December 20, 2018. Tillamook, Oregon.
Visit Tillamook Coast, the tourism marketing and destination management organization for Tillamook County, announced today that $97,803 in marketing and promotions grants have been awarded to 13 organizations and businesses for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
This is the fourth fiscal year that grant funds have been made available, for total award funding of $405,400. Funding comes from the portion of the transient lodging tax (TLT) managed by Visit Tillamook Coast.
“It’s a priority for us to get the TLT funds into the community to help tourism-related organizations and businesses build capacity, improve services, and grow revenues,” said Nan Devlin, tourism director for Visit Tillamook Coast. “These TLT grants are part of our community development initiative to help local groups succeed.”
Grant applications are thoroughly reviewed, scored and ranked by the Tourism Promotion Advisory Committee (TPAC), then submitted to the Economic Development Council of Tillamook County for approval of funding.
“TPAC takes their role in the grant application process very seriously,” said Doug Olson, treasurer of the EDC board and liaison to the TPAC. “The EDC owes them a debt of gratitude for their thoughtfulness and thorough review and scoring.”
Applicants receiving tourism grant funds in the current fiscal year are Garibaldi Cultural Heritage Initiative, Friends of Netarts Bay/WEBS, Tillamook Estuaries Partnership, Friends of Cape Falcon Reserve, Food Roots, City of Garibaldi, North County Recreation District, Monday Musical Club, Jetty Fishery, North Coast Land Conservancy, Art Accelerated, Tillamook Air Museum and the International Police Museum.
Non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses are eligible to apply for projects related to tourism marketing and promotion, such as events, websites, brochures, rack cards, advertising, maps, mobile apps and social media campaigns.
The next round of tourism marketing and promotion grants will take place after July 1, 2019 when the new fiscal year begins.
For more information on grants, call Nan Devlin, director, or Amy Blackburn, grants administrator, at 503 842-2672.