10,000.00
  • Beans and Steams Coffeehouse - General Advertising: $1,000.00
  • BFF Omaha Inc - Benson Creative District Community Marketing Initiative: $2,450.00
  • Black Hills Parks & Forests Association - Growing Panhandle NPS/USFS Tourism Through Digital and Print Outreach: $24,700.00
  • Boys Town - Professional Tourism Industry Seminars: $1,745.00
  • Burwell Area/Garfield County Convention and Visitors Bureau - General Marketing: $13,785.00
  • Carnegie Arts Center – Promotion of 2025 & 2026 Carhenge Arts Festival in Alliance: $16,500.00
  • Cheyenne County Tourism - All is Bright Christmas Tour Marketing Initiative: $9,414.00
  • Classic Car Collection - American Automobile Experience Visitor Awareness Campaign: $5,500.00
  • Columbus Area Convention and Visitors Bureau - General Marketing: $8,475.00
  • Discover Northeast Nebraska - Social Media Marketing: $1,500.00
  • Durham Museum - Image Library, Website & Advertising Expansion: $10,710.00
  • Dusty Trails - Social Media Promotions: $4,000.00
  • Ericson Lake Inc - Trail of Lights Promotion Project: $12,895.00
  • Falls City Chamber of Commerce - General Marketing: $3,000.00
  • Fontenelle Forest - General Marketing: $1,500.00
  • Friends of Lewis & Clark Bicentennial - 2025 Lewis & Clark Trail Nebraska Website Program: $8,500.00
  • Friends of the State Museum - Website Development: $10,000.00
  • Gage County Tourism - General Marketing: $7,123.00
  • Gering Visitors Bureau - Tourism Brand Development, Research, and Website Redesign: $5,250.00
  • Golden Spike Tower & Visitor Center - General Marketing: $14,750.00
  • Gothenburg Chamber of Commerce - Tourism Marketing: $3,000.00
  • Grand Island Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau - Website and Marketing: $14,122.50
  • Hallins Corporation - LOVAM Jazz Festival Promotion: $4,875.00
  • Happy Jack Chalk Mine Association - General Marketing: $5,500.00
  • Hastings Museum - General Marketing: $13,875.00
  • Hemingford Chamber of Commerce - Tourism Marketing: $2,450.00
  • Iron Horse Arts District – Promotion of Iron Horse Arts Festival in Holdrege: $4,125.00
  • Kearney Visitors Bureau - Visit Kearney Marketing Campaign: $14,594.00
  • Kiewit Luminarium - 2025 Tourism Marketing: $7,750.00
  • Lemon Tree Café - General Marketing: $4,125.00
  • Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway - Marketing Campaign: $5,800.00
  • Malcolm X Memorial Foundation - MX100 Centennial Birthday Celebration: $15,000.00
  • McCook Economic Development Corporation - App My Community Project: $7,500.00
  • Museum of American Speed - Video Creation: $4,750.00
  • Museum of Nebraska Art - ReOpening Marketing Promotion: $7,875.00
  • National Mormon Trails Association - Auto Tour Program: $1,500.00
  • Native Omaha Days - 2025 Festival Promotion: $3,500.00
  • Nebraska City Historical Society - Moving 188 Years of History into the Future: $8,500.00
  • Nebraska Crossroads Music Festival - Event Promotion: $7,500.00
  • Nebraska Flyway/Kearney Visitors Bureau - 2026 Flyway Marketing: $20,500.00
  • Nebraska State Fair 1868 Foundation - 2025 Nebraska State Fair and Aksarben Stock Show in Grand Island: $24,500.00
  • Niobrara Valley Vineyards - Promotion of the Nenzel Area Outdoor Adventures: $8,575.00
  • Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau - General Marketing: $7,875.00
  • Northwest Nebraska/Dawes County - Discover Northwest Nebraska Marketing: $11,500.00
  • Old West Balloon Fest/Oregon Trail Community Foundation - Event Promotion: $2,000.00
  • Omaha Sports Commission - USA Triathlon, Aksarben Tirc, and Cross Country Events and General Marketing: $45,000.00
  • Phelps County Visitors Committee - Visit 37 Promotions: $6,000.00
  • Ravenna Economic Development Corporation - Marketing Promotions: $1,926.00
  • Red Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce - Hotel Garber & Creative District Promotions: $8,952.55
  • River City Mixed Chorus - 2025/26 Season Marketing: $2,000.00
  • Sandhills Global Event Center - 2026 National High School Finals Rodeo in Lincoln: $96,820.00
  • Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway - Branding & Marketing: $18,008.00
  • Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau - Cell Phone Card Mailer & Marketing: $2,591.02
  • Sports Nebraska/Midlands Community Foundation - Website Development: $3,480.00
  • The Archway - General Marketing: $8,250.00
  • The Joy Ambition - Juneteenth JoyFest 2025: $3,000.00
  • The RiverFront/MECA Tri-Park Complex - General Marketing: $6,500.00
  • Visit Lincoln - 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association First Serve Event and 27 on 27th Street Restaurant Passport: $32,500.00
  • Visit North Platte - General Marketing: $14,745.00
  • Visit Omaha - General Marketing: $12,296.25
  • Western Nebraska Tourism Coalition - 2025 Marketing Promotions: $10,500.00
  • Willa Cather Foundation - General Marketing: $20,295.00
  • WNCC Foundation - Platte Valley Companies Monument Marathon: $8,250.00

For more information about travel, events and unique destinations in Nebraska, order your free travel guide today at VisitNebraska.com. Then stay connected with Visit Nebraska on our Visit Nebraska Facebook page, on X, on Pinterest, on Instagram and on YouTube.

The mission of the Nebraska Tourism Commission is to expand Nebraska’s dynamic and diverse travel industry making it more viable by creating awareness, attracting increased visitors which results in greater tourism revenue and economic gain throughout the state. To learn more, go to VisitNebraska.com.