Application portal for $3.5 million in grants to Washington community festivals and events opened June 8, closes July 1

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Commerce, in collaboration with the Washington Festivals and Events Association (WFEA) and ArtsWA, today announced a $3.5 million grant program to help established, small-community festivals and events..

The application portal for the grants is open at CommerceGrants.com beginning at 8 a.m., June 8. The application window closes July 1 at 5 p.m.

This program supports “legacy” events, festivals, civic and holiday celebrations, cultural and heritage events, music festivals, and street and arts fairs – those that have taken place for five or more years - in communities with populations of 100,000 or less.

Grants are designed to either restart and stabilize these legacy festivals and events that were suspended in 2020 and 2021, recover from disruptions and losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or both. Covered expenses include deposits on infrastructure (security, temporary fencing, staging, lights, sound equipment, etc.) and staff and labor costs. Grants range from $5,000 to $35,000. Award amounts are based on need and demonstrated losses.

“Communities across the state have had to postpone or cancel their events and celebrations over the last two years,” said Robb Zerr, Senior Managing Director for the Office of Economic Development & Competitiveness at Commerce. “These activities are a source of tremendous community pride and identity and the revenue generated often support local non-profits, causes and scholarships. We are thankful to the U.S. Economic Development Administration for providing funding to support communities across the state.”

Application seminars

To provide additional technical assistance to organizations, WFEA and ArtsWA are conducting a series of informational seminars across the state:

June 13

8 a.m.     Farmhouse Restaurant, Mt. Vernon

1 p.m.     Tri-Cities Convention Center, Kennewick

June 14

10 a.m.   Gonzaga University, Hemmingson Center, Spokane

Applicants do not have to attend a seminar to apply for these grants. For more information, contact the WFEA at bruce@wfea.org or call 360-808-3204