Hotel-Motel Small Fund

The Snohomish County Hotel-Motel Small Fund Grant is a locally administered funding program supported by lodging tax revenues collected from hotel and motel stays within Snohomish County. These funds are reinvested into initiatives that promote tourism, increase visitation, and stimulate economic activity tied to overnight stays. The program is overseen by Snohomish County and evaluated with input from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which reviews applications and makes funding recommendations to the County Council for final approval. The grant is structured as a competitive reimbursement-based program, meaning awarded applicants must incur and document eligible expenses before receiving funds. The primary purpose of the grant is to support tourism marketing, promotional activities, and capital projects that demonstrably attract visitors to Snohomish County. Priority consideration is given to projects that directly drive overnight stays, aligning with the revenue source of the lodging tax. Eligible uses of funds include marketing campaigns, promotional events, and infrastructure or capital improvements that enhance the visitor experience. Projects must clearly articulate how they will increase tourism and provide measurable outcomes related to visitor engagement and overnight lodging impacts. Funding is not provided upfront; instead, reimbursement occurs after project costs are incurred and approved, reinforcing accountability and performance-based funding. Eligibility is limited to public agencies and nonprofit organizations capable of executing tourism-related initiatives within Snohomish County. Applicants must demonstrate organizational capacity, financial management capability, and the ability to complete the proposed project within the designated timeline. While detailed eligibility criteria are outlined in the application materials, the program broadly targets entities that can contribute to tourism growth and economic development in the region. Projects must be completed within the specified grant cycle, and applicants must be prepared to comply with reporting and documentation requirements tied to reimbursement. The application process has transitioned to a fully online system administered through a Jotform portal. All applicants are required to submit their materials electronically via this portal, and no PDF or hard copy submissions are accepted. Required application components include a completed application form and supporting documentation such as letters of reference, marketing plans, project budgets, and a W9 form. Applicants must follow strict naming conventions for all submitted files to ensure proper processing. The submission deadline for the 2027 project cycle is October 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., and late or incomplete applications will not be considered. The evaluation process involves multiple stages, beginning with a review by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which assesses proposals based on their potential to drive tourism and overnight stays. Recommendations from this committee are then forwarded to the Snohomish County Council for final approval. Applicants are notified of funding decisions following this review process. Successful applicants enter into a contracting phase before receiving authorization to proceed with their projects, after which reimbursement for eligible expenses may begin. The grant operates on a defined annual cycle with key milestones. The application period opens in early August and closes at the end of October. Reviews and approvals occur in November and December, with award notifications issued shortly thereafter. Project implementation and reimbursement activities take place throughout the following calendar year, concluding with final reports due by mid-December. The county subsequently compiles and reports program metrics to the state. This recurring structure indicates an annual funding cycle, providing ongoing opportunities for eligible organizations to apply. Historically, the program has distributed funding across multiple projects, with total funding levels reaching several hundred thousand dollars annually. Individual awards typically range from smaller allocations to larger project-based funding depending on scope and impact. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes, strong project planning, and alignment with tourism development goals. Applicants are encouraged to review workshop materials and guidance documents provided by the county to understand evaluation criteria and improve the competitiveness of their submissions.

Emphasize measurable tourism impact especially overnight stays; ensure all required documents are complete and correctly named; follow portal submission instructions precisely