Making sure you can enjoy Door County, regardless of physical ability, was a common theme of the final grant cycle of 2023 of Destination Door County’s Community Investment Fund.
The towns of Jacksonport and Sevastopol, the Village of Sister Bay, the City of Sturgeon Bay, Door Shakespeare, and the Peninsula School of Art were the latest recipients of Destination Door County’s Community Investment Fund, which has awarded nearly $829,000 in its first year. The Town of Sevastopol received the most significant award of this grant cycle, which was $70,000 for creating a new restroom facility that is ADA-compliant and includes men’s, women’s, and family bathrooms. The Town of Jacksonport was granted $61,421 to refurbish the pavilions at Lakeside Park to include electrical and plumbing. The Village of Sister Bay earned a grant of $48,489 towards purchasing a shuttle bus that will provide public transportation to residents, J-1 workers, and visitors. The City of Sturgeon Bay garnered its third grant of the year from the Community Investment Fund to purchase floating docks for the Sawyer Park Boat Ramp. Door Shakespeare and Bjorklunden will benefit from a grant totaling $18,756 to buy a six-seat electric cart with a trailer to not only take guests with mobility concerns to performances but also provide accessibility options to guided, narrated trail tours. The Peninsula School of Art was awarded $15,000 to increase public access to their campus's main entry points.
The grant dollars come from room taxes collected by area lodging partners and given to Destination Door County for their marketing efforts. Gilbert says they are excited to continue the project in 2024. Municipalities and non-profit organizations have until January 4th to participate in the next grant cycle. You are encouraged to meet with the Door County Community Foundation to discuss your idea before applying.
