HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 QUILCENE HISTORICAL MUSEUM 20262026 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PACKET
LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION
2026 Proposal Guidelines: Tourism Promotion Activities
The Jefferson County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) is accepting proposals from
government agencies and non-profit organizations for tourism promotion to be provided during
calendar year 2026 and paid for from the County 's lodging tax fund. The Committee will make
recommendations to the Jefferson County Commissioners within one month following the
proposal deadline. All decisions for use of the lodging tax will be made by the Jefferson County
Commissioners.
•Proposals from government agencies or non-profit organizations are to be for
tourism promotion during calendar year 2026. Please refer to Section 1 of this
packet for examples of eligible tourism promotion activities for this funding
round.
• At the time of implementation, tourism related activities within proposals must comply
with federal, state, and county laws and requirements, including county Public
Health direction. NOTE: Jefferson County may not use public funds in any way that
can be construed as a gift to an individual or organization .
•Proposals must completely address the questions, and all requested supplemental
information must be provided. Incomplete or late proposals may not be considered by
LTAC.
•To be considered , a fully completed and signed digital application (digital
signatures acceptable) must be received at afmcknight@co.jefferson.wa.us by the
deadline listed above.
• All applications must be submitted as a signal digital application in a one PDF file
attached to an email. If you need assistance combining multiple documents into a
single PDF document , please contact our office.
•All documents filed with the County are public records, potentially eligible for release.
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mailto:afmcknight@co.jeffers
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2026 Proposal Checklist for Tourism Promotion Activities
Organization Name: Quilcene Historical Museum
Event Name, if different:
Proposed Contract Amount: $87750 501(c)(3) x (6) □
WA UBI Number: 601 333 689 EIN Number: 91-1519726
Proposals should completely address the questions, and all requested supplemental
information should be provided. Incomplete or late proposals may not be considered by the
Jefferson County LTAC.
To be eligible for consideration, your application must be signed, dated, and include the
following items in the listed order.
Check each item submitted:
X Signed and Dated Proposal Checklist for Tourism Promotion Activities.
X Declaration of capital expenditures and operations, if applicable (Attachment A).
X Proof of liability insurance (Attachment B)
X Section 1 - Itemized list of proposed services and estimated costs.
X Section 2 - Proposal Questions.
X Section 3 - Proposed 2026 promotion, facility, event or activity budget.
X Section 3 - 2025 organizational budget and year -to-date income and expense statement(s).
X Section 3 - List of names and addresses of the organization's current Board of Directors.
N ame and contact information for event chairperson, if applicable.
X Section 3 - Optional work samples such as season brochures, promotional materials, reviews,
news/magazine articles, etc. (maximum of 5 separate pieces)
To be considered, a fully completed and signed original application with supporting
documents must be electronically received and date stamped at the Jefferson County
Administrator's Office, to Adie! McKnight@ afmcknight@co.jefferson.wa.us
by WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 by 4:30 p.m. (Secure and approved file transfer links
are acceptable to accommodate large file sizes if needed.)
Documents submitted to the County are public records, potentially eligible for release.
