Skip to main content

Community Marketing Grant

By collaborating on marketing projects, businesses, municipalities, not-for-profits, and charities with a focus or mandate to service visitors can ensure a cohesive approach and expand their reach to new audiences and visitors. Helping to drive sales to local businesses and encourage involvement and attendance at community events helps to drive a vibrancy in the community.
Community Marketing Grant

Spruce the Bruce Business Grants

The Community Marketing grant provides funding for businesses or municipalities, not-for-profits or charities with a focus or mandate to service visitors to collaboratively develop a package itinerary or marketing campaign that stimulates the local downtown economy.

Community Marketing Grant

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the grant:

The applicants may be a combination of businesses, or a combination of municipalities, not-for-profits or charities with a focus or mandate to service visitors.

The project must be located within one of the following communities: Allenford, Chesley, Hepworth, Kincardine, Lion’s Head, Lucknow, Mildmay, Paisley, Port Elgin, Ripley, Sauble Beach, Southampton, Tara, Teeswater, Tobermory, Walkerton or Wiarton.

A minimum of three businesses, with at least one being located within the downtown Community Improvement Project Area (CIPA) collaborate and develop a package itinerary or campaign. For example, a canoe outfitter, local motel, and downtown restaurant develop a package itinerary to draw customers and visitors to the region.

The project must comply with local Municipality bylaws and have received appropriate permits and permissions.

The project should attempt to include elements from the applicable Community Toolkit whenever possible.

The application is different from any funded projects completed in the last five years.

Project work must not have started (including purchasing any materials) until the application has been approved.

Max Funding: 

50% of total project cost (excluding taxes) up to $2,500.

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects may include, but are not limited to:

  • Completed Package Itinerary or Marketing Campaign
  • Design and production of marketing collateral
  • Paid promotion through marketing channels (ex. digital, print, radio, etc.).

Ineligible Projects 

Ineligible projects include, but are not limited to:

  • Projects that include collaborative partners located outside of Bruce County
  • Projects that duplicate a role already fulfilled within the Community or Bruce County
  • Projects that generate advertising / promotional revenue for the applicants.

Branding and Design Elements 

Gain inspiration and guidance for the project by reviewing design elements (colour pallets, materials and physical elements, and façade and signage examples) from the applicable Community Toolkit: Allenford, Chelsey, Hepworth, Kincardine, Lion’s Head, Lucknow, Mildmay, Paisley, Port Elgin, Ripley, Sauble Beach, Southampton, Tara, Teeswater, Tobermory, Walkerton, or Wiarton.

Community Improvement Plan (CIP) Areas

A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a tool that allows a municipality to direct funds and implement policy initiatives toward a specifically defined project area and are intended to encourage rehabilitation initiatives and/or stimulate development.

Find the eligible Community Improvement Project Areas (CIPA) for this grant: Allenford ChesleyHepworthKincardineLion's HeadLucknowMildmayPaisleyPort ElginRipleySauble Beach, SouthamptonTara, Teeswater, TobermoryWalkerton and
Wiarton.

Have questions or require more information?