Community Sponsorship & Grant Program

The City of Bend offers funding to support community programs, services, and events that promote community outreach and education regarding City initiative and Council Goals. Read more on Council Goal descriptions. Program guidelines are outlined in the Sponsorship & Grant Program Awards and Use of City of Funds Policy.

• Fair Access: Provides funds to community partners in a fair and accessible manner.
• Promotion of City Goals: Supports events and programs that enhance the City’s outreach and education efforts and ensure a discrimination-free environment.
• Transparency: Ensures a clear and open application and review process.
• Responsible Funding: Distributes funds responsibly to avoid dependency on City funds.

To be considered for sponsorship, applications must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements to receive City funds:

• Entity registered with the Secretary of State with valid EIN and current W-9;

• An individual with a valid Social Security Number and W-9 (note that awarded funds may be taxable income under Federal IRS tax law); or

• Organizations not registered with the Oregon Secretary of State must have a fiscal sponsor identified that meets either requirement listed above via a fiscal sponsor agreement to accept funds on behalf of the applicant for the specified event, program, or project. The City may require both the applicant and the fiscal sponsor to indemnify and defend the City and to assume all responsibility and liability for the event, program, or project.

Event, program, or project must:

• Have a clear connection to Council Goals and/or City initiatives.

• Demonstrate a clear public purpose.
  • In general, a public purpose is defined as an activity or service that is open to all members of the public, regardless of race, color, national origin, age (if the individual is 18 years of age or older), religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, religious affiliation, veteran status, or genetic information., and which does not promote a particular religion. In addition, all programs must be accessible to individuals with disabilities, as set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

• Be free and open to all community members to attend or participate.
  • If a registration fee is required, a sliding scale or scholarship option must be available.

• Not promote religious or political agendas and must not discriminate based on age, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, national origin, or any other protected class described in applicable federal, state, or local law.

Applications meeting the above Eligibility Criteria are considered by the City’s internal Sponsorship Review Committee, using the following categories to assist with award determinations that promote City initiatives and have the highest impact with the funds available. Applications are not required to meet all the categories listed below, but applications addressing multiple categories will be prioritized for funding. 

• Priority Event: Application is for an event identified in the Sponsorship Program Policy (a holiday parade, a 4th of July parade, a Veteran’s Day parade, a Juneteenth celebration, a summer Pride event).

• Alignment with Purpose of a Restricted Fund: Application meets the purpose and intent of a specific restricted fund within the Sponsorship Program budget, which includes Business Advocacy/Economic Development, Water Services Conservation & Education, and Environmental Sustainability. 

• Council Goal Connection: Application demonstrates a clear connection to at least one Council Goal, as outlined in the current Council Goal Work Plan. 

• Community Engagement: Application clearly demonstrates opportunities for community members to engage with other community members and organizations. 

• Community Impact: Application demonstrates an efficient use of available and requested funds based on expected community participation. 

• Community Building and Belonging: Application demonstrates a clear intention to create opportunities to foster community integration and belonging. 

• Civic Engagement: Application demonstrates opportunities for community members to engage with local government.

• Public Purpose: Application demonstrates a clear public purpose, defined as an activity or service that is open to all members of the public.

• Financial Accessibility: Application clearly outlines how community engages or participates in the event or program. Priority is given to applications that allow for free participation. If free participation is not an option, preference is given to applications demonstrating a plan to offer sliding scale or scholarship options for attendees.

• Multiple Funding Sources: Preference is given to applications with a budget that clearly identifies multiple funding sources, demonstrating the event or program is not solely relying on City funds to occur. 

After completing the application review process, the Sponsorship Review Committee provides a recommendation to the City Manager of selected applications and proposed award amounts. Awards are dependent on available budget and City Manager approval.   

General Requests

The City of Bend Sponsorship Program reviews applications twice a year to give all organizations a fair chance to access funds throughout the fiscal year (July – June).

• If you submit your application by March 31, it will be considered in April, with award payments completed by May.
  • Applications for events and programs occurring from June through December are encouraged to apply by the March 31 deadline.
• If you submit your application by September 30, it will be considered in October, with award payments completed by November.
  • Applications for events and programs occurring from January through May are encouraged to apply by the September 30 deadline.

Welcoming Week

The window to submit a 2025 Welcoming Week Proposal is closed. Stay tuned for more information regarding 2026 Welcoming Week events. 

Funding Categories

The discretionary community funds program supports a variety of events and programs, most of which fall into one of the categories below.

Community Events

The City has identified community-wide events that hold community-wide interest, history, and value as sponsored events. These events include: a holiday parade, a 4th of July parade, a Veteran’s Day parade, a Juneteenth celebration, a summer Pride event, and Welcoming Week events. Additional events may be selected for sponsorship, which typically include events hosted by local community organizations that promote outreach and education about City initiatives and Council Goals. Preference is given to community-wide events with no participation barriers (e.g., entrance fees, limited capacity). Event sponsorships are a one-time payment, and the funds must be used to support the specified event.

Community Programs and Projects

These are programs and projects run by local community organizations that promote outreach and education about City initiatives and Council Goals. Program grants are issued according to a grant agreement with a specified Scope of Work outlining how City funds will be used to achieve the program goals.

Recipients of the City of Bend Discretionary Community Fund must submit a post-event or post-program summary. This report should include:

• An accounting of how City funds were used
• A brief description of the perceived impact on the local community
• Number of participants
• Benefits experienced by participants

A post-event/program conversation with City staff can be held in lieu of a report, if desired.

Send reports to: sponsorships@bendoregon.gov