REQUEST FOR RESPONSES (RFR) GUIDELINES AND APPLICATION INFORMATION
RFR RELEASE DATE
April 22, 2025
ONLINE APPLICATION DEADLINE
Monday, June 2, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.
Online applications only via https://mott.submittable.com/submit.
Hard copies or electronic copies will not be considered.
Applications must include all required documentation by the deadline.
An informational webinar will be held on May 7, 2025 at 1:00p.m. via Zoom. Advanced registration is required. Please go to https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v0iK5-QWTDirmo0zHR1v6A to register.
QUESTIONS
Kate Fox
MOTT Executive Director
Phyllis M. Cahaly
Director of Partnership Marketing
The deadline for submitting grant questions is Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 3:00 p.m.
The deadline for submitting technical application questions is Friday, May 30, 2025 at noon.
Please submit any technical questions regarding Submittable to webmanager.mott@mass.gov
OVERVIEW:
Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 23A, Sections 13T & 14, The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) has established a program for financial assistance to public or nonprofit agencies to achieve the public purpose of promoting or providing services for tourism, convention, travel, and recreation in the Commonwealth.
The Fiscal Year (“FY”) 26 Regional Tourism Council (RTC) Grant Program projected funding level is approximately $8 million and based on appropriation; the projected funding level is subject to change based on final FY25 Gaming Revenue collections and this RFR may be updated accordingly. The amount of financial assistance (“Grant”) awarded to each Recipient will be based on the Review Criteria and Award Process detailed below and communicated by Award Letter following review.
SCOPE OF PERFORMANCE
Recipients will perform according to the approved Marketing Plan submitted in response to this RFR. Marketing Plans should outline programming and activities that promote local economic development, with an emphasis on return on investment for the Commonwealth. Marketing Plans should address:
- Attracting, servicing and promoting visitors traveling to RTC’s Designated Service Area. Note: Visitors are defined as one who travels 50 or more miles one way from his/her home and/or travels any distance and stays overnight in a paid accommodation.
- Managing and distributing the influx of visitors
- Promotional programs and projects that encourage and stimulate tourist, convention, visitor and vacation business
Target markets may include, but not be limited to, domestic and international leisure travelers, meetings and conferences, sports-related travel, group travel, and incentive travel.
Additional requirements are listed in the Review Criteria below and may be further detailed in resulting Grant Agreements.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY
Potential Recipients of the Grant are limited to the eligible Regional Tourism Councils (RTC) identified in M.G.L. Chapter 23A, Section 14, representing the following designated service areas: Greater Boston, North of Boston, Greater Merrimack Valley, Bristol County, Plymouth County, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket Island, MetroWest, Johnny Appleseed Trail, Central Massachusetts, Greater Springfield, Hampshire County, Franklin County, The Berkshires, and Mohawk Trail, and to any other public or nonprofit agency which fulfills the following requirements:
- In operation for two consecutive years prior to applying for this grant.
- Spends $15,000 in its fiscal year on tourism or a public or nonprofit agency which has a total budget larger than the average of Massachusetts tourist promotion agencies as estimated by the executive director of tourism and which spends twenty-five percent of said budget on tourism.
- Can meet the 1:1 matching funds requirement for the FY26 Regional Tourism Council Grants.
REVIEW CRITERIA
Eligible applicant grant applications will be judged based on the following criteria.
Economic Impact 40%
- State Rooms Tax Collections FY24: Evaluates contribution of region to statewide economic impact. (Source: MA DOR) (20%)
- Regional share of direct spending by all domestic travelers (CY2023): Evaluates contribution of region to statewide economic impact (Source: Dean Runyan Associates Economic Impact Study) (20%)
Regional Commitment 20%
- Proportion of FY25 private sector funds exceeding one-to-one match requirement: Evaluates region’s private-sector commitment to tourism marketing and services (Source: RTC Grant Year-End Report) (10%)
- FY25 non-governmental source funds meeting one-to-one match requirement: Evaluates region’s private-sector commitment to tourism and marketing services (Source: RTC Grant Year-End Report) (10%)
Marketing Strategy 40%
- FY26 Marketing Strategy Evaluation: Evaluates effective planning and implementation of tourism programs and integration with statewide marketing efforts. This includes the marketing presentation and a review of FY25 marketing strategies. (Source: RTC Marketing Plan) (40%)
APPLICATION PROCESS:
The application portal opens on April 22, 2025 via Submittable. In order to apply, the applicant must create or maintain an account on Submittable.com. A completed application package must include all required fields and attach a list of your organization’s governing board, campaign creative samples from FY25, and a completed excel spreadsheet using the template provided.
