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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClallamLTAC Lodging Tax Application 2025 (2)a GUIDELINES Clallam County lodging tax paid by visitors is a consumer tax on lodging charges for periods of less than 30 consecutive days for hotels, motels, rooming houses, private campgrounds, RV parks, and similar facilities within the unincorporated areas of Clallam County. This application is for applicable large-scale events, projects or infrastructure improvements only. Minimum grant is $5,000. Marketing requests should be directed to the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau (OPVB) Tourism Enhancement Grant program. I AMOUNT of Lodging Tax Requested: $ ___________________________________ II Agency/Organization Name: ____________________________________________ Organization is □ Government Entity □ 501(c)3 □ 501(c)6 □ Other Federal Tax ID No. ___________________ UBI Number ____________________ III Project/Activity/Event: _________________________________________________ IV Representative Contact Information: Name, Title __________________________________________________________ Mailing Address _______________________________________________________ Phone(s) __________________________________________________________ Email __________________________________________________________ V Service Categories, check all applicable: ________ Tourism Promotion/Marketing (individual marketing request, contact OPVB) ________ Operation of a Special Event/Festival designed to attract tourists ________ Operation of a Tourism-Related Facility owned or operated by Non-Profit Organization ________ Operation and/or Capital Expenditure of a Tourism-Related Facility owned by a Municipality __________________________________________________________________________ CERTIFICATION I am the authorized agent of the Agency/Organization applying for Lodging Tax funding. I understand and affirm that: If awarded, my organization intends to enter into a contract with Clallam County and meet all specified requirements of that contract. My Agency/Organization is required to submit a report documenting economic impact results in a format determined by Clallam County. ________________________________________ Date: _________________ Signature ________________________________________ Print or Type Name  How will the project/program help increase the number of people traveling to Clallam County for business or pleasure on a trip? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ How will the project/program help increase paid overnight accommodation in Clallam County? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ How will the project/program encourage visitors to come from a distance greater than 50 miles, either for the day or for an overnight visit? If so, please describe how. _____________________________ ________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How will the project/program encourage visitors to come from another country or state? _____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ If the project/program is an event, please provide the name, date(s) and estimated attendance. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ 2025 Tourism-Impact Estimate (Actual must be completed by applicants who had a Clallam County Lodging Tax Contract in 2024) State law governing the distribution of lodging tax funds requires they be used primarily to encourage visitors from out of the area, so do your best! As a direct result of your proposed tourism-related service, please provide: 2025 Estimate 2024 Actual Methodology  Overall attendance at your event/activity/facility     Number of people who travel more than 50 miles for your event/activity/facility     Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people who travel from another country or state.     Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people who stay overnight in the unincorporated Clallam County area.     Of the people staying overnight, the number of people who stay in PAID accommodations e.g. hotel, motel, bed-breakfast, RV park, in the unincorporated Clallam County area.     Number of paid lodging room nights resulting from your event/activity/facility.      Is there a host hotel for your event? If yes, please identify. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Describe the prior success of your event/activity/facility in attracting tourists. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Describe your target tourist audience (location, demographics, etc.) _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Describe how you will promote your event/activity/facility to attract tourists. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Describe how the event/activity/facility will help promote lodging establishments, restaurants, and businesses located in the unincorporated area of Clallam County. __________________________________ ___________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Are you applying for Lodging Tax funds from another community (yes or no)? If yes, indicate below where applying and for how much. Do NOT attach a copy of the application. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ What is the overall budget for your event/activity/facility? $ ___________________ What percent of the budget are you requesting from Clallam County Lodging Tax Fund? _________________% Please describe your plans for securing the remainder of the funds necessary to complete your event/activity/facility. