Sports Grant Application

Alabama's Beaches Sports & Events is a division of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. As such, it is our mission to market coastal Alabama as a sports and events destination, thus enhancing the quality of life in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan. Sporting events considered for grant funding include amateur, collegiate, and professional athletic events. These events must be planned, presented and played in Gulf Shores and/or Orange Beach, AL. When awarding grants, AB Sports & Events places emphasis on confirmed room nights, media/TV coverage, and other marketing or sponsorship opportunities. The following criteria must be met in order to qualify for any grants (both financial and in-kind):

1. All housing listed and/or promoted for the event must be located within Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and/or Fort Morgan
2. Hotel/condominium room nights must be confirmed with the return of:
3. Room forms (electronic or hard copy)
4. Survey sheet conducted by AB Sports & Events staff during event
5. Confirmation by AB Sports & Events of room nights from a minimum of 85% of participants
6. Room night information submitted/received within 30 days post-event
7. Recognition of AB Sports & Events must be included where appropriate on all printed materials, the organization’s website, official program and referred to in all public relations activities for the event
8. Grant application and W-9 must be completed, signed and returned to AB Sports & Events no later than 45 days prior to event start date
9. Minimum of 100 room nights required to qualify for cash grants

Applications are reviewed and approved by Alabama's Beaches Sports & Events and its Advisory Council and/or submitted for consideration for the following year’s budget. Please note that if the event is partnered solely with one area business (i.e. one accommodation provider or one restaurant), and AB Sports & Events does not have the opportunity to promote its annual sponsors, AB Sports & Events may be unable to provide any financial or in-kind grants. If the event is soliciting sponsorships, ad program sales, signage, or other funding from area businesses, it could minimize the amount of grant assistance AB Sports & Events can provide.

All financial grants will be awarded after the event and upon confirmation of the above requirements. In-kind grants will be awarded based on the previous year’s event room night history and fulfillment of obligations by the event planner.

If funding is provided to the event by Alabama's Beaches Sports & Events, the event planner must only promote accommodations in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach lodging district

Alabama's Beaches Sports & Events is able to provide grants to events because of our annual sponsors. AB Sports & Events requests representation at each event through signage, tables, etc. AB Sports & Events will occasionally pass these opportunities on to our sponsors, allowing them recognition at such events.

All grants are reviewed, scored and approved prior to the event on a point-based system but are awarded on a performance basis. Grant approval and grant funding may not equal the same amount.

At all events sponsored by Alabama's Beaches Sports & Events either by in-kind contributions or cash-only, event-specific sponsors or AB Sports & Events sponsors may be promoted or be present on site. Bringing outside sponsors to the event or promoting within the event could reduce AB Sports & Event’s sponsorship of the event.

Grant funding will be awarded once the event is complete, room night forms have been verified, room forms have been returned, and a W-9 form is on file.