Bend Cultural Tourism Fund opens grant application period for arts, cultural tourism projects
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission, a Visit Bend Project overseeing the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, announced the opening of its online grant applications. The completed application is due by Friday, April 11, at 5 pm.
The awarded funds will help local organizations leverage marketing resources to attract more cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months.
Guidelines and a list of past grantees are available at BCTF website. A pre-application is required before the applicant can move forward with a full application. The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund Commission will make its decisions, which it then recommends to the Visit Bend Board of Directors for approval in May. The BCTF funds projects between September 2025 and June 2026.
“The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund is more than a grant program—it’s an investment in the arts, creativity, and the cultural heartbeat of our community. I’m thrilled to support initiatives that not only enrich Bend’s identity but also attract visitors who appreciate the vibrant experiences that make our city unique,” said Zavier Borja, Director, Destination Stewardship.
Last year, the fund awarded 13 grants, a total of $300,000, helping local organizations leverage marketing resources to attract more cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months. Since its inception in 2015, the BCTF has awarded $2,287,418 for 114 projects.
The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, now in its tenth year, invests in cultural activities that draw visitors from beyond a 50-mile radius, benefiting the local economy and community, funding new activities through the Small Marketing Grant program (intended to support the bold ideas that aren’t yet fully developed, but can demonstrate extraordinary potential for increasing Bend’s off-season cultural tourists), as well as long-standing cultural traditions via the Large Marketing Grant program (intended to support high-quality cultural tourism activities that demonstrate a clear and measurable economic benefit in Bend). For a full list of past projects and funding amounts, visit the BCTF website here.
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ABOUT VISIT BEND: Visit Bend is a non-membership, non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and enhancing the visitor experience while stewarding a vibrant and sustainable community in Bend, Oregon. We’re a leading information provider on Bend, Oregon, hotels, restaurants, activities, and Oregon vacation planning. Learn more at visitbend.com.
ABOUT THE BEND CULTURAL TOURISM FUND: The Bend Cultural Tourism Fund (BCTF) is a grant program dedicated to enhancing the local economy through the promotion and cultivation of Bend’s cultural tourism programs, with an emphasis on activities that help attract cultural tourists during the shoulder seasons and winter months. For more information, please see the website at https://culture.visitbend.com.
