The City of Yelm is now taking applicants for its 2024 Lodging Tax Funding Program. Applications are due at 5 p.m. March 1, to be considered for funding, which is gathered through lodging taxes from sales tax on lodging at hotels, motels and short-term rentals like Airbnb, bed and breakfasts, RV parks and other lodging accommodations.
“The revenues must be used for eligible tourism promotion activities or tourism-related facilities and is governed by [state RCWs],” Yelm City Clerk Kathy Linnemeyer said. “It can be used for tourism marketing, marketing and operations of special events and festivals designed to attract tourists traveling 50 miles or more.”
Entities eligible to apply are convention and visitors bureaus, destination marketing organizations, nonprofits, chambers of commerce and municipalities.
Organizations like Yelm Jazz in the Park, Nisqually Valley BBQ Rally and the Yelm Music Festival have been funded by lodging tax funds.
Applications are reviewed by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which makes funding recommendations to the City Council for final approval. The money works through reimbursement, so applicants must spend the money and submit documentation of what was spent through receipts documenting expenses that were paid.
Additional information can be found at https://mrsc.org/explore-topics/finance/revenues/lodging-tax, and the application is available at https://lf.yelmwa.gov/Forms/LTAC.
“Yelm’s Lodging Tax Fund is the primary source of City funding for events, activities, operations and expenditures that are designed to increase tourism,” the City said on its Facebook page about the lodging tax.