Applications are due via Submittable on June 2, 2025.
An informational webinar will be held on May 7, 2025 at 1:00p.m. via Zoom. Advanced registration is required. Please go to https://zoom.us/meeting/register/v0iK5-QWTDirmo0zHR1v6A to register.
Grant questions are due to MOTT by May 28, 2025 at 3:00p.m., and applicants with technical submission questions must be in touch with MOTT by May 30, 2025 at noon. Please submit any technical questions regarding Submittable to webmanager.mott@mass.gov.
MOTT staff will schedule marketing plan presentations during the month of June, either in-person or virtually. Following the completion of these presentations, a team of MOTT staff will evaluate the eligible applications according to the Review Criteria, and MOTT anticipates awards notifications to follow in July.
AWARD PROCESS
Once the FY25 Gaming Revenue is confirmed, the total FY26 pool of funding for this grant program will be finalized.
Next, any legislatively mandated allocations and collaborative research program costs are deducted.
Note: To ensure that MOTT adheres to professional standards of economic impact analysis and performance tracking/monitoring, the Recipients are required to participate in a collaborative research program that ensures accurate regional data that allows comparable and directional data, extends state level data to regional levels, and establishes a mechanism for exchanging ideas and best practices for centralizing data collection and disbursement. Research includes lodging data by region and other geographic regions on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis.
Finally, the balance of the budget appropriation is divided into Grant Awards among the successful eligible applicants according to the Review Criteria.
Grant Awards will be communicated by Award Letter and Grant Agreements distributed via the online portal Submittable. Grant awards will also be posted to COMMBUYS.
FY26 Grant Awards will be disbursed based on appropriations, in accordance with legislative requirements and Office of the Comptroller regulations. Grant funds will not be disbursed until the completion and execution of all required documents, including the grant agreement (including scope and budget sections) and the regional tourism council contract.
This payment option has been selected for this grant program as the most efficient and cost-effective distribution method in light of the relatively known pool of applicants, sophistication of applicants, past performance of applicants and joint desire to support the continuity of any approved tourism programs spanning multiple fiscal years.
MOTT will recoup any Grant Funds that cannot be supported by documentation of expenditure on eligible costs. MOTT will recoup any Grant Funds that are not met with corresponding Matching Funds at the end of FY26 and before August 31, 2026.
ELIGIBLE COSTS AND FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
Matching
1:1 Matching Funds are required for the Regional Tourism Council Grant Program and must be expended according to the approved Marketing Plan and Budget within the fiscal year. Matching Funds must be expended on eligible programs costs. Like Grant Funds, Matching Funds cannot be expended for travel, entertainment, equipment, or any other ineligible cost. Costs related to trade shows for travel and tourism programming that fall outside these categories (i.e. registration fees, admission fees, table fees or other exhibiting expenses) are eligible program costs.
Any funds exceeding the 1:1 match may be carried over as matched funding into the next fiscal year if not expended in the current fiscal year. If the RTC does not meet the 1:1 Matching Funds obligation during the grant period, the RTC must contact MOTT and return the unmatched Grant Funds to MOTT not later than August 31, 2026.
Funds raised and distributed through a Tourism Destination Marketing District (“TDMD”) Fund are ineligible and cannot be applied as matching funds. TDMD funds and funds from other non-governmental sources (not Grant Funds and not Matching Funds) may be eligible for use in any way consistent with an RTC’s mission and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and this may include travel, entertainment or equipment.
Eligible Costs
Eligible costs are limited to the projects and activities in the approved Marketing Plan and budget. Eligible salaries and administrative/overhead costs are limited. Eligible costs requirements apply to the Grant Funds awarded, the required Matching Funds, and interest generated by the Grant Funds. All grant funds must be obligated by June 30, 2026, unless an extension is requested and approved by MOTT. Extension requests must be submitted to MOTT by April 1, 2026. A statement of obligation is required regarding any funds that are obligated but not yet spent with the FY26 Year-End Report.
