Indiana Dunes Tourism recently awarded a grant to a Porter County organization working to attract visitors from outside Northwest Indiana.
The grants will help fund projects, marketing efforts and events aimed at attracting new and repeat visitors to Porter County.
The 2024 grant recipients are:
219 TaproomChesterton Branding and Leadership Corp.Dig the Dunes LLCDuneland Bike-n-Bar LLCEwalt Jahnz Porter County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #165 Inc.Humane IndianaIndiana Audubon SocietyIzaak Walton League of America’s Porter County ChapterLe Tour de Shore LLCLeons HeroesNorthwest Indiana Junior Golf AssociationNorthwest Indiana Paddling AssociationPortage ParksPorter County AgingCommunity Services and The Market on 12
“Each year we are thrilled to see our community organizations working tirelessly to improve the Indiana Dunes region,” Dustin Riccia, production director and grants administrator for Indiana Dunes Tourism, said in a press release.
Porter County for-profit, non-profit and governmental organizations (including cities and towns) were eligible to apply for funding for projects such as:
Community Development: Eligible projects include the creation or improvement of amenities, attractions, facilities and experiences within Porter County that attract visitors from outside the county and improve the quality of life for residents. Events: Eligible events include festivals, special events, conventions and tournaments in Porter County that attract participants from outside Northwest Indiana. Marketing: Targeted marketing of events or projects aimed at audiences outside Porter County.
“That’s what tourism is about,” says Scott Taft, executive director of the Indiana Dunes Tourism Board, “to improve this place we call home. Our job is to help tourists understand the value of this destination and to help locals understand the value tourism brings to themselves, their businesses and their community.”
More information about the 2025 grant program can be found here.
Indiana Dunes Tourism is based in Porter. The organization handles tourism marketing, planning and development for the Indiana Dunes Region/Porter County. It was founded in 1984 with the decline of the steel industry to diversify the local economy by creating other industries, such as tourism.
