Oregon Outdoor Recreation Outfitter and Guide Relief Grant Program FAQs
On June 22, $5.6 million in funding was awarded to outfitters and guides.
The Oregon Outdoor Recreation Outfitter and Guide Relief Grant application process has closed. Below is a list of frequently asked questions about the grant program.
Q: Who is eligible?
A: A list of eligible applicants was provided to Travel Oregon by the Oregon State Marine Board based on direction from the legislative fiscal office: Applicants must be an Oregon resident registered as an Outfitter and Guide with the Oregon State Marine Board prior to March 1, 2020. Both Travel Oregon and the Oregon State Marine Board have done targeted outreach to this group of potential applicants. If you have not received an email or phone call from the Marine Board or Travel Oregon, and you believe you held an Oregon resident registration with the Oregon State Marine Board prior to March 1, 2020, please email grants@traveloregon.com and include your name, business name and Marine Board registration number so that your information can be verified.
Q: I was a registered Guide with the Oregon State Marine Board from 2015-2019, but I didn’t receive an email or phone call from the Marine Board or Travel Oregon, am I eligible for these funds?
A: You are not eligible to apply for the grant funds based on additional program rules surrounding the ability to show qualifying Oregon guiding business financial losses. To be eligible to receive grant funds, you would need to show a loss of year-over-year Oregon gross revenue greater than 25% between calendar year 2019 and calendar year 2020 or calendar year 2021. Guides not registered in 2020 or 2021, would be unable to show the required financial loss.
Q: I’m a fairly new Outfitter and registered with the Marine Board for the first time in June of 2020. I operated in both 2020 and 2021, am I eligible for these funds?
A: You are not eligible because you were not registered with the Oregon State Marine Board prior to March 1, 2020, per the grant program rules.
Q: I have qualifying financial losses for multiple Revenue Loss Periods: calendar year 2019 vs. calendar year 2020 and calendar year 2019 vs. calendar year 2021. Can I submit both years?
A: No, only one Revenue Loss Period will be used to determine the grant award, so please submit the Revenue Loss Period with greater losses when completing the application.
Q: My guiding business has multiple owners and we each received an email from the Marine Board and Travel Oregon letting us know we are all eligible to apply. Can all three owners apply since we each suffered financial losses?
A: No, only one application per guiding business will be accepted. For guiding businesses with multiple owners: Owners must determine which registered Outfitter and Guide among them will submit the application on behalf of the business. If multiple applications are submitted for a single business, the guiding business will be disqualified from receiving a grant award.
Q: How were the awards and distribution caps determined for this grant program?
A: Multiple factors were evaluated, including the intent of the program to fund as many Outfitters and Guides impacted by losses, a desire to scale funds in an equitable manner and consideration from an advisory committee comprised of Outfitters and Guides representative of all regions across the state.
Q: How do I apply?
A: The online application is available beginning at 8 a.m. PDT on April 29, 2022. Each eligible applicant will be emailed an access code and a direct link to access the grants application platform online. This email will be sent by the Marine Board on Thurs., April 28. Travel Oregon will also email this access code to eligible applicants once the application period opens on April 29. If you believe you meet the program criteria and did not receive the application code email, please check your spam folder prior to contacting grants@traveloregon.com.
Q: How many dollars are available for award in the Oregon Outdoor Recreation Outfitter and Guide Relief Grant Program?
A: There is $10,000,000 available less a 2% administrative fee.