Salary and Administrative Costs Limits
Salaries for direct marketing salaries/benefits are capped at 20% of the Grant Funds amount and 20% of the Matching Funds amount. Direct marketing salaries paid by the Grant Funds and Matching Funds must be associated with time spent on projects and activities in the approved Marketing Plan.
Administrative/overhead costs are capped at 20% of the Grant Funds and 20% of the Matching Funds. Administrative costs include salaries/benefits of administrative personnel, office supplies, rent, utilities, maintenance, repairs, administrative services and other general overhead costs. Any personnel receiving a direct marketing salary cannot also receive an administrative salary.
The Salary and Administrative Costs Limits are an important restriction that ensures an RTC is fundraising and conducting work in the tourism sector separate from the work funded by the RTC Grant Program. Operational independence supports a demonstration of the overall effectiveness of an RTC. These Limits also mitigate risk on behalf of MOTT and the Commonwealth that any singular employee or group of employees may be disproportionately compensated.
Ineligible Costs
Grant Funds, Matching Funds, and any associated interest cannot be spent on:
- Costs incurred before the execution of a Grant Agreement unless processed through Settlement and Release at the time of contracting and initial disbursement
- Costs incurred after June 30, 2026, unless extension is timely requested in writing and approved by MOTT
- Costs incurred on travel, entertainment or meals. Note: Ineligible costs for travel and entertainment are applicable to non-employees. When contracting for travel writers or other services using RTC Grant or Matching Funds, travel arrangements or other entertainment or travel-related costs should not be paid on a contractor's behalf. Contracts prices should be for the total cost of services or written deliverables, and the price of such services or work product may reflect anticipated travel and/or entertainment costs.
- Employee bonuses and commissions
- Depreciation, equipment purchases, taxes, contributions
- Alcohol, tobacco or cannabis products
- Advertising, marketing, or promoting the use, sale, manufacture, cultivation, or distribution of tobacco or tobacco-related products including electronic nicotine delivery systems
At RTCs’ discretion, Grant and Matching Funds may be permitted for the purposes of advertising, marketing or promoting the destination of any alcohol beverage manufacturer licensed pursuant to G.L. c. 138 Section 19B, 19C, 19D and 19E for the sale of on-premise consumption of alcoholic beverages or any licensed marijuana retailer or social consumption establishment as defined in 935 CMR 500.00. RTCs must comply with any other applicable laws and requirements.
Interest-Bearing Accounts
Grant Funds received and Matching Funds allocated must be placed in an interest-bearing account separate from RTC's other funds. All interest income must be obligated by Tuesday, June 30, 2026 and expended no later than Friday, July 31, 2026. All interest income must spent on costs consistent with the Grant and Matching Funds.
Mini-Grants
Any ‘mini-grants’ which the RTC intends to issue using Grant Funds must be submitted in writing to MOTT in advance for review and must have written approval from MOTT prior to the RTC notifying the recipient. Mini-grants must follow the procedures listed in the Funding Credit and Logo Policy.
REPORTING AND REPORT REVIEWS
Mid-Year Reporting
The Mid-Year Report will consist of information from Q1 and Q2 of FY26. It will include information on all grant expenditures from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. The Mid-Year Accomplishment Report and Mid-Year Spending Report formats and exact due date will be included with Grant Agreement documents. Mid-Year Reporting includes:
- Overview (See first page of the Excel Template)
- Grant and Match Summary (See Tab 1 of Excel Template)
- Expenditure by Project (See Tab 2 of Excel Template) All receipts must be kept on file by expenditure for the annual audit. A sample of invoices will be requested as part of the Mid-Year Report Review.
- Mid-Year Narrative: Provide a brief summary of how the funds were expended and include outcomes and any quantifiable details such as: job creation, jobs retained, economic impact, return on investment, number of businesses/visitors served, and other relevant statistics. (2 pages maximum)
- Photos of your designated service area – include 12 quality high resolution photos. A total of 24 quality photos yearly are required and there must be least 6 per quarter: 6 photos due representing Q1 (July, August, September 2025), and 6 photos due representing Q2 (October, November, December 2025)
- “What’s New?” submission
Final Reporting
The Year End Report will include information on all grant expenditures for FY25 (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4). It will provide a brief summary of how all grant funds were expended and address all elements of the budget at the conclusion of the initiatives. The Final Accomplishment Report and Final Spending Report formats will be included with Grant Agreement documents. Final Reporting documents will be due no later than July 31, 2026. Final Reporting includes:
- Overview (See first page of Excel Template)
- Grant and Match Summary (See Tab 1 of Excel Template) Fill out blue columns only. Orange columns are formulated to self-populate.
