Non-Profits Can Receive Marketing Funding From Lodgers’ Tax Proceeds

September 1, 2018: TOURISM Santa Fe announces the opening of the application period for Occupancy Tax Advisory Board (OTAB) grants for use in calendar year 2019.

TOURISM Santa Fe is now accepting 2019 applications through November 2, 2018 at 5:00 PM. Review of all grant applications will be conducted prior to the end of the year and funds will be available on a reimbursement basis during 2019.

The purpose of the OTAB funding program is to support marketing efforts of third party, non-profit organizations that will increase tourism through new, multi-year events or the expansion of existing multi-year events. Applicants must be multi-day events with a strong attraction to bring overnight tourists to Santa Fe.

OTAB has adopted the following guidelines for this process:

• The proposed event ideally shall take place in the off-season or shoulder seasons of Santa Fe’s tourism calendar—off-season being January through April and shoulder seasons being May through June and mid-October through mid-December. Evaluation also takes into consideration days of the week, other events on the calendar, and size of event. In-season events will be considered if they do not fall on dates when hotels are traditionally sold out.

• Funding and planning of the events shall be public/private partnerships that seek to attract tourists younger than 56 that are on message with Santa Fe’s overall marketing “Santa Fe: The City Different” efforts.

• The events shall exhibit potential to build national excitement, recognition of happenings and brand assets that support creative and cultural tourism in Santa Fe, including but not limited to culture, art, history, food, natural beauty and outdoor activities. Ideally the event that is being proposed should be six to 12 months out to insure significant planning time.

• OTAB funds will not be awarded to supplement fundraising efforts or goals.

Organizations can request funding for up to three years, with the maximum award for the first year of ＄30,000, the second year ＄15,000 with matching of at least ＄15,000 for marketing, and the third year ＄7,500 with other funding of at least ＄22,500 for marketing. Funding for years two and three is not guaranteed and the organization must reapply each year.

Grant applications are available on line here.

For further information on the grant program, please contact Shirley Spencer at sjspencer@santafenm.gov or 505-955-6208.

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Media Contacts:
Randy Randall
Executive Director
TOURISM Santa Fe
Tel: 505 955 6209
Email: rrandall@santafenm.gov