State Awards Outdoor Marketing Grants to 41 Organizations
63% of marketing grants awarded to rural communities
Media Contact: Donna Stumpf
Donna.Stumpf@edd.nm.gov
505-819-1495
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 4, 2024
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham
Acting Cabinet Secretary Mark Roper
Director Karina Armijo
New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division Awards $873,872 in Outdoor Marketing Grants
Division’s inaugural grant will assist 41 organizations market equitable events and programs
SANTA FE, N.M. – The Outdoor Recreation Division (ORD) of the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD) has awarded 41 recipients the first-ever Outdoor Marketing Grant (OMG) to support recreation initiatives and expand the reach of live events in 17 counties.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham created the Outdoor Recreation Division in 2019 and identified outdoor recreation as a key target sector to diversify the economy. ORD has since invested over $18 million to fund outdoor access through the Outdoor Recreation Trails+, Outdoor Equity Fund, and Outdoor Marketing Grant programs.
“This innovative grant program represents a new collaboration between the Outdoor Recreation Division and the Department of Tourism to support programs and amplify events,” EDD Acting Cabinet Secretary Mark Roper said. “Of the 41 grantees, 26 are in rural communities where building the outdoor economy is vital to creating jobs and diversifying the economy.”
OMG applicants were encouraged to request funds to increase their outdoor marketing initiatives or apply for event sponsorships. Grant dollars will make it possible for awardees to extensively expand the reach of their marketing efforts through new and amplified channels. ORD is honored to partner with the awardees as their work aligns with the division’s mission of increasing equitable access to the outdoors for all New Mexicans, ensuring healthy outcomes, environmental stewardship, and economic prosperity.
The one-time funding source for the program was part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act in partnership with the New Mexico Tourism Department.
“ORD is proud to support diverse outdoor recreation events through the OMG program. The much-needed funding will lead to individuals strengthening their connections to the outdoors and families continuing to build traditions of being outside together,” ORD Director Karina Armijo said. “From single-to multi-day events and long-lasting marketing tools, such as printed guides and informative websites, all funded efforts lead to healthy outcomes that fuel our outdoor recreation economy.”
The 41 grantees will receive $873,872, while their organizations will bring in an additional $1,181,080 in matching funds. Over 63% of OMG recipients are based in rural areas in 17 counties throughout the state. Grant awards ranged from $10,000 to $30,000. Funds will support 10 events and 31 comprehensive marketing efforts for New Mexico nonprofits, counties, and municipalities.
“Grant County’s marketing effort will focus on encouraging residents and attracting tourists to enjoy the Gila National Forest. Given the Gila’s 3.3+ million acres, the marketing campaign is aimed at expanding promotions of outdoor recreational opportunities in the region,” Grant County Manager Charlene Webb said. “With more than 40 campgrounds and 1,927 miles of trails and roads throughout the forest, there are countless opportunities to enjoy the beautiful year-round mild seasons of the great southwest; therefore, this marketing campaign is called ‘Escape to the Gila.’”
Events supported include Tour of the Gila, a five-day world-class road race, hosted by the Gila Community and Tourism Development. The event has grown to iconic status within the sport by offering an American stage race with qualities similar to European races. Locals and travelers interact with the sport's top names, while participants develop a deep connection to the Silver City area due to their experience on two wheels. Families, friends, and teammates also make the trip to Silver City to support the racers during the remote stages, adding to the economic impact of Tour of the Gila.
Also awarded, Trout Unlimited’s grant funds focus on targeting new and diverse audiences across the state that are under-represented in the fly-fishing sport, such as women, youth, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities. Their free family-friendly events seek to increase awareness and build a more equitable recreation community around fly fishing.
Other events receiving OMG support include Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation’s Day of the Tread, Continental Divide Trail (CDT) Coalition’s CDT Trail Days/Gila Earth Day celebrations, Glorieta Camps with Zia Rides’ GloriDays Mountain Bike Festival, Grants Mainstreet Project’s Continental Divide Trail Days, Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area’s Los Luceros Balloon Invitational, Presbyterian Ear Institute’s Run to Break the Silence, Santa Fe Century Committee’s weekend gravel and road biking events, and the Village of Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Up & Over Trail Run Weekend.
Grant-funded marketing efforts are equally diverse and include plans to create print and digital advertisements, radio and television ads, redesigned websites with captivating images, trail maps and online guides, videos, and interpretive signage, all with an underlying focus on championing the transformative power of nature on health, tourism, and economic development by encouraging and promoting outdoor experiences that are open to all.
Since notification, awardees have expressed their appreciation for the grant funding that will elevate participation levels in their events and increase awareness and access to outdoor recreation opportunities in their communities.
"Through the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division funding, the Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce will spread the word, far and wide, about the various outdoor activities and planned outdoor events that Cloudcroft…