Background:
On April 1st, 2015 the 24 accommodators who make up the membership of the Nanaimo Hospitality Association began collecting the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT or Accommodation Tax). The purpose of the Accommodation Tax and the associated Nanaimo Hospitality Grants Program is to support the growth of overnight visitations to Nanaimo through the development of festivals and events, including sporting events.
The primary objectives of the Nanaimo Hospitality Grants Program are to:
- Increase the number of new festivals and events, including sporting events, that drive new overnight visitations to Nanaimo.
- Augment the capacity, length and/or quality of existing festivals and events, including sporting events, that drive incremental overnight visitations to Nanaimo.
- Support feasibility studies and tourism projects that look at developing new festivals and events, or improving and expanding current festivals and events, with the goal of driving future overnight visitation to Nanaimo.
Grant Intakes and Evaluation
Applications will be accepted on a continual basis and be evaluated by the Nanaimo Hospitality Association grant review committee every couple of months. The application deadlines for each grant review period are indicated below. Applications will be evaluated based on the event’s ability to generate overnight visitation, economic impact, the organization’s experience to organize and host the event, the organization’s financial need, and the potential to have the event return to Nanaimo. Please apply early so that the grant notification date still falls prior to your event, as grants will not be provided after your event takes place.
Application Deadline |
Application Review Period |
Notification of Grant Award |
June 30, 2024 |
July |
August 7th, 2024 |
September 16th, 2024 |
Sept/October |
October 18, 2024 |
November 30th, 2024 |
December |
January 15th , 2025 |
February 15th 2025 |
February |
March 15th, 2025 |
Step 1: Read and review the 2021 Grant Program Information Guide
Step 2: Determine which Nanaimo Hospitality Grant you are applying for (Festival and Event, Sporting Event or Feasibility Study) and review the appropriate Grant Application Preview Document below. This Preview Document is a replica of the questions that you will be asked in the online application found under Step 3. Feel free to use the Question Preview document as a working document, but please note that applications will only be accepted online, and can be found in the links under Step 3.
Step 3: Fill out the online Nanaimo Hospitality Grant application form: