Who May Apply?
The program accepts applications from any public or private organization with the demonstrated ability to accomplish the proposed project(s). These include cultural, historical, heritage, educational and community organizations, museums, galleries, chambers of commerce, and visitor information bureaus. Eligibility of sponsors and projects is defined broadly to encourage wide participation and innovative proposals.  

Application, Selection and Contract Process:  Applications for tourism grants will be accepted in the fall of 2008. 

1. Organizations seeking funding under this program must submit a Tourism Promotion Program Application.   (Note: The application packet is in Adobe Acrobat format.  You will need to have the free Acrobat Reader in order to view and print it.)  City staff will review applications for completeness and eligibility. Applicants may be contacted for clarification or additional information. Applications that are not complete or are not eligible for funding will be disqualified and returned.
2. Qualifying applications will be evaluated on a competitive basis using the official Tourism Promotion funding criteria. These Criteria appear on page 3 of this flyer. Funding recommendations will be forwarded to the Mayor and Council.
3. The City Council will make the final decisions on project approval and funding levels.
4. A Memorandum of Understanding will be sent to successful applicants, along with a project summary report form.
5. When the project is completed, applicants will complete and return the Project Summary Report with a final invoice and supporting documentation.

Program Requirements

Project applications must describe:
Eligibility
Each applicant will define the service to be provided or the project to be implemented.  The project must comply with State statutes and City ordinances governing the use of Tourism Promotion funds. The applicant must also indicate how it will carry out the project and account for the expenditure of program funds.

Scope of Work
The applicant will submit a scope of work that describes the project in detail.

Time Line
The scope of work will include a schedule indicating the timing of the overall project and its major steps or tasks.

Project Evaluation Criteria
The applicant will explain how the project meets the criteria developed by the Hotel-Motel Tax Advisory Committee and adopted by the Redmond City Council.

Project Budget
The project budget will include a description of the items needed to complete the project, the amount of City funds requested, the applicant’s other revenue sources for this project, and the total cost of the project.

Reimbursement
The City will reimburse the applicant upon completion of the project or event.  Applicants must first incur costs and then invoice the City under guidelines laid out in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Memorandum of Understanding
Each applicant selected for funding will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Redmond. The Memorandum of Understanding will cover project goals, definition of eligible costs, specification of payment procedures, limits of City liability and legal requirements.

Reporting
As a contractual condition, each funded project applicant must submit a final report and invoice at the end of the project, and may be required to submit periodic progress reports during the course of the project.

Contact person
Each project application will designate a primary individual as the contact for the project. This individual will deal directly with the City.

Tourism Promotion Fund Criteria

State law defining the use of special hotel-motel tax

State law defines promoting tourism as: "activities 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 marketing of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists."

Awards are based on the extent to which the applicant project or activity meets the following criteria:

• Priority is given to Redmond based activities and projects
• Priority is given to programs requesting seed money versus on-going funding
• The project or activity:

– promotes tourism which benefits the overall community, rather than a specific segment or interest
– supports regional tourism planning / promotion
– promotes the unique attributes of Redmond for tourists and the community
– promotes the city as a destination place
– encourages partnerships (public/private)
– supports long-lasting assets, capital facilities/amenities

Additional guidelines for the program are as follows:

• Minimum award is $1,000
• No award of funds will exceed 50% of the cost of the event/activity
• Award will be contingent upon the applicant’s demonstration of other funding sources
• Expenditures are subject to audit

The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to fund or not fund any particular project or program for which an application is submitted. The determination of whether to fund a particular project or program will be based upon a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the ability of the program or project to promote tourism in the City, the relative merits of the project or program compared to the applications, and the overall availability of funding.  The City is the sole judge of its obligation to fund any particular project or program regardless of its merits under these factors.