Res 3300 Joint Prom. Prgs

CHAPTER Bea 300 RULES FOR JOINT PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM

REVISION NOTE:

The subject matter in Chapter Bea 300 titled “Rules for Joint Promotional Program” was originally adopted by Document #2221, effective 12-23-82, in rules under the subtitle Res-V of the Department of Resources and Economic Development and were readopted by Document #2979, effective 2-21-85. Chapter Res-V 300 titled “Rules for Joint Promotional Program—Vacation Travel” was adopted by Document #3098, effective 8-20-85, and readopted with amendment by Document #4469, effective 8-8-88, as Chapter Res-V 300 titled “Joint Promotional Program.” All of Chapter Res-V 300 expired on 8-8-94.

Document #6022, effective 4-24-95, subsequently adopted Chapter Res 3300 titled “Rules for Joint Promotional Program”, which made changes relative to rules for the Joint Promotional Program in the former Chapter Res-V 300 and renumbered them as Chapter Res 3300. Document #7684, effective 7-1-02, readopted with amendments Chapter Res 3300, which was subsequently readopted with amendments by Document #9102, effective 7-1-08. All of Chapter Res 3300 expired 7-1-16.

The Department of Resources and Economic Development (DRED) was abolished pursuant to 2017, 156:15, effective 7-1-17. RSA 12-O was adopted by 2017, 156:40, effective 7-1-17, which established the Department of Business and Economic Affairs. Pursuant to 2017, 156:49, effective 7-1-17, existing rules of the former DRED were transferred to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources under rule title “Ncr” or the Department of Business and Economic Affairs under rule title “Bea”, as applicable, and continue in effect until they expire or are amended or repealed.

Because Chapter Res 3300 had already expired on 7-1-16, they did not transfer to the new Department of Business and Economic Affairs but had to be adopted again by the Department pursuant to RSA 12-O:17. Document #13270, effective 9-30-21, adopted Chapter Bea 300, which extensively changed the rules in the former Chapter Res 3300. Document #13270 replaces all prior filings for rules in the former Chapter Res 3300 on the Joint Promotional Program.

PART Bea 301 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Bea 301.01 Purpose of the Joint Promotional Program.

(a) The purpose of the New Hampshire joint promotional program (JPP) is to invest in tourism promotional projects developed by eligible independent groups or organizations which will compliment the state of New Hampshire’s marketing initiative.

(b) The primary goals of the JPP are to develop New Hampshire as a year-round visitor destination, to increase overnight stays, to enhance the quality and effectiveness of marketing to visitors, and to encourage cooperative marketing efforts for the promotion of New Hampshire.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 301.02 Scope. Bea 300 shall apply to all organizations having a tourism promotional project for which investment by the JPP is requested. Organizations meeting the criteria set forth by Bea 300 shall be eligible for a match of up to 50% on a reimbursement basis.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

PART Bea 302 PROGRAM INFORMATION

Bea 302.01 Eligible Organizations. Any New Hampshire organization that is registered and in good standing with the New Hampshire secretary of state, engaged in or has been formed for the purpose of promoting travel and tourism to New Hampshire, and has been in existence for at least 3 years prior to the date of application shall be eligible for investment under the JPP. Eligible organizations shall include chambers of commerce, regional associations, statewide tourism groups, and other tourism promotional organizations.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.02 Organizations Not Qualifying. Any New Hampshire organization that does not qualify as eligible pursuant to Bea 302.01 above may make application for a grant under this part, provided that the organization:

(a) Presents evidence of a need for tourism promotion due to a case of regional depression or financial hardship as reported by the New Hampshire department of employment security, bureau of economic and labor market information;

(b) Presents a cooperative promotion plan;

(d) Agrees that this unmatched grant shall not be awarded for more than 2 successive years; and

(e) Agrees that an affected area shall not be eligible for any unmatched grant for a period of 5 years after the second year following the award of the first of any unmatched grant.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.03 Matching State Funds. Except for nonqualifying organizations, grant awards of state funds shall require a minimum of 50% matching funds from private sources.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.04 Funds Eligible for State Match. The following types of funds may be used to match state funds:

(a) Monies raised through memberships from any individual, group, or organization; or

(b) Monies received through fundraising projects.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.05 Non-Acceptable Use of Funds. State funds shall not be used for:

(a) Administrative expenses, including, but not limited to, salaries, non-project related telephone or postage, and office equipment or supplies;

(b) Charity fundraising;

(d) Mileage, lodging, and travel costs;

(e) Routine website maintenance, ongoing website hosting, domain name registration, and unsolicited marketing;

(f) General purpose computer software, hardware, or staff training not directly tied to the approved project;

(g) Research services or surveys;

(h) Department of business and economic affairs (BEA) internal program fees; and

(i) Event space rentals and catering services.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.06 Limits of Grant Funds.

