Skip to content

Local Support Tops $2 Million with Latest Round of Community Investment Fund Grants

February 14, 2025 – Door County, WI. Destination Door County (DDC) is excited to announce that more than $2 million has been invested in 44 different local community projects over the past 2 years through the destination organization’s Community Investment Fund grant program.

A total of $246,640 has been awarded to seven local projects as part of the latest round of grant awards, announced today. Recipients include three local municipalities, three local non-profit organizations and one Community Business Association, with project investments ranging from $10,104 to $75,000.

All awarded projects must meet specific requirements to qualify for funding. The dollars DDC uses for this program are generated from room taxes that overnight visitors to the county pay and that DDC receives as part of their agreement with the Door County Tourism Zone Commission. Wisconsin state statute dictates the use of those dollars.

Julie Gilbert, President & CEO of DDC, reflected on the program’s success: “When we first envisioned this initiative back in 2022, we hoped it would make a meaningful difference in our community. Now, with over $2 million invested, we’ve witnessed its remarkable impact—one that continues to demonstrate how tourism dollars benefit us all,” she stated.

Gilbert also noted this latest round of grant awards show the diversity in projects the program has invested in, both geographically within the county as well as the types of projects to receive financial support.

The projects that were awarded funding in the program’s eighth grant cycle include:

  • Village of Sister Bay received support to enhance the experience at the Sister Bay baseball fields by constructing an ADA-accessible bathroom with running water and changing stations, along with a sidewalk to improve mobility for individuals with limitations. Investment amount: $75,000
  • Birch Creek Music Performance Center received support to improve accessibility and safety on their campus by replacing gravel walkways with a level, paved sidewalk. Investment amount: $50,000
  • The Clearing Folk School received support to develop a natural history interpretive trail that will feature information on Door County’s native flora and fauna, geology, and conservation efforts. The trail will be open to the public daily. Investment amount: $41,000
  • Town of Forestville received support to build a trail connecting Robert Baumann Memorial Park in Maplewood to the Ahnapee State and Ice Age National Scenic Trails, a recreational route that stretches through central and southern Door County and beyond. Investment amount: $33,737
  • Town of Nasewaupee received support to enhance safety and accessibility at Haines Park Beach. Planned improvements include a new buoy system, Mobi-mat, upgraded boardwalk, and improved bathroom facilities. Investment amount: $20,059 (this project also received an additional $6,844 from other Funds at the Door County Community Foundation)
  • Open Door Bird Sanctuary received support to create a more inclusive visitor experience by constructing ADA-accessible bathrooms connected to their new People Place. Investment amount: $16,740
  • Destination Sturgeon Bay received support to increase security and allow the public to use bathrooms within their building outside of staffed business hours. Investment amount: $10,104

These seven projects join 37 local projects that previously received grant funding, bringing the total impact from DDC’s Community Investment Fund to $2,160,082 since the program began in May 2023.

The next grant application deadline is Monday, March 24, 2025, at 4 PM. Qualified applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities, 501(c)(6) organizations, and local units of government.

Destination Door County encourages any interested local non-profit organization or local municipality to schedule a meeting with the Door County Community Foundation, DDC’s Community Investment Fund administrative partner, to discuss their idea before submitting an application. Call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 or email grants@givedoorcounty.org to schedule an appointment. For details about the program and to view funding requirements along with the online application, visit CommunityInvestmentFund.org.

#########

Destination Door County is the official tourism marketing and management organization for Door County whose mission is to inspire travel that drives community enhancement while working to ensure all travelers feel welcome, preserving the county’s way of life and protecting the region’s natural resources.

 

Media contact:
Jon Jarosh
Chief Communications Officer

Destination Door County

920-818-1133 or jon@doorcounty.com