2025 Visitor Experience Enhancement Grant

2025 Visitor Experience Enhancement Grant is a grant from Travel Portland that funds projects directly supporting and enhancing Portland, Oregon's attractiveness as a visitor destination. Funded through lodging taxes and fees collected from hotels and short-term rentals within Portland, the program prioritizes projects with a clear connection to attracting visitors, improving their stay, or supporting the tourism industry.

Total funding available for the 2026 cycle is up to $200,000, with individual requests of $25,000 to $50,000 accepted. Projects must be complete by May 1, 2027. Eligible applicants include non-profit organizations, for-profit entities, and federally recognized tribes operating in Portland.

The application deadline was May 1, 2026.

Visitor Experience Grants | Travel Portland Travel Portland is dedicated to promoting our destination in bold, innovative and collaborative ways that harness Portland’s personality and values and that connect visitors to authentic experiences. We support those experiences through our Visitor Experience Grant program.

2026 Visitor Experience Grant Program Funded through lodging taxes and fees collected from hotels and short-term rentals within Portland, these grants fund projects that directly support and enhance Portland’s attractiveness as a destination for visitors. The proposed project must have a clear connection to attracting visitors, improving their stay, or supporting the tourism industry.

The total funding available for the 2026 grant cycle is up to $200,000. Requests between $25,000 to $50,000 will be accepted. Projects must be complete by May 1, 2027.

VIEW full grant GUIDELINES Grant guidelines published Nov. 6, 2025 Eligibility quiz and application form available online Jan. 5, 2026 Virtual information session ( Register here ) Jan.

7, 2026 at 12:00 p. m. Deadline to submit application Feb.

9, 2026 at 5:00 p. m. Applicants notified of decision status March 31, 2026 Grant agreement due April 14, 2026 Grant funds disbursed June 30, 2026 Project completion deadline May 1, 2027 Final project report due (includes final budget and proof of spending) June 1, 2027 Applications for the 2026 cycle will open in January.

Interested applicants can create an account or make sure their account is up-to-date. Frequently Asked Questions Can I view the application questions before I access the actual application? Yes.

We encourage you to download the application questions before you begin the application, so you can have everything ready to go. Enlisting a proof-reader to review your answers before you complete the application is also highly recommended. Once I start the application, will I be able to save my work and return at another time?

Yes. You will create an account through our online application system. Accessing the application through a secure login will enable you to save the application and return at a later time to complete.

However, once you submit your application, you cannot make changes to it. You will only be able to view your submission. How will projects be selected for funding?

Awardees will be determined by a cross-departmental panel of Travel Portland staff members based on the scoring rubric on pages 6-11 of the grant guidelines . Can grant dollars awarded be used to hire and/or expand staff to build capacity? No, dollars from this cycle of grant funding cannot be used to pay for staff salaries or expand staff capacity.

We were awarded a grant in a previous cycle. Are we eligible for this cycle? That depends.

For organizations that have received funding for a project in a prior grant cycle, eligibility for additional funding is contingent upon successful completion of all prior grant agreements. Organizations with open grant projects that are past due on reporting requirements will be considered ineligible to apply for subsequent grants.

To ensure broad distribution of grant funds, organizations are eligible to receive funding for a maximum of three consecutive years for the same or a substantially similar project. After three years, the organization must wait for at least one grant cycle before reapplying. Can the budget include contractor or consultant fees?

Yes, it can. Please be as specific as possible in the budget to support your proposal’s narrative, clearly identifying the budgetary line items that will be covered by the Travel Portland grant award. Can our organization submit multiple applications?

Since a maximum of one grant project per organization per grant cycle will be awarded, we encourage organizations to submit one application for the project that best fits the guidelines. For additional questions about eligibility criteria or the application process, contact grants@travelportland. com .

Visitor Experience Enhancement Grant Recipients Since launching in January 2023, more than $700,000 has been awarded to 21 projects across Portland through this grant program.