City Sponsored Public Event Program

City-Sponsored Public Event Program: Round II

City-Sponsored Public Events are recognized by the City of Oregon City as events that are open to the general public and may not be recurring.

City-Sponsored Public Events are designed to enhance the growth and development of the community's tourism industry and help solidify its brand. City-Sponsored Public Events are well-organized and well-publicized events that will attract a minimum of 1,000-[;is tourists from at least Clackamas County.

The City of Oregon City will provide grants to non-profit formulated organizations as well as for-profit businesses that produce events that are open and accessible to the general public. Such events require the use of public rights-of-way and/or use of publicly owned facilities.

The City-Sponsored Public Event Program is designed with the following objectives in mind:

Maintains accountability to the taxpayers of the community
Benefits local businesses
Supports well-managed and structured public events that may or may not take place on a recurring basis
Ensures transparency in the award of grant funding

Guidelines

Before filling out the application, read the program guidelines and instructions.

The Economic Development Department of Oregon City has developed the following program guidelines to establish terms and conditions for public event organizers/producers (herein referenced as "applicant"), seeking financial support from the City to help defray the cost of producing public events designed to attract tourists from across the region.

General Eligibility

City-sponsored Public Events are for activities that take place within the legal boundaries of Oregon City and use the public rights-of-ways and/or publicly owned facilities.
City-sponsored public events are open to anyone and everyone that wants to attend or participate. They do not limit admittance or partnership to only a specified organization or group. (i.e., only engineers, Elks, veterans, physicians, scientists, school alumni, etc.).
Nonprofits organizations, businesses, or individuals that are producing the public event must have commercial liability insurance. Liability Coverage: $1,000,000 for each occurrence and $2,000,000 for an aggregate occurrence, naming The City of Oregon City an additional insured.
The applicant and their collaborators must not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, or sexual orientation.

Eligible Applicants

To obtain City-sponsorship funding, it will be necessary for the public event organizer/producer ("the applicant") to meet all applicable eligibility requirements:

If a non-profit, the applicant's status must be recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as well as registered with the State of Oregon.
If a for-profit business, the applicant must be registered with the State of Oregon and have a current business license with the City of Oregon City.
Groups associated with political parties and/or organized to promote political messaging as well as religious groups organized to convey a religious message and are the primary organizers of a public event are not eligible to receive City municipal funding.
All applicants must be in good legal standing with all local, state, and federal regulatory/reporting agencies and taxing authorities.

Eligible Costs

Promotion/Marketing Costs
- Graphics
- Printing
- Postage
- Advertising
Fees
- Equipment Rentals
- Event Venue Rentals
- Event Regulatory Permit Fees, City Fees (including street closure fees)
- Commercial Liability Insurance Rider
Equipment Purchases
Supply Purchases
Security

Ineligible Costs

Liquor, Beer, Spirits
Personnel, except for security
Smoking or Vapor Equipment or Supplies

Program Criteria

To be approved for grant funding under the program the applicant must meet the following program criteria:

Nonprofits that receive funding under this program may charge an admittance fee for attendees at the public event being sponsored by the city.
- The City-sponsored public event program is designed to help defray the cost of putting on the event not cover all associated costs.
For-profits receiving funding under this program may not charge an admittance fee for attendees at the public event being sponsored by the city.
City-sponsored public events must be well-managed and organized.
- The City's financial support must result in supporting stable and well-structured public events that can demonstrate public support and demand.
- The applicant should be prepared to demonstrate and explain the public event's financial performance. If applicable, they are expected to present accurate historical financial reporting and well-prepared financial estimates of future performance.
Event organizers must develop a method that helps to substantiate estimated visitor attendance levels and visitors' origination.
- Guessing or "eyeballing" how many visitors are in attendance is not sufficient to determine the number of visitors that are in attendance.
- While it is not expected that visitor tallies be exact, it is necessary that the applicant have a method to ascertain credible estimates of visitors' attendance levels.
Applicants may or may not involve multiple vendors as affiliates of the event.
- Depending on the public event, organizers may engage multiple vendors who are not owned or operated by the primary organizers of the event. Whenever possible, Oregon City-based vendors should be given preference in participation.
The event must be designed to attract tourists as well as create an environment whereby tourists are most likely to spend money with existing local businesses.
- As a consequence of obtaining grant funding from the City, it is important that the public event is designed in such a manner that it encourages visitors to spend money at other local businesses.
- Therefore, City-sponsored public events should help bolster the existing local economy and enhance the community's tourism brand.
The event must support the tourism brand and is closely associated with and contribute to the community's hometown feel as well as to its unique community identity. (Oregon's Hometown, Welcome Home!)
- Oregon City Municipal Government should be clearly recognized as a sponsor.
- Public event producers/organizers will ensure that the Oregon City Tourism Logo and brand slogan are affixed to all advertising (electronic, digital, social media, physical brochures/pamphlets, signs, event forms, A-Frames, and banners).
The event organizer(s)/producer(s) must apply annually to obtain funding.
- An evaluation of previous public events will be conducted to determine the viability of the current request for grant funding.
- Is the public event financially stable or growing? Is the visitors' attendance level stable or growing?

Grant Award

The program will provide up to 60% of eligible project costs, up to $12,000 maximum.
The approving board reserves the right to allocate a lower percentage and dollar amount.
Approved grant awards will be distributed upfront and are not on a reimbursement basis.
Paid invoices and/or receipts are required to substantiate expenditures against eligible costs.
Public event organizers that incur costs without presenting eligible paid invoices and/or receipts will be required to reimburse the City.
Event organizers are accountable and responsible for presenting receipts and/or paid invoices that equal the grant award cited in the City-Sponsorship Agreement. If expenses are less than expected, organizers will reimburse the City for the difference in the awarded amount
The City reserves the right to hold back 10% of the grant award until all paid invoices and/or receipts are presented against eligible costs.
If the event does not take place, the event organizers will be required to repay the grant award to the City within 10 days.

Application Period & Procedures

Oregon City Fiscal Year 2023

Application submittal: May 25th through June 16th

Applications must be fully completed.

City Commission proposal review and approval commences in June 2023.

Funding commences June 2023.

A full recap report of the event will be required 60 days after the event has occurred.

Download the Application (PDF).

The City-Sponsored Public Event Program for 2023 provides support for well-organized and well-publicized events that attract between 1,000 and 5,000 visitors from across the region. Qualifying events are open and accessible to the general public.

Nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses are eligible to apply. However, for-profit businesses may not charge an admission fee for the event. The event must support Oregon City tourism brand (Oregon's Hometown, Welcome Home!) and contribute to the community's hometown feel and community identity. Please visit traveloregoncity.com/ to learn more about the Oregon City tourism brand.

The program will provide up to 50% of eligible event costs, up to a maximum grant award of $20,000. You will be asked to submit documentation to justify the requested grant amount, such as invoices/contracts. If you are asking for reimbursement, please submit receipts with your application.

Please read the program guidelines attached to this page. The application is also attached. If you have any trouble accessing these documents, please email Ann Griffin.

Applications will be accepted between March 21 and April 14, 2023. For more information, please email James Graham, Economic Development Manager.