The City of Port Angeles will host a Lodging Tax Grant Workshop for potential applicants on Friday, September 19, from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 321 East 5th Street. Those interested can also attend virtually.
The City Lodging Tax Advisory Committee reviews applications and makes recommendations to the City Council on how to award lodging tax funds. Lodging tax funds are used to promote tourism in the community.
Workshop attendees will learn about the lodging tax grant application and award process, including:
- How lodging tax funds can be used
- What types of organizations are eligible to apply
- How funds are awarded
- Other requirements, including contract terms and the reimbursement process
The application workshop is updated every year to reflect any application or guideline changes. This year’s changes were extensive, and include:
- Addition of a “Definitions Section” that includes several RCW 67.28.080 definitions.
- Combining funding into two categories: (1) Capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or a public facilities district, and (2) Tourism-related marketing; the marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists; and supporting the operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations.
- Combining funding priorities into a single section.
- Adding priorities for the support of various types of marketing and a visitor center.
- Removing event funding caps.
- Adding a list of high priorities in line with Clallam County’s guidance for Committee members.
- Providing applicant guidance on specific requirements for prevailing wage and reporting.
- Reduce the review criteria categories to match the funding categories.
- Provide guidance that standardizes the use of excess reserve funds to ensure the funds are balanced by adding the remainder to the available annual budget and recommends withholding an additional $200,000 of excess reserve as part of the fund balance requirement until economic conditions are more stable.
- Allow for an additional round of budget awards in the next year if the budget and remaining excess reserves are not fully allocated in the first round of funding.
Whether you’re new to the lodging tax funding process or have submitted proposals in the past, this workshop is valuable opportunity to deepen your understanding of the application and award process. There will be an opportunity at the end of the session for open Q&A.
Attendance Options
Attend in person:
- Port Angeles City Hall, Council Chambers, 321 East 5th Street
Attend virtually via WebEx:
Join the training by phone:
- 1-844-992-4726 United States Toll Free
- Access code: 255 294 06334
The workshop will also be recorded and available for viewing on the City’s website and YouTube channel. For more information, please contact the Planning Division at (360) 417-4750 or ced@cityofpa.us.