Virginia Tourism Corporation Announces Grant Funding for Fluvanna Tourism

The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) has announced its support for Fluvanna County’s tourism initiatives by awarding $22,000 in grant funding for 2024. This investment aims to boost local visitation and promote key attractions and events within the county.

The “Fall in Love with Fluvanna” campaign has been awarded $13,000 through VTC's Marketing Leverage Grant program. The funds from this matching grant program will be used to develop marketing assets and targeted advertising designed to attract visitors to events such as the Art Studio Tour on October 19 and 20. Additionally, the Fluvanna County Fair Board received $9,000 in matching grant funds from the Special Events and Festivals category, which will be used to create a dedicated website and promote the annual event, now branded as “Virginia’s Biggest Small-Town Fair.”

Jennifer Schmack, Director of Economic Development for Fluvanna County, emphasized the importance of tourism in the region. “Tourism is a critical element of economic development in a rural community. Drawing new visitors to enjoy the attractions of our community is the most efficient way to help sustain our businesses and expand the tax base. This grant funding will play a major role in seeding the future of our tourism efforts.”

The “Fall in Love with Fluvanna” initiative will build on the success of the 2023 "Find Fluvanna" campaign, the county’s first comprehensive tourism marketing effort. The 2023 campaign established the brand and initial tourism website, highlighting the community's key attractions: Outdoor Activities, Arts, History, and Agribusiness. The new campaign will leverage these resources, utilizing both earned and paid media through VTC channels, to attract first-time visitors who will hopefully become repeat guests.

Dorazio Communications, recently selected as the Creative Marketing and Design firm for Fluvanna County’s Economic Development Department, developed both successful grant applications. “Clearly, with these two awards, Virginia Tourism has shown its belief in Fluvanna County as a destination,” said Greg Dorazio. “This funding will help some of our key attractions and efforts take things to the next level– for this year, and years to come.”

The “Fall in Love with Fluvanna” campaign is being led by the Fluvanna County Economic Development Department in partnership with Arts of Fluvanna and the Fluvanna County Fair Board.