Destination Markham Corporation’s Third Annual Partnership Support Program

Destination Markham Corporation’s (DMC) purpose is to promote Markham as a remarkable destination for visitors, including tourists, sports and festival attendees, meetings, conference delegates, and business travellers. The key tourism objectives are to research, develop, market, and grow Markham’s visitor economy. This initiative will collaborate with the hotel industry, festival-event- conference-travel planners, attraction operators, cultural institutions, sports tourism promoters, entertainment and recreation providers, food service businesses, and the City of Markham.

2023 Intake Periods

DMC will accept applications and provide financial support to organizations that stimulate the visitors’ economy in Markham through marketing initiatives and hosting events. Application must be submitted no later than:

• First Intake – May 31st, 2023 – For the period of June to December 2023
• Second Intake – November 1st, 2023 – For the period of January to June 2024

If your project is anticipating to a longer completion timeline, please specify your timeframe and rationale for extending the project period. Partnership applications will be reviewed by the DMC Partnership Program Committee for completeness and eligibility. All applicants will be notified of their application status within 30 business days of the submission deadline.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the DMC Partnership Program, the business/organization must be in the Tourism and Hospitality sector, including but not limited to:

• Hotels, food & beverage
• Sports, cultural, and facilities
• Festivals, events, attractions
• Conferences and meetings

The main project must take place in the City of Markham and contribute to the awareness and growth of the visitor economy.

Available Support

The DMC Partnership program is not a grant.  If approved, the confirmed funding will be reimbursed to the partner upon completion of the project and submission of the Final Project Report and invoices. DMC’s contribution to the partnership is up to 20% of the project cost, to a maximum of $10,000. The level of support will be determined case-by-case, based on the strength and requirements of the project.

Partnership Funding Categories

Your allocation will be evaluated based on the three Partnership Funding Categories:

1. Product, Experience Enhancement & Development
2. Business Meetings, Events and Project
3. Marketing Campaigns 

How Do I Become A Partner (How Do I Apply?)

Step 1: Review
Step 2: Project Brief – Complete the application form
Step 3: Project Budget
Step 4: Submit your Proposal Application

Remember the deadlines of May 31st and November 1st, 2023. Incomplete applications will not be considered by the Evaluation Committee and will be postponed until the following evaluation period pending submission of complete documentation.

COMPLETE PROPOSAL APPLICATION PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Appendix I – DMC Partnership
• Application Appendix II – Project Budget
• Appendix III – Work Plan and DMC Marketing Recognition
• Appendix IV – Check List & Attestation

Please complete all four sections and email the completed application to: info@visitmarkham.ca.
If you have questions regarding the DMC Partnership Program, please email the Destination Markham Team at info@visitmarkham.ca.

How to Complete Your Application

Learn more about DMC’s Partnership Program & what an experience enhancement application looks like in this video.