Explanation
Background: To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement with the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitor’s Bureau dba Experience Columbus, to provide funding to support minority businesses through the Minority Owned Business Sponsorship Program. Approval is also requested for reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to execution of the purchase order, starting June 1, 2024.
Experience Columbus is an accredited leading force in creating and revealing the best of the Columbus experience to the world. Experience Columbus' mission is to sell, market and promote the Destination Columbus experience to visitors. Experience Columbus seeks to rectify the disparity faced by small, minority businesses in attaining visibility in the marketplace, by launching a program to provide access to marketing resources, exposure to the community through visitor and local awareness, and networking opportunities to help these businesses continue to thrive.
Many small minority owned businesses have financial and marketing barriers that are hindering them from being able to market themselves to the public. Experience Columbus is launching a program to provide access to marketing resources, exposure to the community through visitor and local awareness, and networking opportunities to help these businesses continue to thrive.
This program will help support up to 100 small, minority owned businesses through Experience Columbus partnerships and the scaling of marketing campaigns to expose these businesses to the community. The program plans to achieve increased visibility in the community, generate profits by promoting sales through social media and seasonal gift guides, and other potential opportunities for increased marketing. This program will build and foster connections between the selected minority businesses and other local businesses across industries.
Fiscal Impact: This legislation authorizes the total expenditure of...
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