- Expenditure by Project (See Tab 2 of Excel Template) All receipts must be kept on file by expenditure for the annual audit but do not need to be turned in to MOTT, unless requested.
- Final Annual Narrative: Provide a brief summary of how the funds were expended and include outcomes and any quantifiable details such as: job creation, jobs retained, economic impact, return on investment, number of businesses/visitors served, and other relevant statistics. (2 pages maximum)
- Photos of your designated service area – include 12 quality high resolution photos. A total of 24 quality photos yearly are required and there must be least 6 per quarter: 6 photos due representing Q3 (January, February, and March 2026), and 6 photos due representing Q4 (April, May, and June 2026)
- “What’s New?” submission
Reporting Reviews
MOTT will review all costs listed in the Mid-Year and Final Reports and communicate with Recipients as necessary regarding any ineligible costs.
State fiscal policy requires a minimum level of cost documentation in support of Grant and Matching Funds spent. MOTT will select a sample of transactions listed in Reports to verify documentation of eligible costs. The transactions selected will be communicated by letter to the Recipient following review of Reports. MOTT may select samples of higher risk transactions, such as higher dollar values or any employee reimbursements. Recipient will have a reasonable amount of time to collect and submit supporting cost documentation. Documentation of costs incurred can include invoices marked paid, contracts or receipts along with corresponding evidence of payment (cancelled checks or general ledger reports) and timesheets and/or payroll reports as may be applicable depending on the sample requested.
MOTT will use a Review Log to evaluate Mid-Year and Final Reports, cost documentation and any related submissions, e.g. photographs, What’s New, and any other requirements that may be detailed in the Grant Agreement. The Review Log will be kept in MOTT records. The reporting exercise and Review Log may inform future grant review deliberations and/or allocation formulas as part of prior year review.
MOTT reserves the right to request documentation in support of additional or all transactions beyond the initial sample selected and may demand repayment of Grant Funds that cannot be documented as expended on eligible costs.
Audits
A comprehensive, independent audit will be due of the RTC's FY26 expenditure of state funds received under this contract. The audit must be conducted by a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in good standing by the Massachusetts Board of Public Accountancy. The audit must verify receipts and proof of payment for all FY26 grant funds expended by the RTC were made in accordance with the contract requirements. An independent financial review is not sufficient for this requirement. The independent audit must verify that the RTC expended all the grant funds in accordance with the contract requirements as well as Chapter 23a, Section 14 and that the RTC complied with all contract provisions including 1) the source of matching funds, 2) the amount of matching funds, 3) the amount of interest generated by the Grant Funds, and 4) the expenditure of the amount of interest generated.
The audit must be received electronically by MOTT on or before 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 30, 2026. Please do not send a hard copy in the mail.
The Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) will be administering your Fiscal Year 2025 Earmark per the Fiscal Year 2025 Massachusetts State Budget. In order to initiate your contract, complete the Earmark Scope and Budget form and return it to the earmark program manager. Please be advised:
- All funding under this contract must be spent by, and all deliverables must be executed, completed and delivered by June 30, 2025.
- Any unexpended funds from this contract must be refunded by July 31, 2025 in the form of a check made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- The maximum contract obligation will not exceed the amount published in the state budget line item.
- Funds provided under this contract may not be used for the purchase of alcoholic beverages.
Reimbursement Schedule:
- 50% of the earmark will be distributed upon receipt of the signed contract.
- A second allocation of the remaining 50% will be made upon receipt of the cost reimbursement invoice and final report.
- The Cost Reimbursement Invoice and Final Report are due by June 30, 2025.
Cost Reimbursement Invoice and Final Report: In order to receive the second allotment of 50% of the earmark, you must submit a completed Cost Reimbursement Invoice (attachment B) and Final Report to the earmark program manager. The Invoice should include receipts and proof of payment for all earmark expenditures. The Final Report should provide a brief summary of how the funds were expended and address all elements of the budget at the conclusion of the initiatives. The report shall include outcomes and any quantifiable details such as: job creation, jobs retained, economic impact, return on investment, number of businesses/visitors served or trained, and other relevant statistics. The Cost Reimbursement Invoice and Final Report are due by June 30, 2025.