Outer Banks non-profits and towns receive $1.16 million in Tourism Impact Grant Awards

On December 2, the Dare County Tourism Board finalized awards of $1.16 million for twelve local non-profit organizations and governmental entities. The Tourism Impact Grants are for programs and services needed due to the impact of tourism. The expenditures received the unanimous consent of the Dare County Commissioners at its December meeting.

Sponsored annually by the Dare County Tourism Board, these grants may include, but are not limited to, multi-use paths, beach accesses, environmental sustainability initiatives and capital projects at cultural and historical attractions.

“Our Tourism Impact Grants are an example of how we can leverage the power of tourism to enhance the quality of life for our residents and quality of place for our visitors, helping to protect our natural environment and preserve our rich history and culture,” notes Lee Nettles, Executive Director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. “Since 1993, the Dare County Tourism Board’s restricted fund grants have supported 221 awards to 47 local non-profits and municipalities, resulting in $19.54 million for programs and services that provide a tangible and sustained benefit for our community.”

The projects that were approved as part of the 2024-25 Tourism Impact Grants funding process include:

• Replacing two public access boardwalks on Antillas Road and Gull Cry in Avon.
• Restoring the western facade of the 1874 Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.
• Printing panels to interpret various installations to celebrate Dare Arts’ 50th anniversary.
• Constructing 10 trail markers at Jockey’s Ridge State Park to serve as points of interest for guests to learn more about the park as they view different sites.
• Constructing a 5-foot-wide sidewalk to link existing sidewalk segments along Martin Street in Kill Devil Hills and support the multi-family developments where many seasonal workers are housed. In addition, the project will connect Martin Street to the existing sidewalks around Dare County Parks & Recreation, the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center and the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
• Purchasing a portable solar-powered full-matrix message board for deployment along heavily traveled roadways in Kitty Hawk.
• Adding solar-powered lighting to 12 crosswalks along NC 12 in Kitty Hawk to enhance pedestrian safety.
• Stabilizing the historic 1865 chapel ruins of the first AME Zion Church in Manteo, while enhancing the restrooms, picnic shelter and landscaping.
• Constructing 560 linear feet of sidewalk along W. Baymeadow Drive in Nags Head to establish a continuous link to the Village at Nags Head neighborhood and Nags Head Golf Links.
• Constructing a living shoreline along the Soundside Event Site and Harvey Soundside Access.
• Constructing approximately 1,100 linear feet of sidewalk internal to the North Ridge neighborhood in Nags Head, connecting W. Windjammer Road to W. Lookout Road.
• Replacing the multi-use path from 5th Avenue in Southern Shores to Hillcrest Drive with concrete to enhance pedestrian safety.

“The Tourism Impact Grant we received will support our efforts to create a new educational trail at Jockey’s Ridge State Park – the Ten Points of Interest Trail – enhancing the experience for more than one million park visitors each year,” says Colette Walker, Executive Director at Friends of Jockey’s Ridge. “Creating a new trail with interactive components and a curriculum guide will allow children and adults to gain more in-depth knowledge of the unique ecosystems and history of our 427 acres as we approach the 50th anniversary of the park in 2025 and beyond.”

The Town of Nags Head was the recipient of three Tourism Impact Grants, with projects ranging from sidewalk construction and improved pedestrian safety to shoreline protection. “These grants will help to enhance mobility and safety, protect our natural environment and support the well-being of our citizens, property owners and visitors into the future,” states Andy Garman, Manager for the Town of Nags Head.

About Dare County Tourism Board Grants

The Dare County Tourism Board sponsors several grant opportunities each year to help fund and support various Outer Banks projects and events organized by non-profits and government entities. Event Grants are designed to support events that drive overnight visitation to Dare County during less-than-peak months (September 7 to June 15). In addition, the Board offers other funding opportunities through its Restricted Fund Grants, including Tourism Impact Grants and Long-Term Unappropriated Grants, supporting programs or services needed due to the impact of tourism. For guidelines, applications and a list of past grant awards, please visit outerbanks.org/grants.

About the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau

The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is the official tourism authority for Dare County, North Carolina, encompassing the towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo and the islands of Roanoke and Hatteras. The Bureau promotes sustainable tourism while preserving the natural beauty and cultural heritage of North Carolina’s barrier islands. Learn more at outerbanks.org.