PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau is taking applications for 2014 tourism-enhancement grants for events and projects that encourage overnight visitation, bureau Executive Director Diane Schostak announced Monday.
“We’re going fishing,” she said.
The bureau next year expects to award some $30,000 worth of tourism grants on behalf of Clallam County.
The funding comes from a 4 percent lodging tax in unincorporated Clallam County. That includes motels, campgrounds, RV parks and Olympic National Park lodges.
Clallam County collects about $400,000 per year in total lodging tax revenue, a portion of which is distributed in the form of the tourism enhancement grants.
“We administer them on behalf of Clallam County,” Schostak said.
“We’re kind of an in-between.”
The lion’s share of county lodging tax revenue — $380,000 was budgeted for 2014 — is used to market the North Olympic Peninsula.
Past recipients of the tourism grants include the Olympic Adventure Trail Run, Olympic BirdFest, Tour de Lavender and the sprint boat races at Extreme Sports Park.
The grants are typically for $5,000.
“We are delighted to offer these grant funds to support projects and events that attract overnight visitors and add to the quality of our guests’ Olympic Peninsula experiences,” Schostak said in a Monday announcement.
According to a statewide travel impacts study, Clallam County tourism accounts for 3,240 jobs and $212.3 million in annual spending, Schostak said.
Applications are reviewed throughout the year as long as funds are available.
“We really want people to be successful,” Schostak said. “That’s what this fund is for.”
For more information about the tourism grants or to apply, click on www.tinyurl.com/OPVB-grants or phone Schostak at 360-452-8552.
