Program Guidelines
Purpose
The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission provides reimbursable sponsorship funding to eligible organizations and businesses whose events exhibit positive tourism and economic development along Missouri’s Route 66 defined alignments and demonstrate a direct tie to statewide efforts to celebrate the Route 66 Centennial.
These reimbursable funds are to encourage new or existing events to focus their programming on promoting 100 years of Missouri Route 66 through, but not limited to, communities and people, culture and flavor, heritage and history, strife and milestones, and architecture, agriculture, and transportation.
The selection committee will prioritize sponsorship opportunities for as many unique parties as possible to ensure the highest participation, greatest diversity, and strongest branding for Missouri Route 66.
To meet these priorities, only one application from an organization or business may be awarded annually. For established events, the applicant must highlight how it will grow in scope and how the sponsorship will only be utilized to expand the event from its established format and budget.
All entities awarded funds must complete an event report upon completion of their event, plus a sponsorship reimbursement form with invoice(s) and proof of payment(s) in full.
Annual sponsorship funding is a part of the commission’s annual budget but is subject to the funding allocations. Therefore, request limits may vary. For 2024, $250,000 has been budgeted for event sponsorship funding, with a maximum of $50,000 allowed for any one application.
Qualifying Applicants
Applicants can be any not-for-profit organization or for-profit business seeking to produce and promote a well-defined Missouri Route 66 Centennial-oriented event. Requirements are as follows:
All applicants promoting an event or attraction must provide:
- Copy of the working budget for this event, showing specifically where sponsorship funds would be applied. The budget document must detail the following:
- Total event budget or production budget (for marketing), including items NOT covered by this sponsorship
- Total amount requested in this application
- Percentage (%) of total budget represented by this sponsorship request
- Indication of which items in the total budget are being submitted for funding approval
- Copy of a detailed marketing plan which must include the following items:
- All marketing activities locally and those taking place outside the 70-mile radius of the primary event or attraction location for which funding has been requested
- Names of all publications, radio/television stations, websites, and additional media being used
- Costs, ad sizes, and flight dates
- Audience and demographics
- Indicate which items listed in the marketing plan are being submitted for funding approval from those that are not
- Up to five (5) examples/samples of marketing materials, if available
- Sponsorship packet or letters of support
NOTE: Following the sponsorship review, this plan may need to be revised based on the funding received.
- A copy of liability insurance for the event
Not-for-profit organizations promoting an event or attraction must also provide:
- IRS determination letter of non-profit status
- Listings of current organization board members and event committee
For-profit organizations promoting an event or attraction must also provide:
- List of current committee members or board of directors for the event. Any event initiated by a for-profit organization must have a designated committee or board for governing and organizing the proposed event.
- Letter from a financial institution confirming that a separate account has been established to receive and disburse funds only for the event for which the proposal is submitted.
What is a qualifying event?
An EVENT is a single- (discouraged) or multi-day (preferred) gathering typically organized and staged by a civic organization or local business. The event is centered on celebrating some unique aspects of Missouri Route 66 through, but not limited to, communities and people, culture and flavor, heritage and history, strife and milestones, and architecture, agriculture, and transportation.
Regardless of the event’s scope and structure, the event’s organizing body must qualify for this sponsorship as described in items I – III above.
What is a qualifying attraction?
An ATTRACTION is a physical or cultural feature at a place that individual travelers or visitors experience for their specific leisure-related interests. These attractions typically offer natural or cultural value, historical significance, or natural or formed beauty, offering amusement, leisure, adventure, or educational value. A tourism attraction must be able to attract visitors who generally do not live along Missouri Route 66 and raise their interest to explore other Missouri Route 66 destinations.
Regardless, for this sponsorship, the organizing body of the attraction must qualify as described in items I or II above.
Arts and crafts, farmer’s markets, restaurants, service businesses, and the like are generally not considered tourist attractions unless their premises are large enough to provide value-added experiences such as hosting a significant event or specific gathering. Solely, business promotions do not qualify.
Funds can only enrich a tourism attraction’s marketing program or evergreen event materials such as banners, signage, or value-added talent to draw a larger crowd. Funds cannot be used for construction projects or ongoing operating expenses.
Event Eligibility Guidelines
- Events must be free and open to the public.
- Events must be designed to build awareness of or drive traffic to Missouri Route 66.
- Events must adhere to the respective city’s special event permitting rules & guidelines and all applicable local, state, or federal rules, ordinances, statutes, and guidelines.
- Events must occur and be visible on Route 66 within the defined historic Missouri Route 66 alignment.
- If private space is proposed for the event and the applicant is the lessee, the application must include the property owner’s signature.
- If public space is proposed for the event, permission from the governing body must be obtained.
