Grant Requirement:

• SCPRT requires that your website contain a disclaimer statement if the lodging properties, restaurants, attractions and other tourism-related businesses you have listed are not all-inclusive.
• All organizations that receive a Tourism Advertising Grant must have a visible Disover South Carolina logo with reciprocal link to SCPRT’s Home Page on their website home page.
• Only one application per umbrella organization will be accepted for submission.
• All advertising must be at least 50 miles outside of your destination/attraction/event and must include the Discover South Carolina logo.
• All advertising must be run, billed in (invoice date) and paid for (check date) within the fiscal year of the TAG cycle (July 1 - June 30) to qualify for reimbursement.
• Events which receive funding for paid advertising purchases through a STAR grant are NOT eligible to receive funding for paid advertising through the Tourism Advertising Grant (TAG) program, regardless of which organization applies for grant funding or in which fiscal year the application occurs.
• The South Carolina tourism logo must conform to specifications outlined in the South Carolina Logo Users Guide located on SCPRT’s website. (Click on SC Logo and Usage, then on Logo Requirements on Advertising).  

The TAG program will reimburse recipients for qualified paid tourism advertising expenses.  Following is a list of qualified media and proof of performance requirements. 
 
Printed Media
Advertising

• Newspaper, magazine and directory media schedules, graphics, layouts, and text copy must receive approval from the TAG Coordinator prior to final production and placement.  The Discover South Carolina logo must appear in all print ads.  The use of the South Carolina logo must conform to specifications outlined in the South Carolina Logo Users Guide. (Click on SC Logo and Usage Guidelines.)
• Discover South Carolina logo sizes for print media must meet the following requirements: 1 page ad, 2 inches; 1/2 page ad, 1 1/2 inches; 1/3 page ad, 1 1/4 inches; 1/4 page ad, 1/6 page ad and 1/8 page ad, 1 inch.
• Original or PDF file of tear sheets verifying the date and the publication’s name are to be submitted with your reimbursement request.
• Advertising should include a call to action, such as a URL, toll free number or QR code.
• Publication must be distributed at least 50 miles away from the location for which you are advertising.

Billboards and other Out of Home advertising

• Billboards should be part of a broader marketing initiative and must be 50 miles outside of your destination/attraction/festival or event.
• Discover South Carolina’s logo must appear in the billboard and must be no smaller than 6.5 feet wide (or approximately 1/7 the width of the billboard) and should NOT include the DiscoverSouthCarolina.com website.
• Provide a copy of the billboard message and location information to the grant coordinator for review and approval prior to placement.
• Submit legible photograph of posted billboard with reimbursement requests.
• Other out of home creative must be submitted to SCPRT for review prior to installation and should be part of a larger integrated program.

Electronic Media
Radio

• Radio media schedules must include the date, name of commercial, the station location (physical address), contact name (sales manager) and phone number.
• Scripts for radio spots must receive approval from the TAG Coordinator. The script and subsequent voice over must include SCPRT’s campaign tagline: “Discover South Carolina!”
• All radio spots must include a tracking mechanism, such as a URL or toll-free number and/or other call to action.
• Provide an audio recording of your commercial and a copy of the invoice verifying the media schedule with your reimbursement request (the Webgrants system accepts mp4 files for reimbursement proof of performance).
• Advertising should reach at least 50 miles from the location for which you are advertising.

Television / Video

• TV media schedules must include the date, name of commercial, the station location (physical address), contact name (sales manager), and phone number.
• Provide scripts for television ads, including margin script, to the TAG Coordinator for approval prior to airing.
• The Discover South Carolina logo must appear in all television and/or video ads for a minimum of :05.
• Include a tracking mechanism such as a toll-free number and/or a call to action in all television and/or video ads.
• Provide a link to the video on YouTube and a copy of the invoice verifying the media schedule with your reimbursement request.
• Advertising should reach at least 50 miles from the location for which you are advertising.

Web-Based Media

• All links must link to a page on your website with the Discover South Carolina tourism logo prominently displayed.
• Provide program schedule, including dates, targeted areas, and message content to the TAG Coordinator for approval prior to flight dates.
• The Discover South Carolina tourism logo must appear in either the online advertising or on the landing page.
• Provide screenshots of the advertising in place, the number of impressions and click through results with your reimbursement request.
• Search engine marketing, or paid search, qualifies for reimbursement. Provide key words and performance data. 
• Search engine optimization is a qualified expense. Reach out to the TAG coordinator prior to placing SEO ads to discuss the documents you will need to receive reimbursement.
• Online retargeting is a qualified expense. Reach out to the TAG coordinator prior to running a retargeting campaign to discuss the documents you will need to receive reimbursement.