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1. Itemized List of Proposed Tourism Promotion Services
8/25/2025 Quilcene Historical Museum
2026 LTAC Proposed Budget
orig 2024 2025 2026
LTAC BUDGET LTAC BUDGET LTAC BUDGET
66112 · LTAX Visitor Prom-Info-Convencs
66112.1 · Conveniences - PUD 5,200 5,200 5,200
66112.2 · Signage & PPE Supplies 500 500 500
66112.3 · Exhibits 500 1,000 1,000
66112.4 · News Letters & Postcards 500 500 500
66112.5 · Brochures 1,000 1,000 1,000
66112.6 · Conveniences - Sanitation 2,500 2,500 1,800
66112.7 · Invitations 750 750 750
Total 66112 · LTAX Visitor Prom-Info-Convencs 10,950 11,450 10,750
66116 · LTAX Cooperative Partnerships 1,000 1,000 1,000
66118 · LTAX Web, Soc Media, ISP, Phone
66118.1 · Internet & Phone Service 4,000 4,000 4,000
66118.2 · Website Design & Maint.5,000 5,000 4,000
66118.3 · Email Service 200 200 200
66118.4 · Website Provider 350 500 500
66118.5 · Video-Teleconference Service 200 200 200
66118.6 · Security System Service 420 1,000 1,200
66118.7 · Muli-Media H/W - - -
Total 66118 · LTAX Web, Soc Media, ISP, Phone 10,170 10,900 10,100
66120 · LTAX Spl Events Prom & Mktng
66120.1 · Multi-Media Advert.-Comm 2,000 2,000 1,000
66120.2 · Event Promotion & Support 12,500 16,500 5,000
66120 · Wedding Promotion 6,000 6,000 3,000
Total 66120 · LTAX Spl Events Prom & Mktng 20,500 24,500 9,000
66122 · LTAX Prof Svcs, Projects
66122.1 · Graphic Design - Non Event/Mark 300 300 300
66122.2 · Mailing Services 2,000 2,000 1,000
66122.3 · Lawn Services 18,000 18,000 22,000
66122.4 · Grant Writing Services 2,500 2,500 2,500
66122.5 · CPA Services 750 750 2,000
66122.6 · WP Maintenance & Operations 16,000 16,000 25,000
66122 · Pass Perfect Software 1,800 1,800 1,800
Total 66122 · LTAX Prof Svcs, Projects 41,350 41,350 54,600
66130 · Conference, Convention, Meeting 500 500 500
66171 · Office Expenses, Program 400 400 400
66173 · Postage, Program 100 100 100
66195 · Travel 100 100 100
Total Other Program Expenses 1,100 1,100 1,100
6.B · Administration
66200 · Other Non-Program Expenses
66265 · Office Expense, Administration 500 300 300
66267 · Postage, Administration 1,000 500 500
66269 · Printing and Copying, Admin 400 400 400
Total 66200 · Other Non-Program Expenses 1,900 1,200 1,200
Total Expense 86,970 91,500 87,750
RECEIVED 09/08/25
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2. Proposal Questions
Please limit your answers to no more than one page for each question.
1. Tell us about your promotion, program, facility, event or activity and why you think it will
increase tourists traveling to and staying in Jefferson County. Include a general description
of the promotion, program, facility, event or activity including its purpose, history, etc.
Worthington Park continues to be a one-of-a-kind historical and cultural destination with an active
museum, restored Victorian mansion, outdoor performing arts theater, and ten acres of beautiful
grounds. This year we expanded our outreach by accepting responsibility for a set of kiosks around
Quilcene which depict the history and facts about the community drawing visitors to enjoy a 2 mile
walk around the community. Our museum is a nonprofit, operating without debt, staffed, and led by
volunteers – with well over 55,000 hours of volunteer effort to date. We have been expanding our
Visitor Information corner on the porch of the museum to offer maps and brochures to visitors, even
when the museum is closed. It has seen a significant increase in demand since the closure of the
Quilcene Visitor Center. Our public events continue to draw record numbers of visitors from
locations far beyond our county. These events are rooted in strategic partnerships and aggressive
promotion. This summer brought record visitation to Worthington Park from across the country and
internationally. The Park hosted a wide range of public and private events, including numerous
weddings, with happy couples and guests coming from the surrounding counties and other states.
Worthington Park will continue to attract increasing numbers of visitors to Jefferson County as a
unique location for public and private events, while celebrating the history, natural beauty, and
special character of our region.
2. If this is a continuing or reoccurring promotion, program, facility or event, describe your
organization's prior activities. If applicable, how is it different than in the past?
