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Funding available for Enhancing and Preserving Central Oregon’s Tourism Assets

Visit Central Oregon invites proposals from nonprofits committed to preserving, protecting, and investing in the region’s tourism assets.

Donor Name: Visit Central Oregon (VCO)

State: Oregon

County: Crook County (OR), Deschutes County (OR), Jefferson County (OR), Wasco County (OR)

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 02/09/2024

Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000

Grant Duration: 1 Year

Details:

Visit Central Oregon serves as the appointed Regional Destination Management Organization for the Central Oregon region. The Central Oregon Future Fund is a grant program managed by Visit Central Oregon. Grant funds are sourced from Visit Central Oregon’s operating budget which is generated from Deschutes County Transient Room Tax (TRT) as well as Travel Oregon’s Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP).

Program Goals

All grant applications should align with one or more of the following program goals:

  • Invest in projects that create, protect, or preserve a tourism asset.
  • Create positive and long-term impact for both residents and visitors.
  • Support projects that have broad community support.

Focus Areas 

  • Stewardship
  • Projects that mitigate or improve the impacts of tourism.
    • Example Projects:
      • Trail restoration and/or enhancement
      • Dark Sky spaces and awareness
      • Development of regenerative travel products
  • Cultural Tourism 
  • Projects that enhance the region’s economy through cultural tourism, with a focus on non-peak seasons and bolstering regional rural communities.
  • Access Adventure
  • Projects that enhance or improve accessibility and inclusion for visitors and community.
    • Example Projects:
      • Educational and training programs
      • DEI Workshops

Funding Information

The grant period is for 12 months. The Future Fund 2023-24 Program is funded with $450,000 in total for all projects awarded for the 2023-24 cycle, consisting of combined funding from Deschutes County Transient Room Tax and Travel Oregon RCTP program. The funding range is $20,000 to $50,000. Projects above and below these amounts will not be considered.

Eligibility Criteria 

Eligible applicants include entity types listed below that are doing business in Central Oregon, including Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook and So. Wasco counties, and can demonstrate direct work in support of improving the economic impacts of Oregon’s travel and tourism industry.

  • Non-profit entities
  • Private businesses
  • Federally recognized tribal entities
  • Cities and Municipalities

Ineligible applicants include:

  • Entities that have a bankruptcy or other financial discrepancies within the past five years.
  • Entities that fail to fulfill past grant award requirements within the past three years (includes: project completion, submission of required grant reporting, proper use of grant funds).
  • Entities requesting a grant without written letter(s) of support from at least two related industry partners with their overall application.

For more information, visit VCO.

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