Eligibility Guidelines
- Events must be free and open to the public.
- Events must be designed to build awareness of or drive traffic to Missouri Route 66.
- Events must adhere to the respective city’s special event permitting rules & guidelines and all applicable local, state, or federal rules, ordinances, statutes, and guidelines.
- Events must occur and be visible on Route 66 within the defined historic Missouri Route 66 alignment.
- If private space is proposed for the event and the applicant is the lessee, the application must include the property owner’s signature.
- If public space is proposed for the event, permission from the governing body must be obtained.
Eligible Expenses for Reimbursement
- Marketing (Event or Attraction)
- Advertising placement intended for an audience outside of a 70-mile radius of the event or attraction’s location.
- The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission must be represented as a sponsor in all sponsorship-funded advertisements.
- Advertisement design and agency (placement) fees (not to exceed 1/3 of the total funding request).
- Marketing may include print, television, radio, website banner ads, direct mail, etc.
- MO66Centennial.com and Facebook.com/MO66Centennial must be linked to all host electronic sites.
- Advertising on Facebook and other social media platforms is valued more over print formats.
- Only ads approved by the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission sponsorship committee prior to submission will be eligible for reimbursement.
- Billboards 50 miles away from the primary event or attraction location.
- Printing & Postage (Event or Attraction)
- Funding for printed materials can only be for that portion of materials that will be distributed outside a 70-mile radius of the primary location. The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission logo must be represented as a sponsor in all funded materials.
- Funding for postage fees for targeted mailings can only be for materials distributed outside a 70-mile radius of the primary location will be eligible.
- Entertainment & Exhibits (Event only)
- Entertainment and booking fees: Entertainment can be characterized as music/bands, speakers, activities, etc., that will be for the general audience of the event, and who’s performance will enhance attendance.
- Exhibit costs: Cost associated with renting, securing, building, or transporting a new exhibit being utilized specifically for the event. Preferably Route 66 related.
- Prize money (if identified as enhancing event participants or audience).
- Pre-existing events are eligible if event capacity is being expanded by implementing an innovation, technology, or idea or demonstrating a direct tie to statewide efforts to celebrate the Missouri Route 66 Centennial.
- Event equipment rentals, audio-visual equipment rental, entertainment vendors, porta-johns, decorations, permit and application fees, event insurance, capital marketing costs, security or emergency personnel.
Ineligible Expenses for Reimbursement
- Any expense NOT approved for funding by the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission sponsorship committee. Any revision to the originally funded request must have committee chair approval.
- Salaries and other monetary compensation to event or attraction volunteers or employees.
- Food and beverage.
- Mileage or gas expenses due to the distribution of materials.
- Entertainment or activities not for the general public.
- Legal, medical, engineering, accounting, or other consulting services, except those outlined in the application.
- Interest or reduction of deficits or loans.
- Advertising, promotional, or marketing dollars spent within a 70-mile radius of the primary event or attraction location, except for radio, if it can be proven that the broadcast reaches beyond 60 miles.
- Tools and equipment purchased for construction of the exhibit (building materials or decoration).
- Sponsorship funds cannot be used for construction projects or ongoing operating expenses.
Disclaimer
The Commission must remain impartial and cannot fund political or social issues events as funding could be interpreted as an endorsement; therefore, political, or social issues events are ineligible. Events that do not adhere to current city or county ordinances and state statutes, regulations, the sponsorship program’s goals, or events that promote discrimination, hate speech, and violence will be ineligible.
Evaluation Criteria and Scoring
Scoring
- 100 points are possible for each application.
- 15 points: Presentation, in which the event was clearly and concisely explained.
- 20 points: Ability of the event to draw a significant attendance in proportion with the requested dollar amounts.
- 30 points: Ability of the event to attract visitors from outside the primary event or attraction location (from greater than 70 miles, one-way) and retain them in the area for at least 3 hours.
- 35 points: Ability of the event to generate overnight stays.
- In addition to the points earned above, each reviewing commissioner will score the application as to the dollar amount requested versus what they deem an appropriate amount for the type of ROI your event brings to fulfill the sponsorship program’s intent. The thoroughness of the application and presentation, with the score from the items above, will be the basis for their scoring.
- Notes
- Applications will be scored and ranked by the total points received.
- A minimum of 60 points is required to be eligible for funding; however, just because an event receives 60 points does not automatically mean it will receive any funding.
Funding Determination
- For FY-24, a maximum of $250,000 has been allocated for the sponsorship program.
- A maximum of $50,000 can be awarded per event.
- Applications receiving the highest point scores will be funded first.
- The Commission reserves the right to recommend partial funding to any applicant.
- If the total funding requested by all applicants exceeds $250,000, some applications that received the minimum 60 points may not be funded.
