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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNWM 2025 NWM WBF Lodging Tax Tourism Application Packet rcvd 1003242025 Request for Proposal Packet Lodging Tax/Tourism Promotion 2025 Proposal Checklist for Tourism Promotion Activities Organization Name Wooden Boat Foundation Event Name, if different Wooden Boat Festival Proposed Contract Amount: $45,000 Proposals must completely address the questions, and all requested supplemental information must 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: I% Signed and Dated Proposal Summary Sheet Section 1 - Itemized list of proposed services and estimated costs. J Section 2 - Proposal Questions. Section 3 - Proposed 2025 promotion, facility, event or activity budget. V� Section 3 — 2024 budget and year-to-date income and expense statement(s). Section 3 - List of names and addresses of the organization's current Board of Directors. Name and contact information for event chairperson, if applicable. 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 Adiel McKnight @ afmcknight@co.jefferson.wa.us by FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2024. Documents submitted to the County are public records, potentially eligible for release. 2025 Proposal Checklist for Tourism Promotion Activities Proposal Deadline: FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2024 at 4:30 pm (received, not postmarked) Electronically to Email Address: afmcknightta'�..co.iefferson.wa.us Please type (10 point or larger) or legibly print in ink. To be considered: all questions must be answered; all requested documents provided; this form must be signed and dated. Organization Name Organization Address Contact Name Contact Address Day Phone E-Mail Address Facility/Event (if applicable) Total Lodging Tax Request: Estimated 2025 org. operating Wooden Boat Foundation 431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Katie Oman, COO 431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 360-385-3628 Evening or Cell Phone: 206-734-6881 katie@nwmaritime.org Wooden Boat Festival $: 45,000 budget (Incl. Lodging Tax funds) $657,000 If asking for funds for a specific event, list other cash funding sources and dollar amounts budgeted for this project. Note: This section is only due for specific event and festival funding requests. Total Project Revenue Budget Contributed Revenue (donations, memberships, in -kind) Earned Revenue (tickets, merchandise, sponsorships) Dollar Amount $60,000 $517,000 $ $577,000 Did your organization receive Lodging Tax Funds from the County in 2024? X_yes no 1 understand that if my organization's proposal for tourism promotion activities is approved by the County that my organization will enter into a contract with the County to provide the contracted services up to the maximum contract amount. l understand that the proposal herein is a public record potentially eligible for public release. Sign Name: I � - l L^ Date: o e Katie Oman, Chief Operating Officer Print Name and Title: 1. Itemized List of Proposed Tourism Promotion Services Organization (or Event) Name: Wooden Boat Festival In the following space or on a separate sheet of paper, please specify each proposed tourism promotion, facility, event or activity, including quantities and costs (see examples at bottom of page). Establish reservation system & infrastructure: Dec 2024 - Feb 2025 $6,500 - staff time - allow $1500 for software, 1.5 weeks for 2 staff at avg $401hr Paid social media promotion targeting out-of-towners: April 2025 - Aug 2025 $2,000 Paid print advertising to reach target audiences including WA State Ferries, $8,000 Woodeneoat Magazine, others: April 2025- July 2025 - Write, edit, design, and proof promotional materials: 1.5 weeks of 3 staff at average $40/hour + proofing allowance Seattle area postering campaign - contract with Keep Posted to install posters $500 in stores and restaurants around Seattle and Eastside. $80 print, $420 to distribute: May 2025 - Aug 2025 KUOW public radio underwriting - 14 spots per week, 2 during drive time, Skagit $2,500 Co. to Thurston Co. coverage: June 2025 - Aug 2025 Cascade PBS advertising - digital and TV ads during peak hours: June - Aug $1,500 Webpages for WBF housing at fortworden.org and woodenboat.org profiling $800 accommodations, rates, procedures, transportation schedule, etc. - 10 hours of 2 staff at average $40/hour Dec 2025 - Feb 2025 Two WBF/FW audience emails specifically about Places to Stay $1,200 - 15 hours of 2 staff at average $40/hour April 2025 - July 2025 Print & distribute promotional materials along 1-5 corridor - Victoria, B.C. to $7,000 Portland, OR - June 2025 - Aug 2025 Allowance for contract van/minibus transportation between Fort W, Park & $15,000 Ride, and Wooden Boat Festival - Aug 2025 - Sept 2025 TOTAL $45,000 2. Proposal Questions Please confine your answers to no more than one page for each question. 