(a) The minimum grant amount shall be $2,000.

(b) No single organization shall be approved for grants totaling more than 25% of the funds appropriated for any one fiscal year.

(c) Organizations may apply for more than one grant each fiscal year, except no single organization in any one grant round shall be approved for more than 75% of their total eligible amount, and the restriction in (b) shall apply.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.07 Pass Through Funds Prohibited. No applicant shall disburse state matching funds to a private sector business for the administration of its private functions.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.08 Starting and Completion Dates.

(a) Start dates shall be specified on the application and shall be contingent upon notification of grant approval as provided in Bea 304.02.

(b) Project shall start within the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded.

(d) Projects shall be completed no later than 90 days following the close of the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded.

(e) All reimbursements shall be submitted to the BEA’s division of travel and tourism development (DTTD) within 90 days following the close of the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.09 Incomplete Applications. Applications in the Joint Promotional Program online grant platform shall be allowed to be edited until the published deadline posted on the DTTD website found at https://www.visitnh.gov/industry-members/work-together/grants and shall not be considered final or complete until the close of the application period. All finalized applications submitted shall be reviewed by the JPP administrator, who shall notify the applicants in writing of any deficiencies within 10 business days following the close of the application period.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.10 Failure to Comply. Failure to provide any of the information required for the application shall result in denial of an application unless corrections are made within 5 business days of notification of any deficiencies by the JPP administrator.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.11 Grant Amendments. An amendment to a previously approved application shall be made in writing explaining the extenuating circumstances for the change. Amendments shall be considered and approved by the commissioner if the amendment meets the criteria in Bea 304.02(a) and the commissioner determines that extending circumstances exists, which include:

(a) Vendor non-performance;

(b) Business closures;

(d) Lack of available media inventory;

(e) A shift in target markets due to external factors; or

(f) Any other circumstance that affects the project that is outside of the applicant’s control.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 302.12 Report Required. Failure to submit the evaluation report as required by Bea 306.01 for any previously funded project(s) shall result in denial of an application unless good cause for such failure exists. Good cause shall include, but not be limited to, circumstances beyond the control of the organization. Claims of good cause shall be made in writing to the commissioner.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

PART Bea 303 PROJECT INFORMATION

Bea 303.01 Multiple Projects. An application seeking grant funding may contain more than one project, provided that each project shall meet the specific criteria as outlined in this part.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.02 General Requirements. All projects to be considered for grant funding shall:

(a) Clearly promote New Hampshire as a travel destination;

(b) Ensure balanced representation among participating entities;

(d) Reference New Hampshire spelled out as “New Hampshire”;

(e) Include an all-inclusive marketing plan;

(f) Include a copy of all drafted material;

(g) Provide a description of the contracted vendor for professional services; and

(h) Include a copy of the contract for all professional services containing a list of all deliverables.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.03 Printed Materials. In addition to the project requirements in Bea 303.02 above, applications for the printing of materials shall:

(a) Include a detailed distribution plan for the total number of materials printed as part of the project;

(b) Include 3 competitive bids for printing services; and

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.04 Traditional and Emerging Media.

(a) Traditional and emerging media shall include:

(1) Broadcast, cable streaming, or connected television advertising;

(2) Radio advertising, including traditional and streaming audio;

(3) Podcast sponsorships;

(4) Print advertising in regional, national, or niche publications; and

(5) Out-of-home advertising, including billboards or transit media.

(b) In addition to the project requirements Bea 303.02 above, applications for traditional and emerging media projects shall include:

(1) A detailed media plan; and

(2) Radio advertising, consisting of a draft script and language within the script calling out visitnh.gov as a sponsor or partner.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.05 Digital Advertising and Media.