Tips for Completing the Application
Overall Application
- Read the application and the guidelines thoroughly. If clarity is needed about what an application question is asking for or whether something applies to the request, contact Commission Chair Cora Scott by email at cscott@springfieldmo.gov. It is better to know for sure than to overlook it and miss out on giving vital information to the committee.
- Understand the purpose of the sponsorship. This sponsorship program is funded through the annual budget of the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission. The primary purpose is to help promote the Route 66 centennial activities along Missouri Route 66 through promotional enhancements of events and attractions.
- Follow instructions. If a question asks for a detailed description or to give specifics, it is asked for a reason. When the application is reviewed at face value, it must deliver as much information as possible. A lack of details in an application can send a message that the organizer either has not fully thought out the funding request or is just looking for easy money. Details matter.
- Be clear. Remember, the application may be the selection committee’s first impression of an event or attraction. Ensure the information presented makes sense to someone outside the host organization. Tell a story.
- Proofread. Instances have occurred where someone did not proofread their finished application and only relied on spellcheck. The result? One word made a difference in conveying what the event or attraction was trying to express, resulting in less funding. Attention to detail is essential.
Section 1
- Be prepared for a lengthy application process to include the online form and document uploads.
- Marketing Plan
- In this section, be very specific. If local television and radio advertising is included, don’t just list “local media” but rather include which stations funding is being applied to and what kind of advertising will be utilized. In every case, this does matter.
- Show social media campaigns as a by-month breakdown.
- Include the vision. It is okay if sponsorships or media contracts are not signed when applying. Add rates, in-kind services, ad sizes, and circulation for media support requested. Revision can be added as the plan unfolds.
- Target audience and demographics are required. Who is the plan trying to reach? If the application is for a first-time event, think about who the event is trying to attract and what is the MOST LIKELY demographic of who will attend. If the application is for an established event, list past demographics and add any changes or growth plans to reach a larger or new audience.
- Attractions: Please provide as many years of attendance/visitor data as possible.
Section 2
- Working Budget
- Be as specific on the budget information and as close to actual expenses and revenues as possible. Although budget revisions are allowed, funding is based on what was initially presented on the application. The selection committee wants to ensure that what they chose to fund is accomplished.
- Highlight or clearly indicate items in the budget for which funds are requested. Remember, the selection committee is reviewing multiple applications. Ensure the items that need funding are clearly identified so an accurate assessment and decision can be made.
- Include the percentage of your overall budget that would be funded through this sponsorship program. An application where these sponsorship funds are 50% or greater of the budget may receive less than favorable support.
- Describing the event or attraction – Make sure that the items asked for in question 1E are easily identifiable. If outlining them in paragraph form, highlight, underline, or bold the answers to find them easily. This is an opportunity to “sell” the event to the selection committee. Assure the event or attraction is accurately depicted.
- Describing the projects or expenses you are requesting funding – Items for which funding is requested MUST align with those indicated in the budget.
- Increasing attendance from the previous year – What is new with the event or attraction? Describe any new activities – a bigger band or a greater demonstration. Describe advertising in new publications or an expanded digital platform here. The selection committee is looking for any way to grow attendance and expand your exposure or a better way to promote Route 66.
- Attracting new visitors – Because the primary purpose of this sponsorship program is to generate tourism, this question is incredibly important. Be sure to share information about your methods to get the word out to the surrounding communities.
Event Success Tips
Attracting New Visitors
Connect with other related events or attractions along Missouri Route 66. Get on each other’s social platforms, share your collateral materials, and promote each other. Contact radio stations and offer the lucky caller a contest giveaway with admission tickets. Post your activities to college and university event calendars. Think about the events or attractions that have gotten your attention and do what they did. Get creative! The centennial is a statewide event.
Generating & Tracking Hotel Room Nights
- Creating an event or attraction that ensures people will stay the night is challenging.
- If possible, create a late evening pre-event reception, incentive, or evening activity to encourage people to stay in town the night before the event.
- Partner with a host hotel that offers a special room rate and will help track the number of guests registered.
- If using an admission ticket, offer a discount coupon, post-event premium, or giveaway for attendees. Encourage guests to inform the front desk staff at area hotels that they are here for your event or attraction.
- Establish a relationship with the area hotel sales manager or general manager and provide event details. Let them know the number of out-of-town guests that might be visiting. Communicating with the hotels allows them to pass on information about local happenings to their staff and guests, increasing the chance that they can help track your room nights.
- During peak attendance, conduct an intercept survey or have an entrance guest book to capture guests demographics. At a minimum ask – Home ZIP code, how many in their group, did they stay in an area hotel. To thank attendees for their survey information, offer a coupon they can use that day, or a drawing entry.