Primghar, Iowa — O’Brien County Tourism is slated to receive a grant to help sustain attractions and promote tourism in the county.
O’Brien County Economic Development Director Kiana Johnson says that the grant is for $2,500 from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) FY2017 Iowa Tourism Grant cycle. The grant has been awarded for O’Brien County Tourism’s History and Museum Best Practices and Sustainability Program 2016-2017.
Shawna Lode, manager of the Iowa Tourism Office, which is part of IEDA, reported there were 135 applications for this year’s grant cycle seeking over $485,000 in grant funding. According to Iowa Tourism Office website, www.traveliowa.com , the purpose of the grant program is to “promote tourism in Iowa by funding tourism-related marketing initiatives and meetings, events and professional development efforts that benefit both local economies around the state and the state’s economy.”
Johnson says that with this grant, O’Brien County Tourism will host a series of workshops that will be offered free of charge to individuals and groups in O’Brien County. Those who attend will be able to apply the resources gained in these workshops to help their organizations, whether they are on a library board, part of a historical society or involved with any of the other types of collecting institutions in O’Brien County. The workshops will cover five core industry topics: Mission, Vision, Governance; Management & Planning; Audience & Community Engagement; Interpretation; and Stewardship of Collections.
Johnson says that these workshops, facilitated by the Iowa Museum Association, will enable organizations to progress toward best practices, grow in capacity to serve their communities as stewards, economic engines, and tourism attractions, and help ensure their sustainability for years to come.