Quilcene Historical Museum Volunteers continued to utilize the new museum addition to help
organize and refresh the museum's exhibits, displays, and stored artifacts. We also extended our
opening days into the off season, attracting additional visitors to the area in the ‘shoulder’
months. Worthington Park continued to increase the number and variety of events this year, with
additional wedding, anniversary, and birthday event bookings, as well as additional and expanded
public events. All these events bro ught guests and vendors from outside of Jefferson County. The
restored Hamilton -Worthington House continues to be booked for overnight stays and heavily
utilized during events and for private tours. Our events tend to utilize the entire 10 acres of the
park: museum, 1915 barn, restored Victorian mansion, outdoor theatre, meadow, and scenic
grounds. Very few other event facilities provide this kind of offering. Major public events were
staged every month from June to October. The June gravel bike race, the B on Jon Pass Out,
returned for the fifth year, attracting participants from numerous other states. This competition is
the largest of its kind in Jefferson County – taking advantage of Worthington Park’s proximity to
the Olympic National Forest and trailheads. The very popular Up, Up, Up Circus returned for its
fif th year in August attracting approximately 300 visitors who picnicked in the meadow, catching
the free circus performance. The Oyster Races half marathon, 10K, and 5K will return to
Worthington Par k in September. Registration for these races is tracking to make them the largest
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to date. Online promotion of the event has led to interest coming from the surrounding counties
of Clallam, Pierce, Mason, King, Kitsap, and Thurston. In October, the very popular Quilcene
Fiber Festival returns to the park featuring sheep shearing, weavin g, spinning, knitting, felting,
and traditional music and storytelling. Fiber artists from across the Peninsula will be offering
their creations in the restored mansion and across the entire park. We expect this South County
event to attract the greatest a mount of business and visitors to Quilcene/South Jefferson County
in 2025. The online interest in the event has almost doubled from last year, with more than a
month of promotion time remaining we hope to increase attendance by at least 30%. We
employed LTAC funding to successfully promote our overnight accommodation in the Hamilton-
Worthington House and greater Jefferson County and generate increased bookings for private
and public events. We have adjusted our promotional priorities to increase online visibility of our
events and awareness of the facility. We expect our wedding bookings to increase by 20% in
2026. We are also increasingly utilizing the Hamilton -Worthington House through the “off
season” for private events including private parties, fund -raising events, annivers aries,
memorials, and weddings in efforts to offset the increased costs of managing the park, mansion
and museum. Additionally, with the county’s goal to increase off-season tourism we continue to
open the museum during the off-season months. A new endeavor for this year is the adoption of
10 kiosks spread throughout the area. This allows for a natural community walk from kiosk to
kiosk highlighting the areas unique environment and history. Our museum volunteers have also
become quite engaged with the Brinnon and Quilcene schools promoting the learning of the
history of the region and helping the schools find new ways to leverage the park and museum.
3. How does your promotion, program, facility or event support one of the Highest
Priorities or Additional Considerations listed below under "Other Criteria" (see page
9)?
All of the funds that QHM receives from LTAC are used for the two highest priorities of the BOCC’s
“Other Criteria”. The majority of funds are used for the development and operations of the Museum and
Worthington Park which not only provides a tourism draw of its own it also is a unique facility in
Jefferson Co which other organizations utilize for special events and festivals in south county. The
remaining funds we receive are used to host and promote the particular events we sponsor as an
organization (oyster races, fiber festival, circus…).
4. Describe how you intend to market/promote your promotion, program, facility, event
or activity to potential tourists who reside outside Jefferson County or traveling
more than 50 miles.
a. We host several public and private events throughout the year and utilize different
promotion/marketing techniques for the different events.
b. Our earliest public event tends to be our museum opening weekend and open house in April, with
other public and private events happening throughout the remainder of the year.
c. Our target audience varies depending upon event type.
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d. We take advantage of social media’s reach by utilizing Facebook ads and groups to seek people with
interests similar to our individual events. Wedding promotion is directed towards wedding expos,
Instagram, and SEO, while also taking advantage of wedding groups on Facebook and local event
groups, such as Quimper Events Collective. Our websites continue to see significant traffic and
we’ve leveraged LTAC funds in the past and will continue to do so to keep them updated
https://www.worthingtonparkquilcene.org/ and https://www.quilcenemuseum.org/
e. We advertise the Hamilton-Worthington House as a lodging option on our websites and to visitors of
the museum and park. We have a local lodging list available to our wedding couples that tour our
facility.
f. We are members of TCC, NHCCC, and often participate in OPTC meetings. Additionally, we are
members of Quimper Events Collective and appreciate their promotion of our venue and events at
expos, meetings, and on their website/social media. We also appreciate cross-promotion from
Quilcene Fair & Parade through social media. Finally, we are members of various Museum and
Historical associations (including JCHS) which helps to attract history buffs from across the nation to
our area.
