Bellingham and Whatcom County Tourism Promotion Grants Now Open for 2026

Organizations and businesses in Bellingham and Whatcom County can now apply for two different grants: one through City of Bellingham and one through Whatcom County. Grant funds can be used to develop, market, and support public events, festivals, and tourism-related activities that will generate economic activity, leading to increased overnight stays in the city and county.

“These grants are a terrific example of tourism dollars being reinvested into our community in a way that creates value for residents, visitors, and local businesses alike,” said Visit Bellingham President & CEO Dylan Deane-Boyle.

Last year, funds from the grants helped support cornerstone events including Ski to Sea and Northwest Tune-Up as well as organizations like SPARK Museum and the Bellingham Bells. They also helped support new and growing festivals such as the Strings & Things Festival in Point Roberts.

“The Whatcom Tourism Promotion Grant was instrumental in making our music festival vision a reality faster than we could ever do on our own. It enabled us to draw new visitors from both Canada and mainland U.S. to a border community that was particularly hard-hit by economic uncertainty,” said Mike Bell, co-founder of the Strings & Things Festival.

Whatcom County’s Tourism Promotion Grant - Due by 4 p.m. (PST) on September 5, 2025.

Whatcom County will award funding for events and activities that increase or support tourism in Whatcom County through:

• Visitor center and tourism operations

• Agencies and event sponsors providing visitor services to Whatcom County

• Events/festivals hosted in Whatcom County

Apply for the Whatcom County grant and find more information here.

The City of Bellingham’s Tourism Promotion Grants – Due by noon (PST) on September 5, 2025.

The City of Bellingham will award funding for events that promote economic activity by bringing visitors to Bellingham. Applicants may choose from two grants:

• The Standard Grant: This grant is for events or activities that are at least three years old.

• The Start-Up Grant: This grant is for events or activities that are three years old or younger.

Apply for the City of Bellingham’s grant and find more information here.

The Whatcom County and City of Bellingham Lodging Tax Advisory Committees (LTAC) will review all grant applications and make funding recommendations to Whatcom County Council and Bellingham City Council for final decisions.

Visit Bellingham | Whatcom County is an independent, 501 (c)(6) nonprofit economic development organization whose purpose is to improve the economy by marketing Bellingham Whatcom County as a premier, year-round visitor, sports, outdoor recreation, arts and cultural, and meetings destination, which supports all travel, tourism, and hospitality businesses and nonprofits in Whatcom County.