The Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau (OPVB) announces application deadline of Nov. 1 for the final round of the organization’s 2017 Tourism Enhancement Grants.

This year $45,000 in total grant funding is available for qualified projects focused on tourism promotion, with $3,230 remaining.

The November review is open to grant applications for qualified events occurring prior to May 2018. Final awards will be contingent on the 2018 budget approval and approved funding through Clallam County lodging tax.

Upcoming grant applications must be submitted for consideration by the bureaus board at their monthly meetings by the first day of the month prior to the scheduled review meetings. The OPVB board meets on Nov. 15 to approve recommendations from the board’s grant committee.

Funds for this grant program are derived from revenue generated by the hotel/motel tax on lodging facilities in unincorporated Clallam County. Lodging tax revenue is designated for the promotion of tourism to encourage long-term economic growth through tourism-related projects or events that attract overnight guests to the destination.

Grant guidelines and applications are available at www.olympicpeninsula.org/page/tourism-grants. Organizations that are interested in applying for a grant are asked to call Marsha Massey at 360-452-8552.

“Tourism grants through OPVB are given special consideration to projects that further tourism development in the spring, fall and winter months, Massey said.

“Summer season on the Olympic Peninsula, including Clallam County, is very robust, so OPVB prioritizes projects that promote shoulder season travel, especially new projects that create greater tourism opportunities for Clallam County and the Olympic Peninsula in these time periods,” she said. “Developing more year-round tourism better contributes to a healthy local economy, supporting revenue, tax generation and jobs.”