Visit Central Oregon will open applications for the 2026 Central Oregon Future Fund, offering $300,000 in grants for tourism-related projects within Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, and South Wasco counties. Applications may be submitted January 5 through February 13, 2026.
Funded entirely by Travel Oregon Transient Lodging Tax revenue managed by Visit Central Oregon, the Future Fund is designed to support projects that create lasting, positive impact for both residents and visitors.
Visit Central Oregon’s Future Fund is complementary to Visit Bend’s grant programs, the Bend Sustainability Fund and Bend Cultural Tourism Fund. The Central Oregon Future Fund is independently developed and focused on high-impact projects driven by smaller budgets and shorter timelines, with completion expected by May 30, 2027. This approach fills a different and equally important niche in Central Oregon’s tourism ecosystem, complementing Bend’s larger-scale funding opportunities and broadening access to tourism investment across the region.
“The Central Oregon Future Fund is a key part of our commitment to steward tourism in a way that supports community well-being,” said Scott Larson, CEO of Visit Central Oregon. “By reinvesting visitor-generated revenue into ready-to-launch, impactful regional projects, we expand opportunities throughout the region that bolster our Mission, and work in harmony with other regional and statewide funding programs.”
Funding Priorities
Projects must align with at least one of the following funding pillars:
- Sustainability — Projects that reduce, mitigate, or manage tourism impacts.
- Cultural Tourism — Projects that strengthen cultural experiences, support non-peak visitation, or uplift rural communities.
- Access Adventure — Projects that increase access to outdoor recreation and natural spaces through inclusion and accessibility for both residents and visitors.
Informational Webinars:
- December 11, 2025 — 9am
- January 7, 2026 — 12pm
Webinar registration links may be found at visitcentraloregon.com/industry/future-fund/.
Since launching in 2023, the Future Fund has awarded $1.6 million to 34 projects, including DarkSky Oregon’s night-sky education initiative, COTA’s Cline Butte Trail Enhancement, and the award-winning accessible outdoor AdvenTours developed by AdvenChair’s The Onward Project and Wanderlust Tours.
Grant recipients will be announced April 3, 2026. Learn more at visitcentraloregon.com/industry/future-fund.