(a) Digital and advertising media shall include:

(1) Search engine marketing;

(2) Social advertising and promoted posts;

(3) Digital display advertising;

(4) Programmatic advertising;

(5) Retargeting advertising; and

(6) Influencers.

(b) In addition to the project requirements in Bea 303.02 above, applications for digital advertising and media projects shall include:

(1) The BEA logo and all social media content or if the BEA logo placement is not possible than tag @visitnh; and

(2) A copy of the contract with any influencer which shall include language that @visitnh will be tagged and consent for the BEA to reshare content.

Source. #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.06 Content Marketing. The content marketing shall include email marketing, digital guides, itineraries, or electronic publications.

Source. #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.07 Experiential and Partnership Marketing. Experiential and partnership marketing shall include promotion of events, festivals, travel trade shows, consumer shows, and sales missions. In addition to the project requirements in Bea 303.02 above, applications for experiential and partnership marketing shall include:

(a) Detailed event description; and

(b) Inclusion of BEA marketing materials.

Source. #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 303.08 Public Relations Campaigns. In addition to the project requirements in Bea 303.02 above, applications for the public relations campaigns shall:

(a) Include the statement “for further information about New Hampshire, visit visitnh.gov”, if print or electronic press release; and

(b) Include a communication campaign plan outlining messaging, distribution channels, and anticipated outcomes.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36 (formerly Bea 303.05)

Bea 303.09 Website Design, Development, or Digital Experience Enhancements. In addition to the project requirements in Bea 303.02 above, applications that include design, development, or digital experience enhancements of a website shall:

(a) Be clearly focused on tourism promotion and designed to attract visitors to New Hampshire;

(b) Prominently display the words “New Hampshire”, the BEA generated logo, and link to visitnh.gov in its advertising campaigns on the website’s homepage;

(d) Include a copy of the contract for professional services;

(e) Include a wireframe, design concepts, and navigation structure for the website; and

(f) Be reviewed by the director of the DTTD, or the director’s designee, to ensure compliance with this section prior to the website going online.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36 (formerly Bea 303.06)

PART Bea 304 PROCEDURE FOR JPP GRANT APPLICATION

Bea 304.01 Application for JPP Grant Funds. An organization applying for grant funding for a project(s) pursuant to Bea 303 shall:

(a) Complete and submit online Form JPP-1, “Grant Application” 07/2026 edition;

(b) Include a copy of the following with the form:

(1) The last 3 years’ financial statements or annual reports;

(2) A new or updated certificate of liability;

(3) A certificate showing good standing with the New Hampshire secretary of state;

(4) A detailed budget of all expenses, matchable and unmatchable parts of the project, and the funds that have been raised or will be raised for the project(s);

(5) A board resolution, executed by an authorized officer of the organization, affirming that the organization supports the application and the organization will not reduce its existing financial commitment to advertising as a result of submitting or receiving assistance under the application;

(6) A marketing plan, submitted with first application of each fiscal year; and

(7) A signed statement certifying that all evaluation reports due on previously funded projects have been completed and submitted; and

(c) Submit the completed application and additional information online at www.visitnh.gov/industry-members/work-together/grants/jpp-program by the deadline posted on the DTTD website found at https://www.visitnh.gov/industry-members/work-together/grants.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 304.02 Commissioner Review and Notification.

(a) The commissioner shall approve a grant application when the following is met:

(1) The project(s) is consistent with the purpose of the program as provided by Bea 301.01(b);

(2) Sufficient funding is available; and

(3) The grant award provides geographic dispersion of the funding throughout the state.

(b) If the commissioner denies an application pursuant to (a) above, the commissioner shall notify the applicant in writing of the specific reason(s) for denial and the following shall apply:

(1) The applicant shall have 5 business days from receipt of the decision to submit a written appeal. The appeal shall be in the form of a formal statement, signed by an authorized representative of the applicant, setting forth the specific grounds for the appeal and the reasons the applicant believes the denial was improper or inconsistent with applicable law or program rules. The appeal shall be submitted electronically to the JPP administrator for review by the commissioner; and

(2) The commissioner or commissioner’s designee shall notify applicant of final decision 5 business days after receipt of formal appeal.

