Poulsbo Tourism Grant
The Poulsbo Tourism Grant is funded by the City’s lodging tax. Each year, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) reviews applications on behalf of the City to utilize this tax to promote and support tourism in Poulsbo. LTAC provides a list of recommendations to the City Council to approve for funding. Once approved, grant applicants are then notified if their organization has been awarded for the current funding cycle.
Eligible activities/projects per RCW 67.28.1816
| a. Tourism marketing; |
| b. The marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists; |
| c. Supporting the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or a public facilities district created under chapters 35.57 and 36.100 RCW; or |
| d. Supporting the operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by nonprofit organizations described under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501 c (3) and 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501c (6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended. No capital expenditures are allowed for tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a nonprofit organization. |
Poulsbo Tourism Grant Weighting Criteria for 2025/2026
Extra weighting provided for:
- New applicants who focus on a) tourism marketing and b) marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists.
- Events created during the off-season: October – April (Spring/Fall/Winter).
- Proven overnight stays in lodging facilities within City limits.
Other award funding considerations include:
- City of Poulsbo departments may apply for funds if the request aligns with the RCWs.
- Applicant operations should become more self-sustaining over time, with a goal of 3-5 years.
- Designating 25% or less of funding to be used towards applicant operations.
- Demonstrable proportionality of 75% or more of awarded funding to be focused on Poulsbo – pertinent to regional organizations.
- Address transportation and parking challenges, especially for locations with known challenges such as downtown and Viking Avenue.
- Emphasis on utilizing new venues and parks outside of the downtown corridor.
Poulsbo’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee 2025-2026:
| Category | Representative, Organization |
| Elected official from the municipality | Gary McVey, Poulsbo City Council |
| Staff (Non-voting) | Debbie Booher, Assistant City Administrator Larissa Campbell, Senior Accountant Lin Hino, Special Events Coordinator Jeff Ozimek, Parks and Recreation Director |
| Business that collects lodging tax | Ashley Walchok, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott |
| Business that collects lodging tax | Stephen Evins, Hotel Skandi w/Sound West Group Real Estate |
| Organization eligible to apply | Greg Enright, Cultural Arts Foundation of the Northwest |
| Organization eligible to apply | Kathi Foresee, Viking Fest Corporation |
City of Poulsbo Tourism Tax Grant Process & Instructions for 2025
2025/2026 Poulsbo Tourism Grant Timeline
Full details regarding the current grant cycle timeline can be found by clicking on the link above. Important deadlines are listed below.
- June 27 – Applications open for the 2025/2026 Poulsbo Tourism Grant cycle.
- September 3 – Deadline to submit 2025/2026 Poulsbo Tourism Grant applications.
- September 30 – Selected applicants present to LTAC.
- December 30 – Award letters and grant agreements will be emailed to successful applicants.
Apply for 2025/2026 Poulsbo Tourism Grant
Fully complete and submit the following items to LTAC@cityofpoulsbo.com by the deadline date. Applications that are not fully completed or returned after the deadline may not be considered.
- Grant application. PDF / Word
- Organization’s most recent Tax Return or Annual Financial Statement.
- Detailed project budget, outlining expenses and revenues, for each project applied for.
LTAC’s Funding Intent
It is LTAC’s intention that award recipients implement methods to allow their organization to become more self-sufficient for funding events, marketing initiatives, and tourism programs for subsequent award cycles. Continued funding of recurring tourism initiatives is not sustainable or guaranteed for future funding cycles.
Grant Requirements
If an organization is awarded for the current Poulsbo Tourism Grant cycle, they must submit the following items listed below before January 31 of that cycle’s funding year. The City will email an award letter and a Tourism Promotions Services Agreement to all award recipients. These will outline the necessary steps to accept and complete the grant requirements. Failure to complete these steps by the deadline may result in the forfeiture of the award.
- Signed copy of the 2025 Tourism Promotions Services Agreement.
