Community Tourism Destination Development Fund

This fund provides structured financial support aimed at enhancing community tourism through both capital and non-capital projects. The financing modalities are specifically designed to maximize the impact of the funds across diverse project categories.

• The fund covers up to 75% of total project costs.
• A cap of 50% is applied to eligible capital expenditures, with a maximum funding limit of $375,000.
• Funding is tiered according to the project budget, with Tier 1 catering to projects up to $100,000 and Tier 2 accommodating those from $100,001 to $500,000.
• Funding distribution is dependent on the applicant’s access to other sources of government funding.

Eligibility for this fund requires the applicant to be based in Yukon and fit one of the specified organizational categories.

• The applicant must be a Yukon-based business.
• The applicant can be a First Nations government.
• The applicant may be a First Nations development entity.
• The applicant can be a municipality.
• The applicant may be a not-for-profit organization.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants for the Community Tourism Destination Development Fund include Yukon-based businesses, First Nations governments, First Nations development entities, municipalities, and not-for-profit organizations.

Who is not eligible

Some types of companies that are not eligible for the Community Tourism Destination Development Fund include:

• Companies based outside of Yukon
• For-profit organizations not meeting the eligibility criteria

Eligible expenses

This fund supports projects in Yukon that contribute to sustainable tourism development by enhancing services and infrastructure. Eligible activities focus on collaborative approaches and improvements that can bring long-lasting benefits to the tourism sector.

• Partnership umbrella projects that enhance community-wide tourism impact.
• Projects facilitating destination development initiatives.
• Capital projects for making visitor experiences or services market-ready.
• Projects increasing an organization's capacity to deliver visitor services or experiences.
• Initiatives aimed at expanding visitor experiences or services in a community or region.
• Leasehold improvements under long-term agreements to boost market readiness and service offerings of visitor-dependent businesses.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is limited to companies and organizations that are based in a specific geographical area. The eligible area has been specified to target regional tourism development.

• Yukon-based businesses and entities.

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on their alignment with the program's objectives, focusing on community impact, readiness, sustainability, and innovation.

• Relative community impact.
• Immediate readiness or ability to begin contributing to destination development.
• Projects that provide long-term sustainable benefits.
• Innovation in the approach to partnership and community building.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• The application process opens on September 1 at 4:30 pm for both funding tiers.
• The deadline for Tier 2 projects is 4:30 pm on November 15, and for Tier 1 projects, it is 4:30 pm on January 15.
• If application deadlines fall on a weekend or holiday, they are moved to the next business day.
• A second round of intake may occur if funds remain after the first round.
• Applicants are encouraged to contact the program administrator for guidance and application preparation before submitting their forms.