Columbus, OH — The application deadline for the USTA’s Matching Funds Grant program for the fairs is midnight, May 5. Applications are available on the Fairs section of the USTA website.

Once the application is received, an email confirmation will be sent to the contact person as submitted on the application cover sheet. If you have not received an email confirmation, your submission was not received.

Please note that in order for your application to be considered complete, it must include

— Filled out application cover sheet
— Typed marketing plan, between 250-1,000 words
— Typed budget, including your total applicable expenses and details how much you are requesting from the USTA (max. $1,000)
— Copies of quotes
— Proposed copy/draft ad, to ensure that 75 percent of the marketing efforts focus on harness racing

A program is also available to assist fairs in purchasing items for grandstand giveaways that have a harness horse on it. Fairs can purchase items locally or from a USTA facilitated buying program. The USTA is offering drawstring bags, toy horses, activity books and crayons, golf pencils and fair t-shirts at a discounted price.

If a fair purchases an item themselves to be given away in the grandstand, they can receive reimbursement for 50 percent of the cost, up to $1,000, by sending the Promotional Item Reimbursement cover sheet (page 3 of the PDF), a copy of the paid invoice and a photo of the item with a harness horse on it to jessica.schroeder@ustrotting.com. Funding for this program is available on a first come, first served basis.

Questions about the Matching Funds Grant can be directed to Jessica Schroeder at 614.224.2291, ext. 3212.