1. Tell us about your promotion, 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, facility, event or activity including its purpose, history, etc.), and describe your organization's track record. The Wooden Boat Festival (WBF) continues to draw visitors from around the world to Jefferson County. Over the Festival's almost 50 years, Jefferson County has grown from an economically underdeveloped rural area to a major cultural and tourism destination. Out of town visitors have brought new dollars to our community's businesses - and a thriving tourism and hospitality industry has grown up around these vibrant events. Many people who visit Jefferson County for the first time attending the Wooden Boat Festival later become residents of our area! A challenge for WBF (as well as LTAC!) in recent years has arisen from this success: all the hotel rooms in Jefferson County routinely fill up for summer special events. With this limited capacity, it has not only been difficult for us to grow our out of town Festival audience, but the high demand has driven hotel prices way up - outside the reach of the volunteers, tradespeople, young families, and retirees who are the lifeblood of Wooden Boat Festival. This year we are excited to explore a partnership that will expand overnight inventory for the Wooden Boat Festival and provide an option that is within the reach of more people. 2. If this is a continuing promotion, facility or event, how is it different than in the past? Working in collaboration with Fort Worden Hospitality, and building on joint pilot projects over the last two years, we propose to open 60-80 Fort Worden dormitory rooms that have never been available during WBF. We will be building new internal management systems and infrastructure to make this possible (and scalable in future years) as well as investing in marketing to make out of town audiences aware of this new room availability. Every year we get dozens and dozens of inquiries about overnight accommodations that don't break the bank. We are excited about this partnership and hope Jefferson County LTAC will support this new initiative to strengthen our local tourism infrastructure. We're confident that with marketing support it will be a success. 3. Describe how you intend to market/promote your promotion, facility, event or activity to potential tourists who reside outside Jefferson County. a) If an event, the date of the event: The Wooden Boat Festival will be held September 5-7, 2025. b) The timeline for the tourism promotion activity you are proposing: April 2025 - August 2025 c) Target Audiences: Our target audience for this initiative is individuals who are invested in the Wooden Boat Festival but for whom affordable overnight accommodations have been a barrier to attendance. These audiences include, but are not limited to: • Prospective volunteers who bring expertise and energy to our community but haven't been able to afford to stay overnight. • Families and retirees from Seattle and Tacoma seeking an affordable weekend getaway with engaging activities for all ages. • Craftspeople and mariners working throughout the region who have been unable to attend due to housing affordability constraints. New attendees who have not been able to visit Jefferson County due to low overnight availability. d) Promotion methods you intend to use to reach the target audience. Our promotion methods for this initiative will include: • Social Media Promotion: Using our Instagram and Facebook channels, which have a combined following of 24,236. In 2024, our social media campaigns reached over 450,000 people. Woodenboat.org received over 176,095 views with 81,188 unique users. We anticipate exceeding these numbers in 2025. • Paid Print Advertising targeting our audiences through: • Washington State Ferries rack card distribution. • Wooden Boat Magazine. • 48°North Magazine. • Special Postering Campaign: A focused postering initiative in Seattle, executed through Keep Posted, which will distribute WBF posters in neighborhoods ranging from Edmonds to Tacoma, and from Madrona to Issaquah, reaching diverse and new audiences. • Paid Radio Campaign: A paid radio campaign on KUOW, Seattle's NPR station, which reaches more than 400,000 listeners per month. This is an effective way to engage cultural tourists, lifelong learners, and people curious about the maritime world. • Cascade PBS: Paid advertising for digital and TV ads that will reach our target audiences. • Digital Marketing: Updated webpages & emails highlighting the housing opportunity • Program Distribution: Distribution of the WBF program, including this housing opportunity via our 48N distribution network that reaches from Portland to Victoria. e) Describe how you will promote overnight stays at Jefferson County lodging establishments. This partnership initiative focuses on promoting overnight stays in group housing at Fort Worden. We will work closely with Fort Worden Hospitality to fill these rooms and open up this community resource for the first time for summer events. This could result in numerous new bed -nights and increased economic impact for Jefferson County. f) If you intend to collaborate with another agency or non-profit to provide these services, please state the name of the organization and describe the nature of the collaboration: We are collaborating with Fort Worden Hospitality, a relationship that began during the Teaching With Small Boats Association conference, where we successfully housed 20 maritime educators. During the 2024 Wooden Boat Festival, we piloted this accommodation partnership with a handful of rooms, testing the necessary reservation, communication, and marketing infrastructure to scale this effort in 2025. Our 2025 collaboration will involve building registration systems, setting pricing, creating demand, selecting the best rooms and buildings for guests, and conducting a post -event debrief to refine the approach for future years. 