We know that in the wake of Hurricane Helene, many communities across Western North Carolina, the Upstate of South Carolina, Southwest Virginia, and Tennessee are facing serious economic challenges. The storm’s devastation not only impacted infrastructure but also disrupted the vital tourism that sustains so many small businesses, service providers, and local economies.

To help your community bounce back, we’re excited to announce a unique opportunity: a $20,000 Creative Tourism Campaign Grant designed to attract visitors back to your area and revitalize local businesses.

We know the road to recovery isn’t easy, and we want to help your city, town, or tourism board address its greatest needs through this fully customized campaign.

What the Grant Includes

This grant is valued at $20,000 in creative services. The winning community will receive access to a range of support, tailored to your priorities, which could include:

• Account Strategy & Management
• Branding & Messaging
• Ad Creative Design (digital and print)
• Public Relations Campaigns & Crisis Communications
• Influencer Marketing
• Social Media Content
• Communications Planning
• Swag Design
• Guerilla Marketing
• Media Planning
• Website Updates, Design, or Development

Whether you need a full rebrand, a strategic PR push, or digital ad campaigns to boost awareness, we’ll work with you to determine what will deliver the most impact.

Why We’re Doing This

We know that tourism is the heartbeat of many communities in this region. From the picturesque mountain towns to the vibrant main streets of downtown, every visitor brings essential revenue that supports local businesses and the livelihoods of countless residents. Hurricane Helene interrupted this lifeline, but we believe a creative, well-executed campaign can help turn things around.

This creative grant is our way of helping your community recover, rebuild, and thrive again. This is what we are great at, and we can’t wait to put our skills to work helping those who need it most!

Who is YDM

At our core, we’re more than just a marketing agency––we’re a partner invested in the success of our clients. As a woman-owned, full-service boutique marketing firm, we specialize in crafting impactful branding, research-driven strategies, and creative marketing solutions tailored to maximize our clients’ investments. With a client base spanning from the Carolinas to Washington and everywhere in between, we’ve helped businesses large and small—especially in real estate, nonprofit, and municipal communications—stand out and thrive.

But what truly sets us apart is our commitment to community. Like ducks on a pond, we may make the process look seamless, but behind the scenes, we’re paddling hard to ensure your campaign makes waves. As a small business ourselves, we understand the challenges you’re facing and that every dollar counts. We’re driven by a desire to create lasting impacts in our community, helping you not only stay afloat but glide forward with confidence through smooth or rough waters.

Yellow Duck Marketing is a HUB/WBE/SBE Certified agency.

What We Need From You

To ensure the success of this campaign, it’s essential that the awarded organization is ready to collaborate closely with our team. We’ll need you or your team to dedicate the time and resources necessary to provide input, share feedback, and help guide the project. This includes participating in scheduled meetings, sharing relevant information about your community’s challenges and goals, and being available for timely approvals throughout the process.

By working together, we can create a campaign that truly reflects your community’s spirit and drives meaningful results. Your commitment is key to making this initiative a success!

How to Apply

We’re looking for towns, cities, or tourism boards that:

1. Were significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene physically, economically or both.
2. Have a vision for revitalizing tourism, but not all of the creative resources needed to execute your vision.
3. Are ready and have the capacity to collaborate on a creative campaign.

To apply, complete the application form below, sharing your challenges, what you hope to achieve through this grant, and your top priorities.

Applications are due by January 17th, 2025, and we may reach out to you for clarifying information. The winner will be notified within 14 days.

If selected, we’ll kick off with a one-hour meeting to align on goals and create a focused plan that fits within the grant’s scope.

Selection Criteria

The winner will be chosen based on need, impact potential, and scope. We’re seeking a project that can make the most of this opportunity to drive meaningful economic recovery for your community.

Tourism boards, Main Streets / towns, Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs), counties, nonprofits, hotels, and resorts are all eligible.

Don’t miss this chance to bring tourism dollars back to your town and support the businesses that make your community so special.

Apply Now

Let’s work together to help rebuild, reimagine, and reinvigorate tourism to the Blue Ridge.

Disclaimers & Exclusions

1. Usage Restrictions:
   • Non-Tourism Activities: The funds are strictly for the creation of a creative tourism campaign designed to attract visitors back to your community. The grant may not be used for media spend, print/mailing, or production costs.
   • Non-Tourism Use: Funds must be used exclusively for tourism-related activities, including marketing campaigns, visitor outreach, and revitalization efforts in any of the services we have listed above. The funds cannot be used for infrastructure repairs unrelated to tourism or general operational expenses (e.g., salaries for permanent staff).
2. Time Frame:
   • The grant must be used by December 31, 2025. Any funds remaining after this period will be forfeited unless special arrangements are made.
3. Campaign Value:
   • The total campaign value is based on our typical hourly billable rate for services provided. The final campaign deliverables may vary depending on how the grant is allocated and the specific services required for your community. Unused value cannot be refunded as cash.
4. Eligibility Criteria:
   • Geographical Exclusion: The grant is only available to communities within Western North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia.
   • Business Type Restrictions: Only Main Street/small businesses/merchant associations, hotels, nonprofits, tourism boards, or local government entities are eligible to apply. Franchises or non-tourism entities are not eligible for this grant.
5. Supplemental Funding for Existing Marketing Budgets:
   • If the selected town has an existing marketing budget, the grant can be supplemented to provide additional support or fund a larger project, if necessary. This ensures that the town receives the needed resources for a more expansive or enhanced campaign.
6. Application Restrictions:
   • Multiple Applications: Only one application per community, business, or tourism board is permitted.
   • Late or Incomplete Applications: Applications that are submitted late or deemed incomplete will not be considered.
7. Non-Transferability:
   • The funds are non-transferable and cannot be passed on to other individuals, businesses, or organizations.
8. Liability and Responsibility:
   • No Guarantee of Success: Receiving the grant does not guarantee that the proposed campaign will result in successful tourism recovery.
   • Indemnification: Recipients must agree to indemnify the grant provider from any legal claims or financial liabilities that arise as a result of the campaign.
   • Liability Disclaimer: The grant provider is not responsible for any financial loss, damages, or liabilities arising from the use of the grant funds.
9. Right to Modify or Terminate:
   • The grant provider reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the grant program at any time for any reason, including but not limited to changes in funding availability or program requirements.
10. Publicity Consent:
    • By accepting the grant, recipients agree to allow the details of their project or their organization to be used for promotional purposes by the grant provider, including but not limited to social media, press releases, and marketing materials.
11. Tax Considerations:
    • Recipients are responsible for understanding and fulfilling any tax obligations associated with receiving the grant. The grant provider is not responsible for any tax-related consequences.