APPLY FOR FUNDING
Purpose
The purpose of these funds are to grow our tourism economy through visitor spending in Snohomish County by encouraging overnight stays. In turn, this will also increase retail, restaurant, transportation, attraction and other local spending. Annually, the travel industry generates more than 10,000 jobs and over one billion dollars in direct visitor spending in our County.
For our general and application requirements, please see Requirements tab above.
Application Process
Applications for a TPA grant are due by 11:59 p.m. on the first day of each month, at least 4 months prior to the event, 6 month prior to the event for requests over $50,000. Submissions are gathered and provided to the TPA Advisory Board for review and vote at that month’s board meeting. Please note that applications that focus mostly on marketing will be considered.
Please submit all applications to: sarah.strozyk@snoco.org
***Grant applicants are encouraged to attend the Advisory Board meeting in the month they apply and present their applications in person via Zoom Conference.
Prospective applicants and members of the public are welcome, to attend the monthly Advisory Board meetings, which are held online each month via Zoom Conference. Please check agenda details above for Zoom Meeting Links.
When filling out the application, please include both your point of contact and the intended signatory, if they are different people. Additionally, ensure that the business name listed on the application matches exactly how it appears on your tax documents, W-9, and Certificate of Insurance (COI). Please also attach your most recent W-9 and, if available, your COI when submitting your application. COI Example
For further information, please contact Sarah Strozyk at 425-312-0890. Completed grant applications may submitted via email at sarah.strozyk@snoco.org.
Eligible Expenditures
These funds are made available through the support of Snohomish County Lodging Businesses. For every applicable occupied room night, guests are assessed a small fee that is returned to Snohomish County. Pursuant to RCW 35.101 and Snohomish County Ordinance 10-112, revenue collected from this assessment must be used for activities and expenditures designed to increase tourism promotion and convention business, including but not limited to advertising and marketing materials, marketing and publicizing events, conference/ convention or trade shows, operation of a tourism destination marketing organization or otherwise distributing information for the purpose of attracting and welcoming tourists to Snohomish County that result in overnight stays. Alcohol, venue, and operations are not an eligible TPA expense.
Who Can Apply?
The program is open to applications from public, non-profit or private entities with a demonstrated ability to create overnight stays for Snohomish County hotels. Applications are due by the first of each month in order to be presented at the monthly meeting held on the third Tuesday of the month, four months prior to event or expected expenditure for requests at or below $50,000, six months prior to even or expected expenditure for request above $50,000.
What we’d like to see more of:
Events in the hotel off-season
Events that attract business travelers
Conventions & Conferences
Creative Multi-Day Events Focused on Overnight Stays
Large Sporting Events like the X-Games and Terracross
