Grant Opportunities

The grant programs offered by the Division of Travel and Tourism require applicants to submit a Declaration of Intent (DOI) to file for both the Cooperative Marketing Grant and the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Grant. Applicants will be given access to the appropriate application once the DOI has been approved.

Please note that a Declaration of Intent (DOI) is required to apply for any Division of Travel and Tourism grant. It is important to note that you will not have access to the grant application until your DOI has been approved. Therefore, it is in your best interest to submit your DOI as soon as possible in order to gain access to the grant application.

If you wait until the deadline to submit your DOI, you will only have a short amount of time to access the actual application before it is due.

You can find the DOI for each application on the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) program. Please review your information carefully and be sure that you are submitting the appropriate DOI for the application, for which you intend to apply. You may not have the opportunity to make modifications to your DOI once it has been submitted.

Once the DOI has been approved, it is incumbent upon the applicant to then create an application. It is also very important to make note of and adhere to all deadlines. If you are unsure if your DOI or application has been received or approved by the Division, please contact the Division of Travel and Tourism immediately.

If you have not yet registered for System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE), please follow the instructions below or review the video below.

PDF: SAGE Instructions
PDF: SAGE Signing Up
PDF: SAGE Username and Roles
Video: Cooperative Marketing Grant Overview - Full Presentation

If you would like to view specific sections of the process, you can access the section here:

You can find the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE) online at www.sage.nj.gov

For more information on SAGE, go to https://www.nj.gov/state/dos_sage.html

FY 2024 Cooperative Marketing Grant

The Cooperative Marketing Grant Program is a collaboration between the New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism and the New Jersey travel industry, whose goal is to promote New Jersey as a premier travel destination. Funding will be provided to promote and market specific tourism opportunities in New Jersey.

The Cooperative Marketing Grant Program is open to any New Jersey organization that can demonstrate a significant interest in the New Jersey tourism industry. Organizations must show a match of 25% from partners or sponsors that are Non-State funding sources. State funds awarded for the Cooperative Marketing Grant plus the non-state match must be spent on your marketing program. The match cannot be in-kind, cash on hand or bartered services.

Guidelines:

Applications must be submitted through the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE). No paper applications will be accepted.
Applicants must complete a Declaration of Intent (DOI), in SAGE, to be eligible to apply.
Applications will be made available in SAGE, to the applicant upon approval of the applicant’s DOI. Note: Please use the presentation provided above to learn how to access and create your new application.
Please keep your eye on this website for any updates to the grant process.

Resources:

Deadlines:

An electronic Declaration of Intent (DOI) to apply will be available in the System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE): Approx. March 7, 2023.
You must complete a Declaration of Intent (DOI) in order to apply for the grant, WELL BEFORE June 7, 2023 at 3:30 pm (EST).
Completed applications must be submitted in SAGE for the FY 2024 grant cycle no later than June 14, 2023 at 3:30 pm (EST).

Awards are contingent upon available funds in the Fiscal Year budget for which you are applying. The Division of Travel and Tourism reserves the right to reject applications that are not consistent with its mission, goals and objectives.

Contact:

Organizations who would like additional information or who have specific questions on this grant program may contact the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism via telephone at (609) 984-9413 or via email at colleen.karr@sos.nj.gov

FY 2023 Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) Grant - CLOSED

*Due to changes to the program, the DMO Grant will be awarded for three years.

A Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) serves to promote and market tourism of a destination in our State as their primary function. A destination can be a single city, a group of municipalities or a defined region. The DMO works with hotels, restaurants, attractions and smaller tourism entities to offer the visitor a place to obtain information when planning a visit for business or pleasure. The DMO must work with area businesses to drive visitation when and where it is most appropriate. It must also be an advocate for the tourism industry.

The FY 2023 DMO Grant program is open to any organization that meets the qualifications of an established Destination Marketing Organization (see DMO Handbook for eligibility requirements). Organizations must show a match equal to 25% of the grant request, from partners or sponsors that are non-State funding sources. The match cannot be in-kind. Maximum request is $300,000.