Nearly 160 New Mexico non-profit organizations and local and tribal governments will share in the more than $1 million awarded this fiscal year through the New Mexico Tourism Department’s annual Cooperative Marketing Program.

Cooperative marketing funds are made available through the program to help these community outreach organizations promote their area as a visitor destination. It is a matching program and reimburses a percentage (either 33 percent or 50 percent, depending on the applicant’s total marketing budget) of the organization’s direct costs associated with the placement of advertising, including print, broadcast, billboard and online advertising. Eligible costs also include the printing of promotional brochures, web site development, trade show participation and costs associated with public relations.

“The communities that market the State of New Mexico have the knowledge and experience that we on the state level need to acknowledge and encourage,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the Tourism Department. “The cooperative marketing program is an effective way of partnering with the people that have put together solid marketing programs to help them increase tourism in their area in particular and to the state overall.”

Funding was based on the proposal’s score and available monies, and was reviewed by a committee of marketing professionals from the public and private sectors. A list of the organizations awarded funding for fiscal year 2006-2007 is below.

Applications received numbered 161, with a combined request of nearly $2.8 million. Organizations funded totaled 157 ($1,031,950 was awarded), including 51 organizations that did not apply last year.

“As the program continues to grow and mature, we want to make sure we are paying particular attention to the rural communities of New Mexico,” Secretary Cerletti added.

The deadline for receipt of proposals in the FY08 (2007/2008) Cooperative Marketing Grant Program was May 15, 2007.

Click here to see the NMTD`s 2007 - 2008 Awarded Entities