Social Media

• Provide screenshots of the social media post in place which includes the date the ad was run.
• Along with screenshots of the post, provide any click through links or landing pages linked in the post.
• Boosted posts must link back to a page on your website with the Discover South Carolina logo prominently displayed and link back to our website.
• Sponsored social media posts must tag Discover South Carolina in the actual photo AND include in the comment section, "Supported by @discover_sc"
• When providing proof of performance, you must provide the Facebook "receipt" and credit card statement showing that you or the third party paid Facebook.
• If an agency places the social media boosted posts for you, "Supported by @discover_sc" still must be featured in the ad to be a reimburseable expense.
• If an agency places the social media boosted posts for you, they must show their invoce from Meta, their cleared payment to Meta, their invoice to you for the boosted post as well as your cleared payment to them. Only the cost of the boosted post will be reimbursed - no agency expenses.

SCPRT Co-Op Advertising

• If participating in the SCPRT co-op advertising program, proof of performance, proof of payment, and invoice must still be provided in the reimbursement request to go on record.
• Welcome Center print advertising must contain the Discover South Carolina tourism logo displayed at least 1/8 the width of the printed ad.

Other Paid Media Strategies
Proof of performance requirements for “Other Paid Media Strategies” category will be determined when presented to the TAG Coordinator on a case-by-case basis after approval of your grant application.

REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURE
 
All projects must be completed and the reimbursement request sent to SCPRT by the completion date on your Project Agreement Form or by June 15.
 
Projects are considered complete when you have provided copies of the following:
 
Reimbursement Request

• If you were awarded a grant for the current fiscal year, you may complete your reimbursement request in the Webgrants system.
• You may choose to watch a screen recording of the "Webgrants Refresher Workshop" for step-by-step instructions on how to complete your reimbursement request.
• Quarterly reimbursement requests are now required. If you have run any advertising within one of the below quarters, you must submit your quarterly reimbursement in the Webgrants system. If you run an ad within the quarter but do not have all supporting documents yet, you may submit your quarterly report as soon as you have all documents ready.
  • October 2, 2023
  • January 2, 2024   
  • April 1, 2024   
  • June 30, 2024 (final reimbursement for the FY)

Paid Dated Invoices

• Submit legible copies of itemized invoice, reflecting date, description and dollar amount. Monthly statements are not acceptable unless they contain the same pertinent information listed on invoices.
• Organizations that use an advertising agency to place advertisements must also provide copies of the media invoices.
• Invoices must be dated within the fiscal year start and end dates to qualify for reimbursement (July 1 - June 30).

 Cancelled Checks

• Attach a legible copy of the cancelled check(s) to the appropriate invoice to certify proof of payment. Your cancelled check should reflect payment for items that are strictly related to the project.  However, if your check includes non-related expenses, then supporting invoices are required.
• Checks must be dated within the fiscal year start and end dates to qualify for reimbursement (July 1 - June 30).
• Credit card statements may also be submitted as proof of payment.

 Proof of Performance

• Attach original or PDF file of media tear sheets from newspaper/magazine advertisement to the appropriate invoice and cancelled check. Publication name and issue date must be clearly visible on the tear sheet (not handwritten). If this information is not printed on the page your ad appears on, please also submit a copy of the publication cover.
• Submit a photograph of each posted billboard.
• Submit a screenshot of all online advertising in place on the website.
• Include a copy of the broadcast media affidavit for TV and radio commercials, as well as the audio/video file or Youtube link.
• Delivery report for web based media including impressions delivered and clicks as well as site engagement if available.

Audit Report
An audit report is issued to each TAG recipient at the completion of their project. This report summarizes the allowable project costs, the amount of project costs subject to reimbursement and the amount of any funds to be reverted.

• Notification of discrepancy in this audit report must be submitted in writing to SCPRT within 30 days after receipt.
• Projects are also subject to audit by the South Carolina Office of the State Auditor.
• Approved applicants are to keep original invoices and supporting documentation for a period of three years.