ELIGIBILITY
The Oregon legislature has designated and defined these regions as eligible program funding recipients. Each region has a designated Regional Tourism Agency that serves as the region’s contact and administrator for developing plans to spend their region’s funding.
Although these designated Regional Tourism Agencies are the only organizations that can directly access this funding, tourism industry stakeholders interested in the program are encouraged to connect with their region’s agency contact to make them aware of your wine and culinary promotional funding needs.
Region 1 – Mid-Willamette Valley (Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Travel Salem, Kara Kuh
Region 2 – South-Willamette Valley (Lane, Linn, Benton and Clackamas Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Willamette Valley Visitors Association, Tori Middelstadt
Region 3 – Southern Oregon (Douglas, Josephine, Jackson, Klamath and Lake Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Travel Southern Oregon, Bob Hackett
Region 4 – Eastern Oregon (Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wheeler, Grant, Harney, Baker and Malheur Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Eastern Oregon Visitors Association, Alana Carollo
Region 5 – Greater Portland region (Columbia, Multnomah and Washington Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Washington County Visitors Association, Dave Parulo and Ariel Lessens
Region 6 – Central Oregon (Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Visit Central Oregon, Kristine McConnell
Region 7 – Mt. Hood & the Columbia River Gorge (Hood River and Wasco Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory, Ithaca Janzen
Region 8 – Oregon Coast, (Clatsop, Tillamook, Lincoln, Coos and Curry Counties)
Regional Tourism Agency Contact: Oregon Coast Visitors Association, Marcus Hinz
Eligible Projects and Activities
The funding from this program supports wine and culinary tourism promotion. Designated Tourism Agencies receiving funding must comply with the requirements of all applicable Oregon Revised Statutes and Administrative Rules, including definitions as cited in ORS 320.300(7) stating that “tourism promotion” means any of the following activities:
(a) Advertising, publicizing or distributing information for the purpose of attracting and welcoming tourists
(b) Conducting strategic planning and research necessary to stimulate future tourism development
(c) Operating tourism promotion agencies
(d) Marketing special events and festivals designed to attract tourists
Program goals include the following:
- Optimize the benefits of regional tourism efforts to Oregon’s economy.
- Encourage regional tourism promotion and collaboration.
- Encourage leveraging of existing statewide and regional programs where beneficial.
Additional Benefits of Program Funding
This program’s funding can be used as matching funds for the Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant.
TIMELINE TO APPLY OR DEFER USE OF FUNDING
February: Regional Tourism Agencies are notified of their region’s annual funding allocation
February – May: Proposal Development Period
Regions intending to access their allocated funding are required to convene an advisory committee to develop a proposal for the region’s use of funding. Advisory committees must include, at a minimum, the Regional Tourism Agency, a representative of the wine industry, and a representative of the culinary industry.
June 1: Annual deadline for designated Regional Tourism Agencies to submit proposals detailing their region’s intended use of the funding, or to defer their use of funding.
- To access funding: Submit a proposal (application) in Travel Oregon’s grant portal, detailing how the region would like to use funding. Proposals must include whether the region plans to use the funding for a one or two-year duration. Preview the application form to submit a proposal for the use of their region’s annual funding allocation.
- To defer use of funding: Notify Travel Oregon in writing to defer use of funding. Deferred funding will remain earmarked for the region’s future use and can be combined with future funding allocations. Notification needs to include a reason for the deferral. Please email dawns@traveloregon.com.
June: Travel Oregon and the Oregon Wine Board review submitted proposals
September – October: Application (proposal) submission status notification and funding distribution
TIMELINE FOR USE OF FUNDING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The Regional Tourism Agencies receiving and administrating funding are required to do quarterly update meetings with Travel Oregon’s Stewardship Investments Manager.
Additionally, they are required to submit an annual report through the grant portal, using a using a Mid-Project Report or an Accomplishment Report form. Mid Project and Accomplishment Reports must show proof of spending, provide a status update and summarize the results of return on investment anticipated in the marketing plan compared to actual results.
Reports must be reviewed and approved by Travel Oregon prior to the release of future annual funding allocations.
Regions selecting a one-year cycle duration to use their funding:
- June 30: Final day to spend funds.
- July 31: Annual reporting due. Submit an Accomplishment Report in the grant portal. The Accomplishment Report must show proof of spending, a status update in the case of multi-year initiatives as well as results of return on investment anticipated in the marketing plan compared to actual results.
Regions selecting a two-year cycle duration to use their funding:
- July 31: Annual reporting due. Submit a Mid-Project Report in the grant portal.
- June 30 (of the following year): Final day to spend funds.
- July 31: Annual reporting due. Submit an Accomplishment Report in the grant portal.