Weighing in on where to invest a million dollars is enticing enough, but Visit Bend is sweetening the pot with a chance to choose who gets an additional $500.
It’s all part of the Bend Sustainability Fund (BSF) grant program, which opens for community input September 14. “This is the community’s opportunity to share their thoughts on priority projects and to help determine how to invest funds into Bend and the surrounding community’s sustainable future,” explained Serena Gordon, Visit Bend’s Sustainability Manager.
The Bend Sustainability Fund (BSF) launched in June 2021 by earmarking transient room tax (TRT) dollars for shovel-ready projects that protect, steward, or create sustainable experiences in and around Bend. TRT dollars are the taxes visitors pay when staying in hotels, resorts and other transient lodging properties.
Organizations across Central Oregon submitted proposals to the Bend Sustainability Fund grant cycle during the month of July, and it’s now time for the community to weigh in.
“We are excited by the quality and diversity of projects submitted during this funding cycle,” Gordon said. “The BSF Advisory Council has narrowed the field to nine projects that will receive some level of funding. We’re counting on the community to tell us what is most important to them.”
The ballot for eligible projects can be found at bendsustainabilityfund.com. Community voting runs September 14-September 25, and is open to anyone with an interest in the future of Bend’s recreational resources. Voters will rank BSF grant finalists according to their recreational priorities.
To encourage community involvement, five voters will be drawn at random to choose one of the organizations on the ballot to receive an additional $500 grant. These five $500 bonuses are in addition to the $1,000,000 in grant money that will be divided among finalists.
Gathering community feedback on how the funds are split is a key part of the process, Gordon explained. “Creating this fund to begin with involved input from multiple community organizations and individuals,” she said. “The people of Central Oregon are passionate about our community, and they should have input on how funds are distributed.”
The community ballot is available in both English and Spanish. Once the ballot closes at midnight on September 25, the BSF Advisory Council will assess the results and the Visit Bend Board of Directors will confirm final funding decisions on October 3.
Visit Bend launched the Bend Sustainability Fund in 2021 with input and support from organizations including the Forest Service, the City of Bend, Bend Park and Recreation District, Deschutes County, Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association and the Bureau of Land Management. These groups also provided input to help narrow the field of finalists.
To learn more about the Bend Sustainability Fund, visit bendsustainabilityfund.com or email hello@bendsustainabilityfund.com.