(c) If the commissioner approves a grant application pursuant to (a) above, the commissioner shall forward a grant agreement for signature by the applicant, and the applicant shall sign and return the application to the commissioner for execution.

(d) Following the return of a signed grant agreement, the commissioner shall:

(1) Forward the grant agreement to the governor and executive council for approval; and

(2) Upon approval by the governor and executive council, forward to the applicant one completely executed copy of the grant agreement and a letter of acceptance stating any conditions which have been put on the grant by the governor and executive council.

(e) In the event an application is denied by the governor and executive council, the commissioner shall notify the applicant in writing of the specific reason(s) for denial.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

PART Bea 305 REIMBURSEMENT OF PROJECT EXPENSES

Bea 305.01 Reimbursement Requests. An organization requesting reimbursement for approved project(s) expenses shall:

(a) Complete and submit online Form JPP-2, “Reimbursement Form” 07/2026 edition;

(b) Include the following with the form:

(1) A copy of all invoices being submitted for reimbursement along with cancelled checks or other proof of payment;

(2) The following back-up materials to correspond with projects:

a. For web development projects, provide proof that the BEA generated logo with a url to visitnh.gov is on the site;

b. For radio advertising, provide a copy of the final advertisement and an affidavit of performance;

c. For TV advertising, provide a copy of the final advertisement and an affidavit of performance;

d. For print advertising, provide a tear sheet;

e. For social media advertising, provide copies of final advertisements, performance or post campaign report; and

f. For out-of-home advertising, provide images of actual placement; and

(3) A cover letter on letterhead stating:

a. Amount(s) to be reimbursed; and

b. If the request is for final or partial payment; and

(c) Submit electronically by email the completed cover letter, reimbursement form, and all attachments to: jppadministrator@livefree.nh.gov.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 305.02 Time Limit for Reimbursement. All requests for reimbursement of project expenses shall be submitted within 90 days following the close of the fiscal year in which the grant is awarded.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 305.03 Grant Funds Used or Not Used. All organizations shall report to the JPP administrator a final accounting of funds used and any portions of the dollars allocated for their grant that will not be used within 15 days from the completion date of their project.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Bea 305.04 Failure to Comply. Failure to comply with this part shall result in the non-reimbursement of any monies owed.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

PART Bea 306 REPORTING

Bea 306.01 Final Project Reporting. Project reporting shall be submitted 90 days following the completion of the project, organizations shall:

(a) Complete and submit Form JPP-3, “Evaluation Report” 07/2026 edition;

(b) Include the following with the form, if applicable:

(1) A copy of the vendor’s distribution report; and

(2) A copy of any quantitative research; and

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36 (formerly Bea 306.02)

PART Bea 307 PROGRAM INFORMATION

Bea 307.01 Information. The public may obtain information regarding the JPP by contacting the DTTD.

Source. #13270, eff 9-30-21; ss by #14624, eff 7-7-26, EXPIRES: 7-7-36

Appendix

Provision of the Proposed Rule	Specific State or Federal Statutes or Regulations which the Rule is Intended to Implement
Bea 301.01 and Bea 301.02	RSA 12-O:17, I and VI(a)
Bea 302.01	RSA 12-O:17, II and RSA 5:18-a
Bea 302.02	RSA 12-O:17, VII
Bea 302.03	RSA 12-O:17, III
Bea 302.04	RSA 12-O:17, III
Bea 302.05	RSA 12-O:17, III
Bea 302.06	RSA 12-O:17, VI(a) and (b)
Bea 302.07 through Bea 302.12	RSA 12-O:17, VI(b), (c), (d), and (e)
Bea 303.01 through Bea 303.03	RSA 12-O:17, III and VII(c) and (d)
Bea 303.04 through Bea 303.09	RSA 12-O:17, III and VI(c) and (d)
Bea 304.01	RSA 12-O:17, VI(a), (b), and (d)
Bea 304.02	RSA 12-O:17, IV and VII(d)
Bea 305.01 through Bea 305.04	RSA 12-O:17, VI(a), (d), and (e)
Bea 306.01	RSA 12-O:17, VI(a), (d), and (e)
Bea 307.01	RSA 12-O:17, VI(a); RSA 91-A:4