The City of Oak Harbor is now accepting applications for 2025 Lodging Tax / Tourism Promotion Grant.
Donor Name: City of Oak Harbor
State: Washington
City: Oak Harbor
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/04/2024
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The City is seeking organizations and public agencies that promote tourism and enhance Oak Harbor’s economic activity.
Allowable Uses of funds
Allowable uses for the lodging tax funds are governed by RCW 67.28.1816. Lodging tax revenues under this chapter may be used, directly by any municipality or indirectly through a convention and visitor’s bureau or destination marketing organization for:
- Tourism marketing;
- The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists;
- Operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality, or a public facilities district described under RCW 35.57 and RCW 36.100; including repayment of general obligation bonds (RCW 67.28.150) or revenue bonds (RCW67.28.160) for eligible capital projects; or
- Operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations (but not capital expenditures) described under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501 (c) (3) and 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended.
Eligible Activates
This grant program is limited to promotional activities which draw tourists, as defined below per RCW 67.28.080, to the municipal boundaries of the City of Oak Harbor. All events must be open to the public. Definitions included in state law should be considered in any application requesting funding include:
- Tourism means economic activity resulting from tourists, which may include sales of overnight lodging, meals, tours, gifts, or souvenirs.
- Tourism Promotion means activities, operations, and expenditures 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 the marketing of or the operation 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 that is: (a)(i) owned by a public entity; (ii) owned by a nonprofit organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, as amended; or (iii) owned by a nonprofit organization described under section 501(c)(6) of the federal internal revenue code of 1986, as amended, a business organization, destination marketing organization, main street organization, lodging association, or chamber of commerce and (b) used to support tourism, performing arts, or to accommodate tourist activities.
Eligibility Criteria
Non-profit Organizations and Public agencies are eligible to apply.
For more information, visit City of Oak Harbor.
