Oregon Tourism Commission/Travel Oregon
Matching Grants Program

The mission of the Oregon Tourism Commission (OTC), doing business as Travel Oregon, is to "encourage economic growth and to enhance the quality of life in Oregon through a strengthened economic impact of tourism throughout the state." As such, OTC has established a program to make grant awards to eligible applicants for projects that contribute to the development and improvement of local economies and communities throughout this state by means of the enhancement, expansion and promotion of the visitor industry.

Cities, counties, port districts, federally-recognized Tribes and non-profit entities located in Oregon and involved with tourism promotion and development are eligible for grants from the Matching Grants Program. Applicant must equally match the amount of the awarded grant; up to 50% of the match may be in-kind. (Example: If you are awarded a $10,000 grant, you are responsible for coming up with $10,000 in matching funds of which $5,000 may be in-kind services such as staff time or donated services or materials relevant to your grant project) All grant applicants must have a federal tax ID# to be considered. The program is administered by Travel Oregon's Tourism Development Manager with assistance from a grant review committee that screens and scores applications. Final determinations are made by the Oregon Tourism Commission.

OTC has $100,000 for investment in the Matching Grants Program during the fiscal year 2007-08 (July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008). Each applicant may request up to $10,000 in grant funds with a limit of one grant project request per cycle. The deadline for applications to be submitted is August 20, 2007. We strongly encourage potential grant applicants to submit a brief, 1-2 paragraph, description of their grant project via email to grants@TravelOregon.com before they begin work on the Grant Information Worksheet or electronic Grant Application Form. We can help you with ideas about your grant project, potentially saving you time in the process.

NEW THIS YEAR: An electronic Grant Application Form will be available on the Travel Oregon website beginning early July 2007 (all grant inquiries received by that time will be notified). The Grant Information Worksheet contains the same questions and information that will be required of all Grant Applicants on the electronic Grant Application Form, so please use the Grant Information Worksheet to gather your answers and information so you will be ready for the electronic application in July. Please review the Grant Application Guidelines before starting work on the Grant Information Worksheet (links to both documents available below).

For the 2006-07 cycle, OTC received 56 applications and approved 16. See a list of sample projects (below) that were funded in the 2006-07 cycle for grant project ideas.

• Grant Information Worksheet (MS Word)
• Grant Application Guidelines (pdf)
• A Sampling of Funded Projects (from 2006-07 Matching Grants Program) (pdf)
• Electronic Grant Application Form
• Grant Application Form (MS Word document)