Have a great idea for drawing visitors to Ferndale? The City may fund it.

Visitors staying at Ferndale hotels, bed & breakfasts and campgrounds see an additional tax on their invoices in addition to the conventional sales tax. Collected “lodging taxes” are then used to support projects encouraging tourism and cultural activities as well as to support tourism-related facilities in Ferndale.

Each year, City of Ferndale (COF) staff request submissions for ideas to promote tourism. Once collected, they are reviewed by the City’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee to decide which applicants will receive funding and how much.

Grants awarded for the COF 2018 budget year totaled $59,500 and are as follows.

Organization Event/Purpose Amount Cherry Blossom Festival Committee Ferndale Cherry Blossom Festival $1,000 Farmers Market Board of Directors Ferndale Farmers Market $1,500 City of Ferndale Pioneer Pavilion Advertising $1,500 Chamber of Commerce Ferndale Visitor Center $39,000 ” “ Downtown Trick or Treat/Haunt the Park $1,000 ” “ Street Festival $2,000 ” “ Flicks in the Park $500 Ferndale Arts Commission Ferndale Chalk Art Festival $500 Heritage Society Olde Fashioned Christmas $2,000 Old Settlers Association Old Settlers Picnic $2,500 City of Ferndale Pioneer Park Tour Guides $8,000

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Applications for 2019 Lodging Tax Grants are now being accepted according to a recent COF announcement.

Funding from the program may be used, directly by local jurisdictions, or indirectly through a convention and visitors bureau or destination marketing organization, for the marketing and operations of special events and festivals and to support the operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned by nonprofit organizations described under section 501(c)(3) and section 501(c)(6) of the internal revenue code of 1986, as amended.

Applicants have until August 3rd to submit their completed applications. Click here to download application instructions and forms.