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________ APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications must be received at the Board of County Commissioner’s Office, 223 East 4th Street, Suite 4, Port Angeles WA 98362-3015 (Clallam County Courthouse, main level, Room 150) until 12 p.m., Friday, October 11, 2024. The Clallam County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) will review 2025 Lodging Tax funding proposals in a public meeting as determined at the Clallam County Courthouse, Commissioner’s Boardroom 160. Applicants will be notified and attendance by the applicant’s representative is required for presentation and questions. Following review, LTAC will forward its recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. APPLICATION, SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS, INFORMATION SUBMITTAL: Submit the original application and one copy to: Clallam County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Board of Commissioner’s Office 223 East 4th Street, Suite 4 Port Angeles WA 98362-3015 - Submittals made in an incorrect format will not be considered. - Submit original application and one copy. - The sealed applications must be clearly marked on the outside “2025 Lodging Tax Funding Application.” - All copies need to be single sided and not stapled and no folders. - All documents/brochures must be printed on 8.5 x 11 letter size paper to be accepted. - Please refrain from submitting colorful pictures/PowerPoint presentations. Documents delivered to other offices and received late by the Commissioners' Office will not be considered nor will ones received by facsimile or e-mail. Required Additional Information – In addition to the application and supplemental questions answers, it is required that you attach the following: An itemized budget for your event/activity/facility (income and expense). Description and budget showing the intended use of the amount requested from the Clallam County Lodging Tax Fund. If the applicant is a non-profit organization, a copy of your agency/organization’s current non-profit corporate registration with the Washington Secretary of State, and current annual budget. Optional Information - Brochures/information concerning your event/activity/facility, in particular, items showing recent tourism promotion efforts. Brochures/information must be printed on 8.5 x 11 sized paper, single sided and not stapled copies to be accepted. Please refrain from submitting colorful pictures/PowerPoint Presentations. Contract Requirement – In order to be a recipient of Lodging Tax funds, a contract is required between Clallam County and the receiving Agency/applicant. Post Reporting Reporting Requirements enacted by the Washington State Legislature in 2013 (RCW 67.28.1816) requires the County to file an annual report to the State of Washington Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee regarding the use of funds for the year including a requirements to quantify how many individuals were attracted from more than fifty miles away and spent the night in paid lodging, and the reporting of expenditures and activities shall meet those requirements. It is required that all recipients submit a post-event activity report that provides information to the Clallam County Administrator as specified by the contract. GUIDELINES Clallam County lodging tax paid by visitors is a consumer tax on lodging charges for periods of less than 30 consecutive days for hotels, motels, rooming houses, private campgrounds, RV parks, and similar facilities within the unincorporated areas of Clallam County. CCC 5.13.020 Special fund. Eligibility Clallam County’s Lodging Tax Fund will be the primary source of County funding for activities, operations, and expenditures designed to increase tourism in the unincorporated areas. Applications may be submitted by any non-profit entity, any public entity, or any group of eligible organizations (RCW 67.28). Appropriate Uses The guiding principle for the use of lodging taxes is that they must be used for activities, operations and expenditures designed to increase tourism. Specifically, lodging taxes can be used for: Tourism marketing; Marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract visitors; Operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by a municipality or a public facilities district; or Operations of tourism-related facilities owned/operated by nonprofit organizations (RCW 67.28.1816). A tourism-related facility is a real or tangible personal property with a usable life of three or more years, or constructed with volunteer labor that is (a) owned by a public entity, nonprofit organization (including a non-profit business organization, destination marketing organization, main street organization, lodging association, or chamber of commerce) and (b) used to support tourism, performing arts, or to accommodate tourist activities (RCW 67.28.080) The guiding principle is that the facilities should be used by tourists. Tourism Marketing and Operations includes activities defined as “tourism promotion” in state law (RCW 67.28.080) Advertising, publicizing, or otherwise distributing information for the purpose of attracting and welcoming visitors; Developing strategies to expand tourism; Operating tourism promotion agencies; and Funding the marketing or operation of special events and festivals designed to attract visitors. HIGH PRIORITY may be given to tourism activities that: Have a demonstrated potential or high potential from the Committee’s perspective to result in overnight stays by visitors in lodging establishments for projected nonpeak periods within unincorporated Clallam County. Promote Clallam County events, activities, and places in the unincorporated area of Clallam County to potential visitors from outside the County. Have demonstrated a high potential from the Committee’s perspective to result in documented economic benefit to Clallam County. Have demonstrated history of success or are proposed by a group with a demonstrated history or high potential of success with similar activities. Minimize duplication of services where appropriate and encourage cooperative marketing and/or includes an element of cooperation or partnership. Provide, maintain, operate, or enhance County-owned tourism facilities or infrastructure. Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Considerations In developing its recommendations, the Committee considers: The estimated amount of Lodging Tax Fund available for the coming year as provided by the County’s Finance Director. Completeness of the proposal information. % of the proposal request to the event/facility promotions budget and overall revenues. % of increase over prior year Clallam County Lodging Tax funded proposals, if any. Projected economic impact within the unincorporated area of Clallam County, in particular projected overnight stays in this area lodging establishments. The applicant’s financial stability.