Visit Bend’s sustainable tourism grant program, the Bend Sustainability Fund, is now accepting applications for grants big and small to help fund community projects that steward or create sustainable, long-term experiences in Bend and the surrounding area. Applications can be done online and close January 16, 2026.
The fund, totaling about $500,000 this annual cycle, uses a portion of lodging-tax dollars paid by visitors who stay overnight in the city’s hotels, vacation rentals, and other short-term lodging properties. Since its inception in 2021, the Bend Sustainability Fund has awarded more than $3.3 million to 31 projects from 24 organizations. Past projects have included:
- New, public hiking trails at Mt. Bachelor that reduce pressure on surrounding wilderness
- An accessible kayak launch and improved river access at Miller’s Landing park
- New, downhill mountain bike trails at Wanoga built to accommodate adaptive riders
Projects must be shovel ready, have a lifespan of at least ten years, hold enough appeal to attract visitors from more than 50 miles away, enjoy grassroots community support, and either improve upon an existing tourism-related facility or create a new one to fill a gap.
“Meissner Nordic Ski Club runs on a shoestring budget and the funds we’ve received from Visit Bend have allowed us to make a trail safer, start grooming earlier, and offer a weekend shuttle service for those who don’t have a car or aren’t comfortable driving in winter,” says Steve Roti, club president. “Visit Bend funding has made these things possible.”
State law governs what the Bend Sustainability Fund can and cannot fund; Visit Bend’s Destination Stewardship Director Zavier Borja helps would-be applicants through the process. An independent, community-led advisory committee — not Visit Bend — reviews and scores each application to determine which projects should be funded and at what level. The committee then makes a recommendation to Visit Bend’s Board of Directors, which has the final say. To date, the board has always accepted the committee’s recommendations. Grant recipients will be notified in March 2026.
“A thriving visitor economy isn’t just about positive economic impact — it’s also about the creative community improvements that visitor-tax dollars make possible,” says Jeff Knapp, Visit Bend CEO. “That’s the Bend Sustainability Fund in a nutshell.”
Before applying, please contact Borja, email below, to make sure your project is a fit. To see past projects and funding totals, visit bendsustainabilityfund.com.
About the Bend Sustainability Fund:
The Bend Sustainability Fund, a Visit Bend Project, reinvests short-term lodging tax revenue paid by visitors into tourism-related facilities that create and steward sustainable experiences within Bend’s community. The fund was created in 2021 with the aim of supporting the Bend community as a vibrant place to live and visit for generations to come. Visit Bend is funded by a portion of the transient room tax generated by visitors through short-term lodging stays within Bend’s city limits, distributed by the City of Bend. A portion of this restricted tax funds the Bend Sustainability Fund.
About Visit Bend:
Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit organization dedicated to stewarding a vibrant and sustainable community in Bend, Oregon, while supporting and enhancing the visitor experience.
