Tribal Tourism Grants

Eligible organizations must submit a concise application letter to the Department of Commerce. Tribal governments should include a detailed plan for using grant funds to promote and enhance tourism opportunities within their tribal nation. The application must also include details on   which success metrics they will use for the proposed project and proof of the required match.

Applications shall identify the applicant, point of contact and associated contact information, amount requested, intended uses for the funds requested.

Applications shall be submitted electronically by 5:00 p.m. CDT, June 1, 2026, to the Grant Administrator of the Department of Commerce’s Tourism & Marketing division: 

McKenzie Clayburgh
clayburghmckenzie@nd.gov      

The Department of Commerce will evaluate applications submitted to the Tribal Tourism Grants. Upon completion of the review process, the Department of Commerce shall notify applicants of funding decisions and issue award funds to successful applicants.  

Grantee will submit invoices for work within the project scope which will be reimbursed at 50% to ensure the 1:1 tribal government match has been secured. Matching funds must be secured from non-state sources.  

Successful applicants must track all expenditures of award funds and retain documentation that is readily accessible for auditing purposes.  Successful applicants must fulfill reporting requirements by providing a written report to the Department of Commerce, every 6 months, to fulfill legislative reporting requirements (format provided by the Department of Commerce).  

Successful applicants must submit a written report using the provided format to the Department of Commerce by June 30, 2027, that summarizes how award funds were spent and describing progress toward the desired outcomes identified in their respective applications. The written reports shall also identify any unspent award funds and provide any photos, videos, visitation statistic assets documenting the results of the grant, and the success measurements as referenced above. The report shall be submitted to the Grants Administrator of the Department of Commerce’s Tourism & Marketing Division.  

The Tribal Tourism Grant is intended to promote and enhance tourism opportunities that attract non-residents to the region. Applicants must include a detailed plan outlining how the funds will be used to support and grow tourism within their tribal nation. The application must also include a strategy for measuring the success of the proposed project.