Prince Edward Island — Tourism Innovation Fund

Insider Tip

Settle the eligibility question by phone before you write a word. Tourism PEI's page lists two eligible applicant descriptions — 'a non-profit developing tourism events' and 'a non-profit theatre (minimum of 150 seats)' — in a plain bulleted list, and its industry site renders the same two joined by 'and'. Nobody should build an application without knowing whether those are alternatives or a combined requirement, so ask Robert Jourdain (902-288-1708). Two other things shape a winning application: the fund invests on a declining scale, so show a revenue path that needs less of Tourism PEI each year rather than more; and if you are proposing a festival or event, off-Island visitation with a stated tracking method is the number the committee is looking for. There is no online portal — this is a PDF form returned to a named manager, which means a conversation first is normal and expected.

Rejection Pitfalls 8

• Applicant is a for-profit or private-sector tourism operator rather than a non-profit
• The request covers ongoing marketing, operations or staffing rather than a new product
• The product is an existing offering rather than a new cultural tourism product

Success Profile

A PEI non-profit — a tourism-event developer or a non-profit theatre with at least 150 seats — launching a genuinely new cultural tourism product that maps onto a priority in the provincial tourism strategy, backed by visitor research and an ROI analysis, with private-sector sponsors and community partners already committed, and a plan that grows non-government revenue year over year so it can survive Tourism PEI's declining-scale funding.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are judged against nine published considerations: how the project supports the objectives of the tourism strategy; how it supports further development of PEI's primary market tourism products as identified by government and industry; for major festivals and events, the new event's potential to attract significant off-Island visitation (with estimates of off-Island and on-Island visitation and tracking methods); whether it extends visitor length of stay, especially in non-peak periods; whether research and a return-on-investment analysis justify public sector support; whether the concept development plan is designed for incremental growth with a focus on growing event-based revenue outside government (investments are made on a declining scale); whether a detailed financial plan shows private-sector and community support, incremental sustainability and benefit to PEI's tourism industry; whether community tourism partners — both non-profit and private sector — are involved through sponsorship, donations and volunteerism; and the proposed method of project evaluation.

Application Steps

Required Documents 7

Eligible Expenses 4

• Research toward a new cultural tourism product
• Development of a new cultural tourism product
• Market launch of a new cultural tourism product
• Start-up costs of a newly developed cultural tourism product

Ineligible Expenses 3

• Ongoing marketing needs of the organization
• Ongoing operational needs of the organization
• Staffing

Intake Periods

No intake window is published. Applications are made by completing the Tourism PEI Innovation Fund form and returning it to the program contact, and Tourism PEI's funding-programs page states only that deadlines vary across its funds. Contact the program manager to confirm current availability before applying.

Deadline Notes

Tourism PEI publishes no application deadline, intake window or closing date for this fund. You apply by completing the Tourism PEI Innovation Fund form and returning it to the program contact, so timing is set by your own project schedule rather than by a posted date. Tourism PEI's funding-programs page notes that deadlines vary across its six funds — confirm the current position with Robert Jourdain ([email protected], 902-288-1708) before you build a timeline around it.

Ineligible Organizations

• For-profit and private-sector tourism operators — both eligible applicant descriptions Tourism PEI publishes are non-profit
• Individuals and unincorporated groups without non-profit status
• Organizations seeking support for an existing product's ongoing operation rather than a new cultural tourism product

Stacking partner data not yet available.

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

No repayment, recovery or clawback terms are published for this fund. Tourism PEI does state across its funding programs that a final report including a financial statement and activity report must be submitted in support of all claims, so payment is tied to substantiated claims.