Founded in 2017 by the High Point Convention & Visitors Bureau, the DRIVE High Point Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 and is funded through private donations and partnership with the Visit High Point sponsorship program.  DRIVE High Point was created to broaden opportunities to serve the High Point community through destination development.  DRIVE stands for Destination: Renew and Innovate the Visitor Experience. The mission is to form partnerships, seek funding, and enhance educational, artistic, scientific, and historical activities relevant to tourism in High Point. The DRIVE High Point Foundation works closely with Visit High Point to enhance visitor experience by developing new amenities and providing more attractors in High Point to get more outside visitation year-round.

The DRIVE High Point Foundation Board has formulated a new grants program called Destination Development Grants. The program is designed to provide resources for partners who embark on projects and initiatives that will complement key strategies outlined in the ten-year strategic destination plan for tourism adopted by the Visit High Point Board in August.

Impactful requests may include funding for signature, first time, or multi-day events; capital enhancements (renovation or additions) that create more visitor activity and an enhanced visitor experience; public art projects that create visitor engagement; and projects that create an opportunity to attract specific groups or mass visitors to High Point.

Destination Development Grants will be awarded by the DRIVE High Point Foundation Board. The board has crafted guidelines and scoring derived from the matrix outlined in the destination plan.

Applications are open and are due January 31, 2020. Those interested in applying may access the guidelines and application below or may request the information via email by contacting Janet Siler.