PORTLAND, Ore. (November 16, 2023) – The Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon) is pleased to announce that it has awarded $3.6 million to 56 recipients through its competitive grants program for fiscal year 2023. This impactful grant cycle reflects the agency’s ongoing commitment to equity and improving local economies, creating jobs and strengthening communities across the state by investing in creating and promoting great visitor experiences.
Travel Oregon’s 2023 competitive grants program will focus funding through an equity lens on accessibility and inclusion for underserved and underresourced communities, including people with disabilities, BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes, and LBGTQIA+. Grants are intended to support projects that align with Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment, and celebrates rich and diverse cultures. They must also strengthen and/or expand tourism infrastructure to make it more accessible and inclusive, or promote accessible or inclusive tourism experiences and facilities.
Over the past few years, more than $20 million has been awarded to support hundreds of projects across the state, including building or improving miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, promoting heritage and cultural tourism experiences in communities across Oregon, supporting local guides and outfitters, marketing food and wine trails, and making Oregon’s tourism attractions, including beaches, museums, theaters and outdoor recreation, more accessible and inclusive for all.
“To say we’re excited about this year’s grant opportunities would be an understatement,” said Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson. “Once completed, each project will have a profound impact on the accessibility and inclusivity of Oregon’s tourism industry, supporting Travel Oregon’s vision of a welcoming destination for all, where tourism drives economic prosperity, benefits the natural environment and celebrates rich, diverse cultures.”
This year’s grant recipients represent the meaningful work coming from all seven of Oregon’s tourism regions. Regional highlights include:
Central Oregon
The City of Antelope has received $38,500 as part of an effort to relocate a historic cabin at the Young Life Youth Center at Washington Family Ranch (the former site of Rajneesh Camp) to downtown Antelope and make it the city’s first locally-owned lodging facility. The funds will be used to make the cabin ADA accessible.
The High Desert Museum received $40,000 to make Central Oregon a more welcoming and inclusive destination for Native audiences through intentional marketing that celebrates Native experiences and tourism opportunities.
Eastern Oregon
The Pendleton Chamber of Commerce (dba Travel Pendleton) received $57,600 to create and expand marketing exposure throughout the Pacific Northwest for Jackalope Jamboree, an inclusive music festival that highlights underserved and underresourced communities, including BIPOC, Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes and LGBTQIA+.
Four Rivers Cultural Center & Museum has received $20,000 to make Hikarumizu Japanese Gardens more accessible and inclusive by allowing wheelchair users to navigate the grounds and improving the garden experience for people with sensory disabilities.
Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge
The Clackamas County Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department received $69,550 to develop and promote more inclusive content for marketing and promotional channels targeting travel markets and underserved communities, including people with disabilities and the BIPOC and LBGTQIA+ communities.
The Friends of the Columbia Gorge received $21,150 to improve the accessibility of the valley by installing new signs at key recreational sites to provide information in English and Spanish, and translating the “Find a Hiking Trail” website.
Oregon Coast
The city of Waldport has received $100,000 to install an accessible walkway at the historic “Heritage Pavilion” in the newly opened Southworth Park, paying tribute to Lewis Southworth, an early black pioneer who was once a slave but bought his own freedom, settled near Waldport and operated a ferry across the Alsea River.
The Coquille Indian Tribe received $42,500 to develop and install five interpretive panels at the Mill Casino & RV Park in Coos Bay that highlight the relationship between the Coquille Indian Tribe’s cultural heritage and the landscape along southwest Oregon’s waterways.
Portland Area
The Alberta Abbey Foundation received $54,000 to promote inclusive tourism to Portland for arts programming by Black artists, including marketing Black History Month and Black Music Month programs in February and June.
The Friends of Hoyt Arboretum received $100,000 to improve trailhead access points to support recreational activities and enhance tourism infrastructure within the park to make it more accessible and inclusive.
Southern Oregon
The Mount Ashland Association received $50,000 for a new ADA-compliant shuttle to provide reliable transportation for people with disabilities attending Mount Ashland events through the Adaptive Sports Association.
The Elkton Community Education Center received $37,500 to extend walking trails, improve driveways and existing sidewalks and expand a new 14-acre parcel along the Umpqua River. Interpretive signs and interpretive displays highlighting the site’s heritage will be installed and the site will host Native American cultural programs, intertribal gatherings and more.
The Oregon Garden Foundation received $100,000 to make the gardens more accessible to people with age- and disability-related mobility issues by installing automatic doors, repairing or improving accessible pathways and adding signage indicating accessible routes.
Lane Arts Council received $20,000 to activate the accessible Farmer’s Market Pavilion and Plaza year-round, expand the First Friday Art Walk visitor experience, and support the inclusion of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ artists who contribute to engaging Eugene residents and visitors with local arts and culture experiences.
Statewide
Dirty Freehub received $96,660 to create avenues for people with health conditions, fitness or disabilities to take up off-road cycling (e.g. gravel cycling).
A full list of awardees can be found here Projects funded through the Competitive Grants Program in 2023-2025 will be completed by April 14, 2025.
The current competitive grant program funding is limited to local governments, port districts, federally recognized tribes, and nonprofit organizations registered with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office. Awardees must demonstrate a direct commitment to helping improve the economic impact of Oregon’s travel and tourism industry. Therefore, eligible projects must clearly demonstrate alignment with accessible/inclusive tourism infrastructure or accessible/inclusive tourism promotion.
You can see the images here.
Oregon Travel
The Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon) is a semi-independent state agency whose mission is to promote travel that energizes Oregon communities. As stewards of Oregon, we work with stakeholders to maximize economic opportunity, promote equity, and respect the ecosystems, cultures, and places that make Oregon Oregon. Travel Oregon strives to improve the quality of life for Oregonians by strengthening the economic impact of a $13.9 billion tourism industry that employs more than 100,000 Oregonians.
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