- Certificate of Insurance and Endorsement of Additional Insured– Review the Tourism Services Promotions Agreement for specific details. Note, insurance minimums were increased in 2024 and remain in effect.
- Current W-9.
- If an organization received a grant from the previous year’s funding cycle, it must complete the 2025 Poulsbo Tourism Grant Annual Report before the new award can be administered. The data in this report is reported to the state by the City. Failure to submit the annual report by the above deadlines will result in a forfeiture of an organization’s award.
Reporting
Grant awardees must report applicable metrics for their award quarterly. If the awardee’s report does not support the required data, LTAC may reduce or provide a zero-funding recommendation for future application years. These metrics inform LTAC of the economic and tourism impacts that the grant funding has helped facilitate.
- Event attendance numbers.
- Attendee/visitor zip codes outside of a 50-mile radius of Poulsbo.
- Number of nights attendees/visitors stayed in Poulsbo lodging (Hotels/AirBNB/VRBO/Family).
- Website traffic/marketing metrics.
Reimbursement
All reimbursement requests need to be submitted quarterly. Review the 2025 Poulsbo Tourism Grant Quarterly Instructions document for details regarding deadline dates, submittal instructions, receipts/invoices required, and FAQs. Submissions received after an established due date may not be reimbursed.
It is important to note that reimbursement for event-based expenses can only be issued after the event has occurred. Funding is not provided ahead of time.
Questions? Contact LTAC@cityofpoulsbo.com.
FAQ’s for the Poulsbo Tourism Grant
City of Poulsbo Tourism Grant Presentation
In 2024, the City hosted two open houses that gave the community a better understanding of the Poulsbo Tourism Grant: City of Poulsbo Tourism Grant Presentation.
Where does the Poulsbo Tourism Grant money come from?
Funding for this grant comes from the City of Poulsbo Lodging Tax Fund, which receives a percentage of hotel/motel taxes from lodging establishments inside the city limits. The city collects a sales tax on charges for overnight lodging. These funds are distributed by the Department of Revenue back to the city for the funding of tourism-related capital facilities, non-event operations, and event marketing and operations.
What can the Poulsbo Tourism Grant be used for?
Please see RCW 67.28.1816. Take a look at this recent article posted by the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC): Can We Spend Lodging Tax Funds on That?
Poulsbo Tourism Grant Funds are provided by lodging taxes and can be used for:
- Tourism promotion/marketing
- Operation of a tourism promotion agency
- Operation of a tourism-related facility owned or operated by a non-profit organization
- Operation and/or capital costs of a tourism-related facility owned by a municipality
Can for-profit entities apply for the Poulsbo Tourism Grant?
Yes. The statute does not explicitly prohibit for-profit entities from applying for lodging tax funds. The City of Poulsbo departments may apply for funds if the request aligns with the RCWs.The purpose of the funds is to promote tourism in the City of Poulsbo by attracting individuals traveling over 50 miles away and encouraging overnight stays.
How and when will I hear back about the status of my application?
After applications are submitted to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, they will be reviewed and evaluated by committee members and staff for completeness and eligibility. Applicants may be contacted to provide clarification, make corrections, or supply additional information. Applications that do not meet the guidelines will be disqualified and returned. Applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of this Committee meeting and may be requested to attend.
The Committee’s funding recommendation will then be forwarded on to the City of Poulsbo City Council for final decision. Applicants will be notified following the City Council’s decision for funding.
How should I track the number of overnight stays my program or event generates?
-
You can approach this in several ways.
If your event or program requires attendees to register or buy a ticket, you can include the following survey questions when they check out:
- Are they staying in overnight paid accommodations?
- Are they traveling over 50 miles and staying overnight in unpaid accommodations (with friends or family)?
- Are they traveling over 50 miles and staying for the day only?
You can work with hoteliers on “special rates” for those who attend your event or program. At the end of your program or event, you can get reports from hotels that show how many times guests used your special rate.
You can also survey attendees during your event if you’d like to take a more analog approach.