4. How will you measure the effectiveness of your promotion, facility, event or activity? Also, describe how you will document and report to the County the economic impact from your event/facility. (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.) The primary measure of effectiveness will be our success in filling the targeted rooms at Fort Worden. Our 2024 pilot project, along with anecdotal evidence, indicates that with the right marketing support, we will be able to meet or exceed our goals by filling dozens of rooms. We will document our marketing efforts and collect data from registrants about how they learned about the event. This information will be compiled and analyzed as part of our post -event reporting. To measure the overall effectiveness of our promotional efforts, we will track the following key metrics: 1. Ticket Sales and Attendance: We will measure success by meeting or exceeding our ticket sales goals and increasing out-of-town visitation. 2. Staff Debrief: We will conduct a debrief across departments to gather feedback from participants and other local businesses impacted by Festival weekend to understand the broader impact. 3. Vendor Feedback: We will invite all vendors to participate in a post -event debrief to identify what worked well and areas for improvement, ensuring that the event is beneficial for all involved. 4. Visitor Feedback and Surveys: We will review visitor feedback, including how attendees heard about the Festival. If budget allows, we plan to conduct a visitor survey in 2025 to gain deeper insights into the effectiveness of our marketing strategies. Reporting Economic Impact to the County We will document and report the economic impact of the Wooden Boat Festival by estimating the number of attendees traveling from outside Jefferson County. By tracking ticket sales from out -of - county visitors, we can calculate the economic benefit to the community, as these individuals contribute to Jefferson County's economy by utilizing local lodging facilities, dining at restaurants, and purchasing goods and services from local businesses. This information, along with our marketing data and visitor insights, will be compiled and shared with the County to demonstrate the economic impact generated by out-of-town visitors attending the Festival, ensuring compliance with state reporting requirements. 5. What economic impact can we expect in Jefferson County from your proposed promotion, facility, event or activity? a.) Actual or estimated number of tourists at your event/facility last year (2024): We estimate that the Wooden Boat Festival attracted approximately 13,000 attendees in 2024 (final numbers are still being tallied). Of these attendees, about 75% were from outside Jefferson County, with roughly 65% traveling from more than 50 miles away. b.) Estimated number of tourists who will attend your event/facility this year (2025): We are aiming for a modest increase in attendance for 2025, targeting around 13,500 attendees. We also hope to increase out-of-town and out-of-state visitors by 5%. 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). Based on the anticipated 13,500 attendees, with 65% traveling from more than 50 miles away, we project approximately 8,775 visitors from outside the immediate area. With an average per -person trip spend of $266; this translates to an estimated economic impact of $2,334,150 for Jefferson County, benefiting local lodging establishments, restaurants, community facilities, and other businesses. 6. Describe your organization's area of expertise. Do you provide a unique service? Putting on Wooden Boat Festival is a complex year-round effort that requires a deep connection to the global maritime community, close collaboration with local and regional businesses and vendors, coordination with local government and regulatory agencies, and oversight of staff and volunteers numbering more than 600. It truly takes a village to put on this event, and Wooden Boat Foundation is uniquely positioned to sustain and grow it. For this special overnight accommodations effort, we will not only be leveraging the expertise of our marketing team, who has grown our reach both in -person and online significantly in recent years, but also the expertise of our team of hospitality professionals at the Swan Hotel, which we acquired in 2022. The Swan of course routinely sells out for WBF a year or more in advance. But our hospitality team is uniquely positioned to take on the registration needs presented by this partnership with Fort Worden Hospitality, whose systems are mainly set up for group sales. 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: — Proposed 2025 promotion, facility, event or activity budget including income and expenses. — 2024 Budget and Actual income and expense year to date statement(s). 