5. How will you measure the effectiveness of your promotion, program, facility, event or
activity?
We use event visitation figures, vendor sales numbers, overnight stay data, and online
performance insights to measure the effectiveness of our promotions, facility, and events.
Our Facebook and Instagram statistics continue to indicate a significantly exp anded reach
for all our events. We also gather data from each event inquiry to determine how they
heard about our venue.
a. Also, describe how you will document and report to the County the economic
impact from your promotion, program, facility, event or activity. (State law requires
the County to report annually to the State Department of Community Development
and Economic Trade about the number of lodging stays and economic benefit from
tourists generated by use of Lodging Tax proceeds for tourism promotion.)
We have organized our operational management to consistently provide, as required by
our contract with the county, quarterly reports of the use, services, programs, and
activities utilizing the information we have collected as described above. We also
provide quarterly financial statements detailing revenues, expenses, and cash balances.
6. What economic impact can we expect in Jefferson County from your proposed
promotion, program, facility, event or activity?
We continue to increase visitor counts to our facility each year. We also provide
employment opportunities directly and indirectly to individuals and businesses in
South Jefferson Co.
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a. Actual or estimated number of tourists at your event/facility last year (2025):
7200.
b. Estimated number of tourists who will attend your event/facility this year (2026):
9100.
c. Projected economic impact in Jefferson County from your event/facility (e.g.
number of tourists who will stay overnight in Jefferson County -based lodging
establishments; economic impact for Jefferson County restaurants, community
facilities, amenities, events, and businesses).
2000 visitors staying overnight in Jefferson Co. $90,000 direct economic
impact to Jefferson Co plus over $200,000 indirect economic impact.
7. Describe your organization's area of expertise. Do you provide a unique service?
Worthington Park is a one-of-a-kind, volunteer led, historical and cultural destination
with an active museum, a restored Victorian mansion (offering overnight lodging), an
outdoor performing arts theater, a kiosk community walk, a Visitor Information corner,
and ten acres of beautiful grounds. We stand out from other wedding and event venues
because of the all-encompassing settings available on our grounds. As noted above, the
variety of the events we are offering continues to expand and we are committed to
integrating our facility in a manner that draws ever increasing numbers of visitors. The
funding we are requesting for 2026 reflects our expanding mission and is structured in
detail to promote, sustain, and grow our capacity to support unique visitor experiences.
This funding will strengthen the extraordinary cultural character of our facility as we
upgrade and maintain our interpretive and exhibition offerings – and continue to expand
our narrative to growing numbers of visitors. The LTAC funds we receive allow a
unique leverage of non-profit/public partnership fostering tourism, economic
opportunities and increased quality of life for Jefferson Co. residents and businesses.
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3. Background Information about Your Organization
Attach the following items to your proposal in the order listed:
(Note: To be considered by the Committee, all of the listed information must be included with
your proposal.)
Attachments:
• Projected 2026 promotion, program, facility, event or activity budget including income and
expenses. (Please note: if an LTAC award is granted at a different than requested, you will
be asked to submit a revised budget prior to contract approval.)
• 2025 Budget and Actual income and expenses year to date statement(s) (for example, Profit
& Loss and Balance Sheets).
• List of names and addresses of the organization's Board of Directors as of the date the
proposal is filed. Also, if the proposal is for the marketing of an event and there is a
chairperson for the event (either volunteer or paid), list that individual's name, address and
phone number.
• If you desire, you may provide samples of promotional and/or design materials such as
brochures, artist renderings, graphics, etc. (recommended 1-10 samples.)
Note: Staff will verify Incorporation status of the non-profit agencies who submit service
proposals by checking the Washington Secretary of State's on-line corporation records.
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3. Background Information about Your Organization
Proposed 2026 promotion, facility, event or activity budget including income and expenses.
