Illinois Office of Tourism Grants

Tourism Marketing Grant (Balance / Cook County)

Supports statewide and Cook County tourism marketing by providing grants to certified tourism bureaus.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Tourism Marketing Grant — 2026 is a state grant administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) through the Illinois Office of Tourism under the Local Tourism and Convention Bureau Program (CSFA 1606). It is structured as two geographic tracks with the same deadline of 18 June 2026: the statewide Balance track, open to bureaus serving regions outside Cook County, and the Cook County track, open to bureaus operating within Cook County. Both tracks fund domestic marketing campaigns by certified Illinois convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) aimed at driving visitor traffic, hotel occupancy, and travel spending within Illinois. DCEO's tourism grant portfolio has distributed approximately $4.85 million or more across more than 60 grantees in recent award cycles, and these two tracks represent the broadest-eligibility components of that portfolio.

Eligibility for both tracks is restricted to certified Illinois convention and visitors bureaus. Private companies, nonprofits outside the bureau structure, local governments, and individuals cannot apply directly. Bureaus must apply to the track that matches their geographic service area — Balance for non-Cook County service areas, Cook County for Cook County service areas. Award amounts are not published in current source materials. The 18 June 2026 deadline is shared by both tracks and falls one week after the Route 66 Centennial Grant (11 June) and three days after the International Tourism Grant (15 June), so many bureaus will be filing multiple applications across the portfolio in a compressed window.

Applications are submitted through the DCEO grants portal by 18 June 2026. Proposals should document planned domestic marketing activities — advertising, travel media, packaging partnerships, digital campaigns — projected visitor numbers, and measurable economic impact for the bureau's service region. Bureaus must confirm which geographic track applies to their service area before filing. CSFA 1606 programme requirements govern documentation standards, and bureaus should review those requirements in advance of the June deadline.