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1. Eligibility

Each applicant will fully define the service to be provided or the project to be implemented within their grant application. The project must comply with state statutes and City ordinances governing the use of Tourism Promotion Program funds. 

To be considered for funding, requests must be used for one of the following purposed (RCW 67.28.1816):

• Tourism marketing
• Marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists
• Operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations as defined by the IRC 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6). Proof of nonprofit status will be required.

Note: Capital purchases or improvements are not an allowable use except for City owned and/or Public Facilities District owned tourism-related facilities.

The City of Redmond’s Tourism Matching Grants Program accepts applications from any public or private organization with the demonstrated ability to accomplish the proposed project(s) that meet the fund requirements. The tourism program annually awards tourism grants in support of special events, sports tournaments, festivals, and tourism promotions—publicly and privately sponsored. Entities that may qualify for the grants include:

• Business organizations
• Community organizations
• Cultural organizations
• Educational organizations
• Entertainment organizations
• Galleries
• Heritage organizations
• Historical organizations
• Museums
• Sports organizations
• Visitor information bureaus

Eligibility of sponsors and projects is defined broadly to encourage wide participation and innovative proposals.

2. Project Evaluation and Funding Criteria

The applicant will explain how the project meets the criteria developed by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and adopted by the Redmond City Council.

Tourism Promotion
Meet the basic state requirements for tourism promotion? Promote a positive image for the City? Promote the City as a destination place? Attract visitors, build new audiences, and encourage tourist expansion? Increase awareness of the City’s amenities, history, facilities, and natural environment? Support regional tourism planning?

Benefit to the Community
How will this project/event benefit the residents of Redmond? Does this project benefit the overall community, rather than specific segment or interest?

Innovation
Is this project/event unusual or unique? Does it move an existing program in a new direction?

Community Support
Does the project/event have broad-based community appeal or support? What is the evidence of need for this project/event in the City?

Evidence of Partnership
What kind and degree of partnership does the project/event exhibit? Is there volunteer involvement, inter-jurisdictional, corporate, business and/or civic organization support?

Other Funding Sources
What other revenue sources will be used to support this project/event?

Previous and Replacement Funding
Is this funding request for a new project/event or to continue or expand on-going project/event?

Scale of Project
Is the project of a scale suitable for this funding program? (i.e. scale should be of a size to have an impact on increasing overnight stays and/or generate local business revenue, location could be near multiple businesses that would benefit from the project)

3. Weighted Scoring of Grant Applicants

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.

Applicants may review the current grant applicant weighted scoring matrix the City uses to help score grant applications. 

4. Project Budget

The project budget outlined within the application 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.

Grants will only be awarded based on the proof of paid expenses at the completion of the project that meet the allowable expense requirements. In addition, grant amounts paid cannot exceed more than 50% of the cost of the project (proof of project expenses in two times the amount of the grant will be required upon project completion). The minimum awarded amount is $1,000.

5. Memorandum of Understanding - City Contract

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:

• Definition of eligible costs
• Legal requirements
• Limits of City liability
• Project goals
• Specification of payment procedures

6. Reporting - Project Summary Report

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

The Project Summary Report requires the grantee to report the actual number of people traveling for business or pleasure on a trip in any of the following situations:

• Travel away from their place of residence or business and staying overnight in paid accommodations
• Travel from another country or state outside of their place of residence or their business
• Travel to a place 50 miles or more one way from their place of residence or business for the day or staying overnight

They must also describe how any monies received will result in increases in the number of people traveling for business or pleasure on a trip.

7. Reimbursement

The City will reimburse the applicant upon completion of the project or event if all documents meet the requirements and are turned in by the requested deadlines. Applicants must first incur costs and then invoice the City under guidelines laid out in the Memorandum of Understanding.

As stated under the Project Budget section: Grants will only be awarded based on the proof of paid expenses at the completion of the project that meet the allowable expense requirements. In addition, grant amounts paid cannot exceed more than 50% of the cost of the project (proof of project expenses in two times the amount of the grant will be required upon project completion). The minimum awarded amount is $1,000.