QHM 2026 Income & Expense Budget (PRELIMINARY - Excludes Construction and Depreciation)
2025 2026 25 thru Aug 7th
Budget Budget Actuals
Income
43110 · Membership Dues 4,390 4,390 2,795
44110 · Interest (Financial Inst)25 1,000 1,200
44130 · Dividends (Excl Cap Gain)25 25
44140 · Unrealized Gain/Loss-Securities 2,000 2,000 12,600
44430 · Local Gov't Contracts (LTAX)91,500 87,750 91,500
46110 · Gaming Gross Income 500 500 0
46120 · Fundraising Non-Gift Income 5,000 5,000 5,500
46130 · Fundraising Gift Inc (990 Ln1)3,500 3,500 0
46140 · Fundraising Event Expenses -4,000 -4,000 0
47110 · Inventory Sales-Incl Sales Tax 1,093 1,093 550
47510 · Rent Revenue 30,000 30,000 25,000
47550 · Personal Property Rent Revenue 100 100
43401 · Contributions, General 15,000 15,000 9,500
Total Income 149,133$ 146,358$ 148,645
Expense
64125 · Insurance, Property & Casualty 8,000 8,000 4,000
64135 · Maintenance and Repairs 20,000 20,000 4,800
64137 · Garden Expense 5,000 5,000 160
64145 · Rental Host 11,000 11,000 140
64150 · Tax, Real Estate & Personl Prop 9,000 9,000 3,200
64160 · Utilities 2,500 2,500 1,400
66112 · Visitor Event Support & Information 11,450 11,450 5,000
66116 · Cooperative Partnerships 1,000 1,000 425
66118 · Web-sites, Social Media, ISP, Phone 10,900 10,900 7,500
66120 · Special Events, Promotions, Marketing 24,500 24,500 16,400
66122 · Professional Services, Projects 41,350 41,350 35,600
66130 · Conference, Convention, Meeting 500 500 0
66145 · Exhibits 2,500 2,500
66171 · Office Expenses, Program 400 400 40
66173 · Postage, Program 100 100 275
66175 · Recognition and Appreciation 500 500 500
66192 · Hospitality, Food, Beverages 500 500 0
66195 · Travel 100 100 0
66220 · Bank and Payment Service Fees 200 200 50
66230 · Business Permit/Registr/License 120 120 20
66265 · Office Expense, Administration 300 300 0
66267 · Postage, Administration 1,000 1,000 200
66269 · Printing and Copying, Admin 400 400 0
Total Expense 151,320$ 151,320$ 79,710
Net Ordinary Income (2,187)$ (4,962)$
RECEIVED 09/08/25
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Quilcene Historical Museum Board of Directors Dec 22, 2024
Chair: Dan Gatchet Vice Chair: Cleone Telling Info for 2025
Treasurer: Kevin Wooley Secretary: Larry McKeehan
http://www.quilcenemuseum.org/
http://www.worthingtonparkquilcene.org/
quilcenemuseum@olypen.com
Home and /or Cell
Jeff Childs PO Box 609 Quilcene WA 98376 vin.fish@yahoo.com 360-765-3954 360-303-7074
Carol Christiansen 8349 Camano Loop NE Lacey WA 98516 jeccbc@olympus.net 360-628-8584 206-618-9400
Caitlin Friedman PO 519 Quilcene WA 98376 caitiesand@gmail.com 813-403-7159
Dan Gatchet 3900 Lindsay Hill Road Quilcene WA 98376 dangatchet@me.com 206-465-2429
Larry McKeehan 491 Olele Point Rd Port Ludlow WA 98365 larrymck45@gmail.com 360-437-2842 360-720-4324
Talia Munn 50 Walker Street Quilcene WA 98376 taliamunn@gmail.com 253-677-9631
Mari Phillips 450 Penny Creek Rd Quilcene WA 98376 pennycreekbaby@yahoo.com 360-765-0688 360-531-2776
David Satterlee PO Box 249 Quilcene WA 98376 dsatt@olypen.com 360-765-4810 206-999-5593
Bobbie Strohm PO Box 441 Quilcene WA 98376 bobbie@ranchosuenos.com 619-778-2266
Cleone Telling 181 E Leland Valley Rd Quilcene WA 98376 71cleone@gmail.com 360-301-4130
Kevin Wooley 3850 Lindsay Hill Rd Quilcene WA 98376 kevin.j.wooley@gmail.com 360-531-1023
Lauren Reinertsen QHM Bookkeeper Quilcene, WA 98376 Northwest Business Solutions
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ATTACHMENT B
Insurance Certificate
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Marketing/Promotion Examples
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