Colorado Agritourism Association (CAA) was approved to participate in the Restart Industry Associations Program by the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) in September 2021.
The purpose of CAA is to be the leading provider of agritourism support and outreach to producers in the state of Colorado. With a reach of approximately 30 members, CAA focuses on assisting members with limited liability legislation, reduced insurance premiums, fair land use policies and zoning, improved communications, and marketing opportunities.
CAA was paired with Kyle Blakely, a CRAFT Mentor with experience in tourism marketing and communications and strategic planning, to deliver 75 hours of free consulting to conduct the activities listed below.
The purpose of this project was to address the need for a long-term funding strategy to ensure the sustainability of the organization.
Project objectives included:
- develop a funding diversification plan to support the long-term financial stability of the organization
- convene meetings with CAA stakeholders to build awareness of the funding diversification plan and identify priority actions
CAA achieved the following results with its Restart Industry Associations Mentor:
- funding diversification plan to increase organizational capacity and sustainability that includes recommendations to explore membership strategies, partnerships, and grants
- list of potential sponsorship contacts
- strategies to attract larger sponsorships and advance existing memberships through direct marketing activities
- agritourism associations membership best practice research that includes communication tactics, membership structures, and resources
About Restart Industry Associations Program
The Restart Industry Associations Program supports Colorado tourism industry associations to drive faster recovery as they emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Awarded industry associations receive 75 hours of free consulting and $10,000 in direct marketing support from the Colorado Tourism Office. This program was made possible by a CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.