By Pepper Fisher

SEQUIM — A new round of grants for non-profit tourism-related organizations in Sequim will be awarded in June, but applications are being accepted now.

Up to $5,000 each will be awarded to organizations within the Sequim School District boundary after the City Council recently approved the use of $50,000 of the City’s Lodging Tax Funds for Tourism Sustainability Grants.

Communications and Marketing Director Barbara Hanna says this second round of grants will be specifically targeted to non-profits struggling to stay alive under pandemic restrictions.

“It’s very similar to the program that Clallam County has been offering that they, I believe, titled “Keep the Lights On”.  And that is really the intent. It’s to help our tourism partners in the area. Either accommodate the regulations that they need to, to be able to be open, and welcome guests, or if they’re not able to operate in a typical fashion, to help them weather the impact of that. We want to make sure that those organizations and planners are still around to be able to successfully operate once we’re through the pandemic.”

Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May 24. They’ll be reviewed by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee at their quarterly meeting on June 2 and recommendations will be made for approval to the City Council’s June 14 meeting.

Applications are available on the City of Sequim website https://sequimwa.gov under the COVID-19 information section.