The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission, a Visit Bend project, announces the eighth year of the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund (BCTF) with the opening of its online grant application for Cultural Tourism grants. The complete application is due April 7, 2023 at 5pm.
Guidelines and a list of past grantees are available at the newly updated BCTF website: culture.visitbend.com. A pre-application is required this year before the applicant can move forward with a full application. The Commission will make its decisions and forward to the Visit Bend Board for approval in May. The BCTF could grant up to $550,000 in year, funding projects starting no earlier than September 2023.
“Bend’s arts and culture scene is a vibrant and vital part of our community,” said Visit Bend CEO Kevney Dugan. “We’re thrilled with the results of current and past investments made through the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund and look forward to seeing the newest round of proposals.”
In 2022, the fund awarded nineteen grants, a total of $400,000, helping local organizations leverage marketing resources to attract more cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months. Since the program started in 2015, $1,449,500 has been awarded to 38 organizations.
The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund is a grant program dedicated to enhancing the local economy through the promotion and cultivation of Bend’s cultural tourism programs, with an emphasis on activities that help attract cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months.