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 promotion materials such as brochures or promotional materials (maximum of five). 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. 521►1901 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL Port Townsend, Washington Proposed 2025 promotion, facility, event, or activity budget including income and expenses Our 2025 Wooden Boat Festival Budget has not been finalized for 2025. Below is an estimate that will be informed by 2024 performance. Revenues Contributed (donations, membership, in -kind) $60,000 Earned (tickets, merchandise, sponsorships) $517,000 Total revenue $577,000 Expenses Cost of Goods Sold $48,025 Occupancy, Technology, & Insurance $73,325 Program & Event Supplies & Expenses $131,625 Advertising & Promotions $39,225 General Expense $43,625 In Kind Expense $19,425 Allocated expenses (including marketing) $148,125 Payroll $153,625 Total expense $657,000 woodenboat.org 431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Wooden Boat Foundation Income Statement Period: 01 /01 /24..08/31 /24 All Currency in US Dollars Description Income Contributed Revenue Donations Grants Membership In -kind Contributions Total Contributed Revenue Earned Revenue Events Publishing Sponsorships Total Earned Reveue Total Income Cost of Goods Sold COGS - Retail COGS - Publishing COGS - Other Total Cost of Goods Sold Gross Profit Expense Occupancy Technology Program Expense Events Expense Marketing General & Misc Expense In -kind Expense Misc Admin Expense Insurance Allocated Operating Expenses Staff Support Expense Payroll Total Expense Net Operating Income Other Expense Non -operating Interest Total Other Expense Net Income Aug-24 Aug 2024 Bdgt Aug 2024 Var YTD Act YTD Bdgt YTD Var 2024 Annual Bdgt 2,250 10,000 10,000 34,210 17,400 0 0 0 10,000 0 10,000 53,860 47,500 -47,500 47,500 -47,500 414,499 22,980 22,980 25,000 1,125 1,875 -750 8,375 8,375 50,900 1,125 49,375 -48,250 31,355 55,875 -24,520 490,399 1,125 49,375 -48,250 41,355 55,875 -14,520 544,259 6,981 6,981 3,375 906 16,750 -15,844 906 17,250 -16,344 20,300 30,300 906 16750 -15844 7887 17250 -9363 53975 219 32,625 -64,094 33,468 38,625 -23,883 490,284 101 101 450 2,000 -1,550 50,000 29 1,500 -1,471 69 7,100 -7,031 7,100 133 133 957 957 25,900 514 4,500 -3,986 11,002 24,550 -13,548 88,950 2,607 3,800 -1,193 10,698 18,450 -7,752 19,150 9,416 14,469 -5,053 13,765 19,028 -5,263 50,447 34,800 715 715 1,354 1,540 -186 11,061 11,620 -559 17,780 10,842 10,256 586 88,837 85,702 3,135 128,773 100 100 1,500 17,569 18,552 -983 109,822 92,218 17,604 156,845 42,565 54,617 -12,052 247,476 260,668 -13,192 581,245 -42,346 -21,992 -76,146 -214,008 -222,043 -37,075 -90,961 51 51 153 153 51 0 51 153 0 153 0 -42,397-21,992-76,095-213,855-222,043-36,922-90,961 Wooden Boat Foundation Income Statement Period: 01 /01 /24..08/31 /24 All Currency in US Dollars WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL Port Townsend, Washington Please see below list of names and addresses of the organization's Board of Directors and the contact information for the chairperson for the event. NWM 2024 BOD List First Last Address City State Zip Lynn Terwoerds 430 Rldge Dr Port Townsend WA 98368 Scott Vokey 10016 43rd PI NE Seattle WA 98125 Kirstin Sandaas 12720 SE 20th PI Bellevue WA 98005 LeeAnne Schirato 16021 21 st Ave SW Burien WA 98166 Bainbridge Jeanne Goussev 8792 NE Oddfellows Rd Island WA 98110 Alex Adams 8031 18th ave Nw Seattle WA 98117 Mark Bunzel PO Box 726 Anacortes WA 98221 Peter Geerlofs 301 Mead Rd Nordland WA 98358 Bruce Jones 3215 98th Ave NE Clyde Hill WA 98004 Daniel Hawkins 4812 Emerald St Port Townsend WA 98368 Harium Martin -Morris 7727 25th Ave NE Seattle WA 98115 Alyssa Moir 5926 41 st Ave SW Seattle WA 98368 Ron Moller 1544 Madison St Port Townsend WA 98368 Kris Morris 789 W Sims Way Port Townsend WA 98368 Steve Oliver 92 Cleveland St Port Hadlock WA 98339 Stuart Mork 7710 31st Ave NW Seattle WA 98117 woodenboat.org 431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL Port Townsend, Washington Caitlin Olmsted 3251 W Commodore Way Seattle WA 98199 Sarah Scherer 11839 Glendale Way S Burien WA 98168 Sally Goets Schuler 1555 NE Cochran Dr Gresham OR 97030 John Simpson 941 Shine Rd Port Ludlow WA 98365 Luke Strong-Cvetich 314 Lopez Ave Port Angeles WA 98362 Jim Whittaker 2023 E SIMS WAY, PMB 277 Port Townsend WA 98368 Chairperson For Event Barb Trailer Contact Number: 360-385-3628 431 Water St woodenboat.org 431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 Port Townsend WA 98368 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL Port Townsend, Washington Below are a few examples of our promotional materials. woodenboat.org 431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368 300 Boats o Speakers & Demos a Family Fun Live Music • Dancing - Food & Drinks September 6, 7, & 8 J Port Townsend, WA !� �,.,. woadenboat.org PORTTOWNSEND NJ WOODEN BOAT SEPTEMBER 6-8. M24 PORT TOWNSEND ■J WOODEN BOAT SEPTEMBER 6-8, 2024 PORT TOWNSEND WOODEN BOAT y ; LIVE MUSIC SEPTEMBER 6-8. 2024 PORT TOWNSEND WOODEN BOAT SEPTEMBER 6-8, 2024 e' NJ PORTTOWNSEND NJ WOODEN BOAT 4_ i FUN FOR KIDS SEP7EMBER6-8,2024 �J PORT TOWNSEND ME WOODEN BOAT SEPTEMBER 6-8, 2024