FAQ Header GO TEXAN Rural Community Program Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program? The GO TEXAN Rural Community Program is an initiative launched by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) designed to promote the growth and prosperity of every rural Texas town, city and county. It is a certification program offering membership to qualifying cities and counties, as well as associate membership for those in support of rural Texas. This program creates a single rallying call for rural Texas, educating the public about all rural Texas has to offer and encouraging rural communities to share and promote successful ideas.

Who can join? Certified Membership is open to qualified rural cities and counties. Associate Membership is available for Texas-based businesses with a location in rural Texas, individuals, chambers of commerce, councils of government, corporations, convention and visitors bureaus, sole proprietors, partnerships, organizations and associations dedicated to supporting rural Texas.

What is the cost to join the program? There is no membership fee to join either of the two membership categories.

How is 'rural' defined? For the purposes of this program, "rural" is defined as a non-metropolitan area county or a city with a population less than 20,000 whose city limits do not adjoin to another city or group of cities' city-limit boundaries with an aggregate population of 50,000 or more.

How does the application process work? Interested communities, businesses and organizations will fill out and return a GO TEXAN Rural Community Program application, which is available from TDA by calling (877) 99GO-TEX or at www.gotexan.org. All GO TEXAN Rural Community Program members should be committed to the continued improvement, revitalization and economic strength of rural Texas by supporting the development and implementation of local community projects such as tourism, revitalization, beautification, leadership training and so on. TDA will notify applicants about the status of their applications within 30 days of receipt. Once membership applications are approved, membership benefits will begin.

How long does membership last? All GO TEXAN Rural Community Program memberships will last for three years.  At the end of three years, members will be notified regarding renewal of their membership.

What are the benefits of membership? Matching fund opportunities for certified members             GO TEXAN Rural Community Hometown STARS Program             GO TEXAN Rural Community Bootstrap Bucks Program Recognition for certified members             GO TEXAN Hardworking Rural Community Awards             Statewide GO TEXAN Rural Community Program media coverage Marketing             Statewide GO TEXAN Rural Community Program promotional campaigns             Online rural tourism events calendar             Online rural destination guide              Use of the GO TEXAN brand Information             Marketing and rural tourism workshops hosted across the state             Guidebooks on event planning, downtown beautification and more             Infoletters highlighting topics important to rural Texas             E-mail alerts for the latest news and dates Networking             Contacts and programs at other state and federal agencies             Online member database             Secrets to small-town success from GO TEXAN Rural Community Program members

What is the GO TEXAN Rural Community Hometown STARS program? Certified members can apply for the Hometown STARS (Supporting Tourism and Rural Success) Program, a competitive, matching fund reimbursement program.  This program helps offset the cost of promotional activities associated with marketing local tourism events. The program will reimburse communities half of their promotional costs up to $10,000. For funding consideration, an interested certified member should submit a project proposal to TDA for review by the Hometown STARS Review Team. For application deadlines and information, call (877) 99GO-TEX or go to www.gotexan.org.

How was the Hometown STARS program created? In September 2003, Governor Rick Perry announced funding to TDA to support the promotion of rural tourism. A portion of this amount is used to fund the Hometown STARS matching reimbursement program. TDA has launched a multi-faceted marketing campaign utilizing print, broadcast and electronic resources to raise awareness of tourism and travel opportunities in rural Texas. Because a crucial focus of the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program is on empowering rural communities, TDA partners with the Texas Travel Industry Association (TTIA) to conduct workshops across the state focused on rural tourism opportunities and success stories.

What is the GO TEXAN Rural Community Bootstrap Bucks Program? Certified members may apply for the Bootstrap Bucks reimbursement program to help fund the promotion of their events. Members can receive up to $2,500 in reimbursable funds for one of four eligible items: banners, posters, newspaper advertisements or radio/television spots. Bootstrap Bucks is for communities just beginning their tourism programs or communities adding new elements to existing programs. Plus, it has no matching funds requirement. For application deadlines and information, please call (877) 99GO-TEX or visit www.gotexan.org.

Can unincorporated areas apply for Hometown STARS and Bootstrap Bucks funding? As it was with Texas Yes!, unincorporated areas are not eligible for certified membership. If unincorporated areas wish to apply for a reimbursable funding program, they must do so through their counties.  Counties must be certified members of the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program.

What if an unincorporated area's county is a metropolitan county? If the county is a metropolitan county as shown here - then that county is not eligible for certified membership into the program. Another option for an unincorporated area is to partner with a rural city that is a certified member.  That city may apply for reimbursable funds on behalf of the unincorporated area.

What are the GO TEXAN Hardworking Rural Community Awards? To help spotlight all of the exciting developments taking place in rural communities across Texas, TDA established the Hardworking Rural Community Awards. This competition honors the many Texas communities taking the lead on boosting the long-term success of rural Texas.

How can my community be considered for the next Hardworking Rural Community awards? Eligible communities must be certified members of the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program. The competition is self-nominating. Certified members interested in applying will complete a questionnaire form developed by TDA to assess the community's efforts and the impact of local successes related to tourism, economic development, leadership mentoring, education and other projects. A questionnaire form is under the "Member Corner" section of the Web site.

My business is already a member of GO TEXAN Products and/or Restaurant Programs. How will the Rural Community Program impact me if I become a member? The focus of the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program is to spotlight rural Texas. GO TEXAN members with business locations in rural Texas will receive an added boost to their GO TEXAN membership by joining the Rural Community Program. They will receive information on workshops and opportunities specific to rural Texas and will be included in the "Rural Communities" section of the GO TEXAN Web site. Business members will be able to display the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program window decal on their place of business to indicate their support for the program, benefiting from its visibility. There is no cost to join, and membership will simply add another level of awareness and promotion to a rural business.

What do I need to do first to get involved in the GO TEXAN Rural Community Program? Simply fill out a GO TEXAN Rural Community Program application and send it in. You can also visit the Web site for the latest information and updates on the program.

Who can I contact to get more information? Natalie Houghton is the marketing coordinator for Rural Texas Communities and is pleased to answer any questions or inquiries about the program. She can be reached at (877) 99GO-TEX or natalie.houghton@tda.state.tx.us. TDA also has rural economic development specialists located throughout the state. A contact list is included in the member welcome packet and is also available under "Contact Us" on the menu bar.

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