Destination Door County has launched the Community Investment Fund which will use dollars generated by visitors to improve the quality of life for those who live and work in Door County.

Central to the work of Destination Door County is an effort to ensure that every visitor has an enjoyable experience. While Door County is a naturally welcoming community, DDC’s primary reason for ensuring visitors enjoy their experience in Door County is because it benefits our residents. When people visit Door County, they spend money here – creating jobs for our families, generating incremental tax dollars, providing us economic opportunities, and supporting the amenities that enhance the quality of life for those of us lucky enough to call Door County home. We use tourism to build a better life for the residents of Door County.
The Community Investment Fund, created in partnership with the Door County Community Foundation, is a natural evolution of Destination Door County’s work. Using a portion of the room tax dollars paid by visitors, the Community Investment Fund will offer grants to projects that improve the quality of life for those who live and work in Door County. It’s yet another example that tourism makes life better for Door County residents.

Wisconsin State Statutes require that we use room tax dollars in ways that benefit visitors, so that must be a requirement of any application to the Community Investment Fund. However, to earn a grant from the Community Investment Fund a project must also demonstrate how it will meaningfully improve the quality of life for residents of Door County.
Grant awards will vary greatly, ranging from just a few thousand dollars to potentially into the hundreds of thousands. We anticipate that the average grant will be about $100,000, but more modest requests are welcome and encouraged. Qualified applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities, 501(c)(6) organizations, and units of government.
Given that the Community Investment Fund must comply with complex Wisconsin State Statute rules regarding the use of room tax dollars, we strongly encourage applicants to reach out to the Community Foundation for an informal assessment of their idea prior to the submission of a formal application. Email grants@givedoorcounty.org or call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 to schedule an appointment.
Community Investment Fund Grant Guidelines
The specific priorities of the Community Investment Fund are:
- Creative ideas that have a meaningful impact on the people who live and work in Door County
- Impact crosses municipal boundaries
- Encourages collaboration
- Leverages additional resources
- Residents experience the positive impact of tourism
The more of these priorities that are addressed by an application, the more likely it is that a project will receive a grant.
Each organization is limited to one application per Grant Cycle. However, organizations may submit applications in successive Grant Cycles or to the other granting programs of the Community Foundation that might be open at the same time.
Application
Please complete the Community Foundation’s Common Grant Application and the Community Investment Fund Addendum A and submit both via email to applications@givedoorcounty.org.
The Chief Executive of your organization must review the entire Application Packet and sign the Application Form accordingly. This is an important step in the process as on occasion we have received applications that were submitted without the knowledge of the charity’s senior management. To protect your organization and ours, we now require that your Chief Executive review your Application Packet before we will consider it.
For purposes of this application, the “Chief Executive” is generally the highest-ranking paid staff person in your organization. In many charities, it is the Executive Director or President & CEO. For schools, the Superintendent must sign the Application Form. For units of government, the highest-ranking official such as a Mayor or Village Administrator must sign.
For an all-volunteer organization, the Board President should sign the Application Form.
We will accept the typed name and email address of the Chief Executive typed on the Application Form as an “electronic signature” if the Application Packet is submitted by email. However, please note that if it is not an original signature, we may contact the Chief Executive listed on the form to confirm their electronic signature.
Application Deadlines
Community Investment Fund applications are accepted multiple times a year as follows:
Spring Sustainability Grant Cycle
Applications Due: 1st Thursday of April at 4:00 p.m.
Summer Sustainability Grant Cycle
Applications Due: 1st Thursday of July at 4:00 p.m.
Fall Sustainability Grant Cycle
Applications Due: 1st Thursday of October at 4:00 p.m.
Winter Sustainability Grant Cycle
Applications Due: 1st Thursday of January at 4:00 p.m.
Please provide your contact information if you would like to receive emails announcing when applications become available for the various grant programs of the Community Foundation.
Submit your completed Common Grant Application and Community Investment Fund Addendum A via email to applications@givedoorcounty.org.
On occasion, our spam filters inadvertently screen out emails from some charities. You should receive an email within 3 business days of our receipt of your application confirming its receipt. If you do not receive this confirmation, please call (920) 746-1786 to confirm that we received your application materials.
Given that the Community Investment Fund must comply with complex Wisconsin State Statute rules regarding the use of room tax dollars, we strongly encourage applicants to reach out to the Community Foundation for an informal assessment of their idea prior to the submission of a formal application. Email grants@givedoorcounty.org or call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 to schedule an appointment.
