Everett Has Money To Put Heads On Pillows

If you’re a non-profit group that puts on an event in Everett that will drive overnight stays in Everett’s hotels or motels the city wants to give you money.

You have be able to show that the money spent will generate hotel-motel stays either on the day of your event or in the future. The money is also issued on a reimbursement basis once you’ve shown your results. Here’s what the city looks for in funding projects…

Because the City of Everett operates the Hotel-Motel fund as an economic development tool, one of the key valuation criteria for selecting a project for funding is its potential economic benefit. In addition, the City is required to report to the State on the numbers of visitors and the numbers of overnight stays generated by each project.

Please indicate the anticipated economic impact of your project and provide the estimated number of participants in each of the following categories; staying in overnight paid accommodations, traveling over 50 miles and staying overnight in unpaid accommodations (with friends or family), traveling over 50 miles and staying for the day only, attending but not included in one of the above categories, and total of all participants (sum of the first four categories).

Quantify your projections and indicate how you propose to verify your results (for example, by head count or surveys). You will be required to provide post-event information for these same categories prior to reimbursement.

Remember, food and fuel purchases assist the local economy but do not contribute to the Hotel-Motel fund; the fund derives entirely from taxes on overnight lodging in the county.

If your project will not result directly in overnight stays, try to demonstrate how its success may contribute to generating future overnight stays. An example might be a one-day festival you sponsor which, when combined with – and jointly marketed with – an event the following day which appealed to the same audience, would encourage visitors to spend the night and attend both events.

In this example, it would be important to discuss the timeframe and strategy for future implementation of an appropriate cooperative marketing campaign to link your one-day festival with the second one. Again, quantify your projections and explain the methodology by which you developed them.

Click here for the complete application and requirements.

Applications are available by clicking the above link or contacting the Everett City Council offices, 2930 Wetmore Ave. Suite 9A in downtown Everett. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, the City of Everett Clerk’s Office located on the first floor of the Wall Street Building, 2930 Wetmore Ave. For more additional information, contact Jeff Moore, chair of the Lodging Tax Advisory, at 425-257-8703.