ROOST Budget
This year's budget details our investment in local people and the tourism economy.
$314M+
Generated in tourism revenue
Based on results of 2024 Leisure Travel Study
10,500+
Content pages
ROOST manages 1,000's of pages to help travelers find exactly what they need.
How is ROOST funded?
ROOST's funding comes from a mix of county and municipal allocations, I Love NY Matching Funds, earned revenue, and cooperative grants. Key income lines in the 2026 budget include Essex County, Hamilton County, I Love NY grants, local municipal contributions, events, and sales revenue. For the complete income line-by-line list, see the downloadable budget.
Does ROOST receive state or grant funding?
Yes. ROOST gets money from the state and from grants in addition to local funding. In the budget you can see I Love NY state funding for Essex and Hamilton counties, plus multi-region grants and smaller town programs. Those grant dollars show up as income and are usually tied to specific work. For example marketing campaigns, events, services, or partnerships, so you'll see the grant listed on the income side and the related spending in the budget. For the exact line items, check the downloadable budget.
Where can I find a full breakdown of how the money is spent?
The full, downloadable 2026 Roost Budget PDF contains the line-by-line expenses.
How does ROOST invest in community and responsible destination management?
The budget explicitly funds destination-management and many community-facing items. For example, Destination Management Planning, Occupancy Tax Enforcement Support, Regional Welcome Center Support, Local Event support and marketing, and allocations for specific local programs. These line items are designed to support residents, local businesses, and sustainable visitor experiences.
How are spending decisions made and who approves the budget?
Spending decisions start with local input. We gather feedback from towns, businesses, event organizers, and other community partners about their priorities. Then ROOST staff uses that input, along with our goals and plans, to build a draft budget. That draft is reviewed internally and then formally approved by the ROOST Board. Once the board signs off, we publish the final budget with full line-by-line details.
How can residents or local businesses learn more or get involved?
The Destination Marketing & Management Plan (DMMP) is the best place to see ROOST's priorities and how funds are targeted to local impact. For questions about specific line items, partnership opportunities, or event support, please reach out.
Sustainable Destination Growth with Community at the Center
The 2026 budget is built to grow a thriving, year-round destination while protecting quality of life for local residents. This plan balances strategic marketing that brings responsible visitors to our towns and trails with investments in services, events, and destination management that keep the economic benefits local and sustainable.