The City of Shelton is accepting applications for its tourism funding grants, allocated through the City’s lodging tax fund.
Donor Name: City of Shelton
State: Washington
City: Shelton
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/31/2023
Details:
The City collects a 4% tax on lodging within Shelton city limits, which is dedicated to promoting tourism, supporting the operations of tourism-related facilities and activities, and general operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists to Shelton.
State law provides authority for cities and counties to adopt a lodging tax of up to four percent (4%). The City of Shelton currently collects the maximum allowed by law. The law allows the use of lodging tax revenues in tourism promotion and operations of events and tourism-related facilities.
“Tourism Promotion” is defined as activities designed to increase tourism, including but not limited to, advertising, publicizing, or otherwise distributing information for the purpose of attracting and welcoming tourists, developing strategies to expand tourism, operating tourism promotion agencies, and funding marketing of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists.
“Tourism-related facility” means real or tangible personal property with a usable life of three or more years or constructed with volunteer labor and used to support tourism, performing arts or to accommodate tourist activities.
Community Economic Impact
Potential positive economic impact of tourism on the community is a significant benefit that can be measured. In its most fundamental effect, tourism impacts the community’s economy through the dollars brought to and spent in the City of Shelton. Overnight stays generate more revenue than day visits.
The total impact can be measured in terms of direct dollar expenditures made by the visitors themselves and indirect dollar expenditures made as the money moves through the community. In evaluating applications for lodging tax funds, more weight will be given to the former since it is more readily measurable.
- In assessing the probable economic impact of the proposal, the LTAC will consider:
- The estimated number of visits to be generated.
- The estimated number of overnight stays to be generated.
- The duration of the event, activity, or program.
- The event’s generation of economic activities during off-peak tourism seasons or periods.
- The use of local firms and resources in the proposed event, activity, program, or facility.
- New or first-time events or activities.
- The number of visitors coming from 50 miles away or more.
- The number of visitors coming from out-of-state or country.
Eligibility Criteria
Each applicant will be required to concisely define the service to be provided through the proposed project and demonstrate how it will do so. Essential to this process will be establishing that the project, if funded, will be in compliance with state statutes governing the use of lodging tax revenues.
For more information, visit City of Shelton.
