2023-2025 OTC Competitive Grant Program – Oregon - fundsforNGOs

The Oregon Tourism Commission is inviting applications for its 2023-2025 Competitive Grant Program to inspire travel that uplifts Oregon communities.

Donor Name: Oregon Tourism Commission

State: Oregon

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 08/18/2023

Size of the Grant: $20,000 – $100,000

Details:

Collaborating with stakeholders and partners to align as stewards of Oregon, they work to optimize economic opportunity, advance equity and respect the ecosystems, cultures and places that make Oregon…Oregon. Travel Oregon has established a program to grant awards to eligible applicants for projects that contribute to the development and improvement of communities throughout the state by means of the enhancement, expansion and promotion of the visitor industry.

Travel Oregon’s 10-Year Strategic Vision holds four objectives:

Oregon’s tourism economy is flourishing
Oregon is striving to be a place of equity
Oregon delivers remarkable experiences
Oregon respects its natural environments.

Each of the interconnected objectives are supported by priority strategies to help bring Travel Oregon’s mission to life. The 2023-2025 Competitive Grants Program is designed to address the following strategic priorities that are part of Travel Oregon’s 2023-2025 Biennial Plan:

Reduce high visitation pressures and increase community livability by investing in the development of niche tourism product that is based on growing visitor demand and Oregon’s competitive advantage (e.g., outdoor recreation, culinary, agritourism, arts and culture)
Expand opportunities for residents and tourism stakeholders to actively engage and collaborate in destination management processes
Align and support communications across the tourism industry to improve visitor behaviors and experiences with timely information, responsible recreation practices and respect for all communities
Support the development of new and existing tourism-related facilities and products (e.g., visitor experiences, attractions, and public spaces) to better serve historically and currently underserved and under-resourced communities.

Moving in alignment with the objectives and strategic priorities, the 2023-2025 Competitive Grants Program will center funding around accessibility and inclusivity. Communities that are underserved and under-resourced, including people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LBGTQIA+ communities are encompassed in this focus. Grant funds are intended to support projects that align with Travel Oregon’s vision: Oregon is a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.

Funding Information

Requests for funding must range from $20,000-$100,000
Grant recipients are required to spend awarded funds by April 14, 2025.

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects must clearly show alignment to tourism infrastructure that is accessible/inclusive or accessible/inclusive tourism promotion. Though not a comprehensive list of eligible projects, the projects listed below are preferred for funding. Project categories include:

Enhancement and/or expansion of tourism infrastructure to be more accessible/inclusive
- Eligible projects include:
  - Access point improvements to recreational activities
  - Removal or mitigation of physical barriers and/or obstacles for visitors with mobility or sensory restrictions
  - Improvements to structures, pathways, gates and doorways at tourism-related facilities
  - Multi-language interpretive signage or wayfinding
  - Development of culturally relevant programming, products and/or materials to support place making for communities that are underserved and under-resourced
  - Parking/transportation strategies and solutions in areas of high visitation
  - Accessibility and walkability audits
  - Assistive technology infrastructure (including adaptive devices) that service a variety of needs to enhance the visitor experience
  - Planning/feasibility studies for tourism-related facilities (includes attractions, public spaces, visitor experiences)
Accessible/inclusive tourism promotion
- Eligible projects include:
  - Print/broadcast advertising
  - Digital advertising, including social media and search
  - Content development that supports accessible tourism marketing, including photography and video
  - Familiarization tour support focused on people living with disabilities, communities that are underserved and under-resourced, including BIPOC, Oregon’s nine-federally recognized tribes and LGBTQIA+
  - Promotion of guided experiences focused on people with disabilities, under-resourced or under-served communities, including BIPOC, Oregon’s nine-federally recognized tribes and LGBTQIA+.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants include those listed below that are doing business in Oregon and must be able to demonstrate direct work in support of improving the economic impacts of Oregon’s travel and tourism industry: