visit central oregon future fund

Click here for current wildfire information in Central Oregon including up-to-date conditions and restrictions.

FUTURE FUND – 2023 AWARDEES

Vision, mission, values, equity statement
Key Initiatives
Job Opportunities
Annual Report
Future Fund

Industry Resources

Tourism in Central Oregon
How Tourism Supports the Local Economy
Rewarding Careers
TRT Collections Report
Monthly Lodging Occupancy & ADR
VCO Media Recap
Economic Impact
Other Research & Reports
Funding Opportunities
CEO Announcement

Regional Programs

Regional Cooperative Tourism Program
RCTP Dashboard
Funded Projects

Marketing Resources

Marketing Opportunities

Business Resources

Global Sales
Workforce Development
Business Development
Upcoming Events
Newsletter Sign-up
Industry News

2023 Central Oregon Awardees

Bend Parks and Recreation District: River Access Improvements Phase 3

$100,000 This project will improve river access along a busy stretch of the Deschutes River, making river access more accessible to all, while also restoring habitat and ensuring sustainable water enjoyment for decades to come.

High Desert Museum, Changing Exhibits Initiative

$50,000 The Changing Exhibit Initiative continually brings new and exciting experiences to the Museum that drive attendance throughout the year, bolster our region’s tourism and support a thriving art and culture community.

Oregon Adaptive Sports, Moving Mountains

Moving Mountains will create enhanced opportunities for residents and visitors with disabilities and their families to access and enjoy the exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities that abound in Central Oregon.

Sisters Trails Alliance, Whychus Overlook Accessibility Enhancement Project

$37,152 Create a fully inclusive overlook at the prized and recognized Whychus Creek Overlook by modifying the existing masonry wall with two 10’ viewing section openings and refitting with a cable-rail assembly.

Tower Theatre, Sound Mitigation Project

$49,140 This project will fully complete comprehensive sound mitigation to improve, enhance, and clarify audio amplification in the venue for patrons, performers, and visitors.

Deschutes Soil and Water Conversation District

Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District, Got Stars Central Oregon

$95,000 International Dark-sky Assoc. (Oregon Chapter), Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District and their eight Central Oregon partners are collaborating on a community-wide initiative to showcase the importance and solutions related to dark skies and astrotourism through outreach, education, and signage and lighting improvements.

Central Oregon Trail Alliance: Welcome to Central Oregon’s Trails

$60,000 This project will welcome locals and visitors to the many Central Oregon trails beyond the popular trails near Bend by improving signage and trip planning information.

Discover Your Forest, Skull Hollow Trail Head

$77,375 This project will provide facility improvements to enhance a diverse-mixed use trail area and prevent further resource damage to the most visited trailhead in the Crooked River National Grassland (CRNG), the only National Grassland in the Pacific Northwest.

Maupin Area Chamber Endowment, Deschutes River Athletic Complex (DRAC)

$60,000 The Deschutes River Athletic Complex is becoming a world class track & football field, stage & related spectator facility located on South Wasco Co. School District property, overlooking the Wild & Scenic Deschutes River in Maupin, OR.

Oregon Equestrian Trails, Sheep Springs Horse Camp Steel Corral Upgrade

$66,083 Oregon Equestrian Trails will install steel corrals at Sheep Springs Horse Camp, providing safe and durable corrals critical for equine safety and visitor satisfaction.

Sunriver Owners Association, Sunriver Pathway Wayfinding Signs

$74,148 This project will provide 25 new signs throughout the community of Sunriver providing enhanced wayfinding for residents and visitors.

Warm Springs Community Action Team, Warm Springs Commissary

$100,000 This collaborative project will create a sustainable visitor destination and business incubator supporting 40 aspiring or current small business owners in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Member Directory
Board Of Directors
Business Development

Attractions
Water Recreation
Hike, Trek and Explore
Ski and Winter Recreation
Tennis & Pickleball
Guides & Outfitters
The Village At Sunriver
Sunriver Business Park
Spring River Plaza
Why Choose Sunriver?
Arts & Culture
Emergency Contacts
Community Organizations
Submit an Event

Business Resources , News , Visit Central Oregon

Visit central oregon accepting applications for the central oregon future fund.

Now in its second year, the highly successful grant program is designed to support tourism-related projects that benefit both residents and visitors.

Visit Central Oregon has begun accepting applications for the Central Oregon Future Fund , a second-year grant program aimed at supporting tourism-related projects that will benefit both residents and visitors. The application window will be open through Friday, February 16.

The Central Oregon Future Fund will award $450,000 in grants, funded entirely by revenue generated from the region’s Transient Room Tax collected by both Deschutes County and Travel Oregon. The Fund is designed to support tourism-related projects with the potential to leave a lasting positive impact on the region.

“Visit Central Oregon remains committed to not only promote tourism in this region but to allocate revenue generated by the success of this region into projects that offer a lasting benefit to those who live and work in the community,” said Julia Theisen, CEO of Visit Central Oregon. “The Central Oregon Future Fund is a key component to Visit Central Oregon’s sustainable tourism model, and in its first year we funded an impressive array of projects devoted to this vision. Ultimately, tourism needs to work for the entire community, and this is one way Visit Central Oregon can ensure that we continue to find ways to mitigate the impacts of the growth in tourism.”

Project applications must be aligned with the following program pillars:

Sustainability: Ideal projects will mitigate the impacts of tourism in Central Oregon, including infrastructure restoration, development of regenerative products and services, research on the impacts of visitation in high-use areas, and/or the use of responsible tourism value messaging.

Cultural Tourism: Projects that expand Central Oregon’s capacity for arts and culture programs, indigenous tourism, historic preservation, agritourism, or special events with a particular priority to those projects that focus on off-season tourism.

Access Adventure: Projects that expand access to both visitors and the community, educational and training programs, and/or improved tourism-related accessibility infrastructure expansion.

Prospective applicants can watch Visit Central Oregon’s informational webinar regarding the 2023-24 Future Fund at: youtube.com/watch?v=M0wmuVv0koU .

Last year, the Central Oregon Future Fund awarded nearly $840,000 in grants to 12 projects throughout Central Oregon, including $100,000 to Bend Parks and Recreation District for its project to improve river access and $95,000 to the Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District’s “Got Stars Central Oregon” project. For more on 2023 Fund recipients visit: visitcentraloregon.com/industry/future-fund .

In addition to the Central Oregon Future Fund, Visit Central Oregon has invested more than $1 million in grants and other strategic investments over the past five years through a partnership with Travel Oregon to manage the Regional Collaborative Tourism Program. The funding has benefited a wide range of projects, from arts and culture offerings to special events and stewardship programs. The list of beneficiaries includes Discover Your Forest, Deschutes Trails Coalition, Central Oregon Trail Alliance, Warm Springs Community Action Team, Museum at Warm Springs, In a Landscape, Sunriver Nature Center, and The High Desert Museum, among others.

“Visit Central Oregon has a responsibility to reinvest in this community, and we will continue to look for innovative ways to do that very thing,” Theisen said. “Central Oregon is a wonderful place, and we want to make sure that we leave it in a better place than we found it. Not just for visitors, but for all those who call Central Oregon home.”

Visit Central Oregon also encourages community members to take Travel Oregon’s resident sentiment survey on tourism by February 1, 2024. The anonymous feedback you provide will be used to help encourage responsible travel practices and shape the future of tourism in Central Oregon. All completed surveys will be entered to win either a $1,000, $500, or one of five $100 Amazon gift cards.

KTVZ LIVE Events
Ask the Mayor
Central Oregon
Decision 2024
KTVZ.com Poll
Local Video
National & International
Photo Galleries
Special Reports
FutureTrack Radar
Local Alert Forecast
LIVE Road Conditions
School Closings & Delays
Snow Report
Weather Alerts
Prep Scoreboard
Careers & Internships
Closed Captioning
Download Our Apps
EEO Public Filing
Email Newsletters
FCC Public File
NewsChannel 21 Team
On-Air Status
Receiving KTVZ
TV Listings
21 Cares For Kids
Clear The Shelters
Community Billboard
Community Conversations
Community Giving Tree
Community Links
One Class At A Time
Pay It Forward
Toys for Tots
Big Holiday Giveaway 2024
Junior Forecaster
Pet Pics Sweepstakes
Sunrise Birthdays
Central Oregon Careers
KTVZ Careers
Entertainment
House & Home
Pump Patrol
Pictures & Videos

Visit Central Oregon launches ‘Future Fund,’ offers $840K in funding for sustainable tourism projects

(Update: Adding video)

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — Visit Central Oregon announced that it will soon begin accepting applications for the Central Oregon Future Fund , a new grant program aimed at supporting tourism-related projects that will benefit both residents and visitors. The application window will be open from Monday, Jan. 16, through Tuesday, Feb. 28.

The Central Oregon Future Fund will award nearly $840,000 in grants and is funded from the increased revenue generated from the region’s Transient Room Tax. The program is designed to support tourism-related projects with the potential to leave a lasting positive impact on the region.

“Visit Central Oregon recognizes its responsibility to not only promote tourism for the region, but to reinvest tourism dollars for a lasting benefit to those who live and work in the community,” said Julia Theisen, CEO of Visit Central Oregon.

“As tourism has grown in this region, so has the impact on residents. Our goal as a destination marketing and management organization is to promote sustainable tourism and ultimately leave Central Oregon better than we found it. This grant is specifically meant to support projects that share this vision.”

Project applications must be aligned with the following program pillars:

Stewardship: Ideal projects will mitigate the impacts of tourism in Central Oregon, including infrastructure restoration, development of regenerative products and services, research on the impacts of visitation in high-use areas, and/or the use of responsible tourism value messaging.

Cultural Tourism: Projects that expand Central Oregon’s capacity for arts and culture programs, historic preservation, agritourism or special events with a particular priority to those projects that focus on off-season tourism.

Access Adventure: Projects that expand access to both visitors and the community, educational and training programs, and/or improved tourism-related accessibility infrastructure expansion.

Visit Central Oregon will also host two informational webinars regarding the Future Fund, one at 1 p.m. on Jan. 10 and another on Jan. 17. To register:

Jan. 10: www.eventbrite.com/e/483302981227
Jan. 17: www.eventbrite.com/e/487159355747

Through a partnership with Travel Oregon to manage the Regional Collaborative Tourism Program, Visit Central Oregon has invested nearly $775,000 in grants and other strategic investments over the past five years. The funding has benefited a wide range of projects, from arts and culture offerings to special events and stewardship programs.

The list of beneficiaries includes Discover Your Forest, Deschutes Trails Coalition, Central Oregon Trail Alliance, Warm Springs Community Action Team, Museum at Warm Springs, In a Landscape, Sunriver Music Festival, Sunriver Nature Center and The High Desert Museum, among others.

“Visit Central Oregon will continue to look for ways to reinvest in the community,” Theisen said. “The lifestyle in Central Oregon is a draw for both visitors and residents, and we have a responsibility to help preserve it.”

Grant recipients will be announced on Friday, April 7. To learn more or to apply for the Central Oregon Future Fund, visit visitcentraloregon.com/Future-Fund .

ABOUT VISIT CENTRAL OREGON:

Visit Central Oregon is a 501c6 that serves as the regional destination marketing organization. We drive overnight visitation to the region to support a thriving tourism economy. We inspire travel to the region through an integrated marketing campaign that celebrates our unique culture, people, and landscapes. As the Regional Destination Management Organization (RDMO) appointed by the Oregon Tourism Commission, we manage the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP) which is leveraged by the Deschutes County budget to optimize the economic impact from tourism to the region. We collaborate with industry partners towards a shared healthy vision of tourism for the region.

Jump to comments ↓