Capital Construction Grants
Background
The Fargo-Moorhead Convention & Visitors Bureau (Visit Fargo-Moorhead) Board of Directors manages a Capital Grant Program, funded by one-third (1 penny on the dollar) of the lodging tax levied in Fargo and West Fargo. The entire three percent lodging tax from Moorhead goes to our operating budget, but Moorhead entities can apply for grants.
The FM CVB Board of Directors will consider grant requests for projects involving capital construction costs that will have a demonstrable and positive effect on the community’s economy. The projects must be in an area directly related to tourism that also contributes to enhancing our community’s livability and sense of place, as well as enhancing the visitor experience.
Who can apply?
In general, the guiding philosophy of this grant program is to assist projects that:
-
Seek to create new economic benefits in the community through hotel room nights and other economic benefits of inbound travel.
-
Seek to address needs that are currently being unmet.
-
Seek to create facilities that do not currently exist in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo.
Groups applying must be legally incorporated non-profit organizations. No individual may be awarded grants.
Applicants and organizations that have NOT been awarded a grant in the past 12 months.
Grant Criteria
All requests must meet the following criteria:
-
All requests must be for capital construction related to tourism. Capital construction costs are defined as the purchase, equipping, maintenance, construction, repair, or acquisition of buildings or property consistent with a visitor attraction. Debt refinancing, previously incurred expenses, and general operating expenses are not eligible for grant requests.
-
Funds requested may not constitute more than 25% of a project’s total cost.
-
Projects will be considered based on their potential to affect the local tourism industry. That is their potential to attract and/or retain visitors that would contribute to the lodging tax collection and events in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo. Groups requesting funds will be asked to demonstrate the potential effect on tourism.
-
The FM CVB Board of Directors reserves the right to approve or reject requests and to request further clarification of the project from the requesting group.
-
The FM CVB Board of Directors may stipulate that funds awarded be used for a portion of the project that it deems vital to the facility’s ability to increase tourism. Reallocation of funding for purposes other than those stipulated by the FM CVB Board of Directors will require prior written approval of the President/CEO. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of remaining payments and/or reimbursement of previous payments back to the FM CVB.
-
Grant requests must be submitted online through the FM CVB website.
-
The FM CVB President/CEO will decide, as they deem appropriate, the meeting at which the Board will hear individual requests and may, at their discretion, ask for the requesting group’s representatives to appear to elaborate on their request and answer any questions that the FM CVB Board of Directors may have.
Grant Application Windows:
The FM CVB will take applications for quarterly review. Open application dates include the following for 2026:
-
January 1-March 31, 2026, for Q2 2026 consideration
-
July 1-31, 2026, for Q3 2026 consideration
-
September 1-30, 2026, for Q4 2026 consideration
-
December 1-31, 202,6 for Q1 2027 consideration
Upon Approval of Grant
Recipients of awards consent to the following:
-
Recognition commensurate with the award amount (naming rights, sponsorship benefits dependent on available assets, or signage) is required and must be approved by the FM CVB. The Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo community must be aware of the FM CVB’s contribution to improving its tourism-generating facilities.
-
Language on signage during construction acknowledging FM CVB’s contribution. Sample language: “This project was made possible in part by a grant from Visit Fargo-Moorhead”
-
-
The FM CVB Board of Directors may choose to make payments over a several-year schedule at its sole discretion.
-
Facility will be made available to the FM CVB at no cost for the number of events (as highlighted by the table at the end of this section) based upon grant dollars awarded with the following conditions:
-
If the FM CVB requests dates for an event more than 12 months in advance, the facility will be made available for use & no rent will be charged, and equipment owned by the facility may be used at no cost.
-
Ancillary costs such as labor, rented equipment, and hospitality may be charged for the event. The FM CVB reserves the right to request copies of invoices for these costs.
-
Standard cost shares normally charged to events (merchandise, concessions, and credit card fees) may remain in effect.
-
Additional benefits that are mutually agreed upon that may be exclusive to the program (e.g., tickets to events)
-
-
No later than January 31 of each calendar year after the project’s completion for a term of three (3) years, the grant recipient is required to provide FM CVB staff with a detailed report of all events that took place within the facility and/or estimated attendance. If the event results in no overnight hotel stay or very few trackable stays, the recipient must document its efforts to promote overnight hotel stays.
| Amount of Awarded Grant | Number of Events |
| $100,000 or less | Up to two (2) events within five (5) years of the facility’s opening date or completion date of renovation |
| Greater than $100,000 up to $500,000 | Up to six (6) events within five (5) years of the facility’s opening date or completion date of renovation |
| Greater than $500,000 | Up to ten (10) events within ten (10) years of the facility’s opening date or completion date of renovation |