Visitors staying at Ferndale area 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 2019 budget year totaled $68,500 and grants awared for 2020 totaled $51,500. The amount to be made available for 2021 is expected to be dramatically reduced due to the negative impacts sate and federal COVID-19 health safety mandates have had on the hospitality industry.
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Click for more informationGrants awarded for the 2020 budget year are as follows.
Organization Event/Purpose Amount Ferndale Farmers Market Farmers Market Board of
Directors$500 Ferndale Visitor Center Chamber of Commerce $39,000 Ferndale Cherry Blossom Festival Marla Morrow $1,000 Ferndale Street Festival Chamber of Commerce $1,000 Olde Fashioned Christmas Ferndale Heritage Society $2,000 Pioneer Park Tour Guides City of Ferndale $8,000 TOTAL $51,500
Applications for 2021 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 July 31st to submit their completed applications. Click here to download application instructions and forms.