Douglas County’s Community Services Committee met to preview the 2025 cycle of the Visitors Improvement Fund, announcing $5,000,000 available for grants to improve visitor attractions in the county.

The fund supports capital and operating improvements, exhibit acquisition and expansion, construction and planning for visitor attractions. Catherine Hall, assistant county administrator, told those gathered that the finance team advised the county that $5,000,000 will be available this year and that the committee expects to open applications by March 17 with a April 25 deadline at 3 p.m.

The fund distributes lodging-tax revenue generated in Douglas County. “This year our finance team is advised that $5,000,000 are available for grant awards,” Hall said. She laid out the anticipated schedule: applications open pending board approval of the application, a roughly six-week application window, committee review meetings in May, recommendations to the Board of Commissioners in June and award notices likely in July.

Todd Simon, chairman of the Visitors Improvement Fund committee, said the committee met in advance to review and refine the application. “We had robust discussion about that and landed in a really good place. So we're ready to talk about the visitor improvement funds today and will be opening for applications by March 17,” Simon said.

The county’s legal guidance for the program comes from the Nebraska Visitors Act; Hall said eligible applicants are nonprofits or publicly owned visitor attractions and pointed to the statutory purpose areas enumerated in the meeting materials. The committee uses four program categories for evaluation: countywide signature lifestyle and arts attractions, sports and national awareness, festivals, and ethnic and community diversity.

Hall summarized recent program history: since about 2009 the fund has invested more than $50,000,000 into local attractions. Last grant cycle the committee made 77 awards totaling just under $5,000,000, with individual awards ranging from about $4,000 to $300,000.

Representatives from Visit Omaha offered technical support to applicants. “We we really depend on what this committee does because you help improve the product that we sell,” said Deb Goodwin, executive director of Visit Omaha, encouraging applicants to contact Visit Omaha for help estimating out-of-town attendance and economic impact. Goodwin’s contact listed during the meeting was jgoodwin@visitOmaha.com.

Committee members and county leaders emphasized practical advice for applicants: provide clear project narratives, respond quickly if county staff request clarifying information during the short review window, and identify other funding partners when feasible. Commissioner James Cavanaugh said the fund’s multiplier effect supports jobs and local businesses as well as attractions: “It makes a difference what we do here in terms of making this the best community that it can be.”

Several current and past grantees described how awards were used. Whitney West, director of the Douglas County Historical Society, said last year’s award helped cover a roof project and that the committee found it helpful to learn the project’s total cost and that the request was a one-time capital need. Tim Lonergan, representing the parade organizers for the Cinco de Mayo celebration, described attendance ranging from about 8,000 to more than 10,000 on good days and said the grant supported event operations and local charitable donations.

The meeting closed with reminders that the draft application would be posted on Douglas County’s website after board approval and that Catherine Hall will distribute the application by email to interested parties. Committee members asked applicants to pick up printed materials at the meeting and to contact county staff or Visit Omaha for assistance.

No formal votes were taken at this informational committee hearing.