Application for 2024 Lodging Tax funding

>>>>> NOTE: DEADLINED EXTENDED TO 3 P.M. OCT. 13, 2023

The Lewis County Board of County Commissioners is accepting – on behalf of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) – applications for the use of lodging tax funds for the 2024 budget year from nonprofits and governmental organizations whose programs or activities promote tourism in the unincorporated areas of Lewis County.

"Tourism promotion," as defined in RCW 67.28.080, 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.

The application deadline has been extended to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

ONLINE APPLICATION

The application is an online document located here: https://lewiscounty.formstack.com/forms/lodging_tax_application_2024

INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS

To view an overview about the Lodging Tax, click here.

To view the Sept. 5, 2023, press release about the launch of the application process, click here.

To view the Oct. 9, 2023, press release about the deadline extension, please click here.

To view a sample reimbursement form, which details the kind of information entities must submit to access the funds, please click here.

Please note that awardees may be asked to provide a current W-9.

APPLICANTS' IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS WILL BE NOV. 2, 2023

Applicants will be asked to give a presentation to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) members in November. The presentations are being planned as an in-person and are scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 351 N.W. North Street, Chehalis. BOCC staff will assign the presentation times shortly after the application period closes. Applicants will be allowed time for a 5-minute presentation, followed by a 9-minute question-and-answer period. (Please note that presentations also may be scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 1, if additional time is needed.)

WHO CAN APPLY

The entities that may apply for Lodging Tax funding are:

  • Convention and visitors’ bureaus;
  • Destination marketing organizations;
  • Nonprofits, including main street organizations, lodging associations, or chambers of commerce; and
  • Municipalities (defined as any city, town or county).

WHAT CAN THE FUNDING BE USED FOR

The Lodging Tax grant is a reimbursement-only grant that can be used for the following:

  • Tourism marketing.
  • Marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists.
  • Operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by municipalities or public facilities districts, including repayment of general obligation bonds or revenue bonds for eligible capital projects; or
  • Operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations (but not capital expenditures for nonprofit organizations).

ANY QUESTIONS?

For questions about the application process, please contact Administrative Assistant Senior Tammy Martin 360-740-1391 or Clerk of the Board Rieva Lester at 360-740-1419.

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