Community Sponsorship Program
The City of Bend sets aside a budget every two years to support community events and programs that promote City priorities and enhance community engagement.
The City of Bend offers funding to support community programs, services, and events that promote community outreach and education regarding City initiatives 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.
NEW! The Community Sponsorship Program is now offering a limited number of Tower Theatre City Use Days. Awardees of City Use Days receive a waiver of the non-profit rental fee of the Tower Theatre for the event. City Use Days will be granted to a limited number of events this application period who plan to host their event at the Tower Theatre. Applicants are encouraged to contact Shannon Brindley at the Tower Theatre via phone at 541-977-0002 or email prior to applying for a City Use Day sponsorship to confirm an available date and space accommodation for their event.
Application Periods
The City of Bend Sponsorship Program accepts applications twice a year.
Spring Application Period:
- The Sponsorship Application is open from February 1 to March 31. Applications are reviewed in April, and final decisions and payments are made in May.
- If your event or program takes place between June and December, it’s recommended to apply during the Spring application period.
Fall Application Period:
- The Sponsorship Application is open from August 1 to September 30. Applications are reviewed in October, and final decisions and payments are made in November.
- If your event or program takes place between January and May, it’s recommended to apply during the Fall application period.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements to receive City Sponsorship 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.
Additionally, the applicant and the event or program for which the applicant is requesting funds must not discriminate against any individual based on age (if the individual is 18 years of age or older), race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, citizenship status, immigration status, or any other protected class described in applicable federal, state, or local law. The event or program must also be accessible to individuals with disabilities, as set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Request to be Sponsored
Ready to request sponsorship for your organization’s event or program?
Frequently Asked Questions
Any individual, organization, or entity hosting a community event or program that aligns with the City’s priorities and Council goals. Applicants must meet one of the following requirements to receive City Sponsorship 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.
Yes, individuals are welcome to apply for an event or program they are hosting for community benefit, however, if awarded City sponsorship, individuals may be subject to income tax on the received amount. Individuals may also partner with a registered entity as a “fiscal sponsor” which allows for the sponsorship award to be issued to the entity on behalf of the individual.
The earlier, the better! It’s recommended that events or programs occurring in January through May apply in the Fall Application Period and events or programs occurring in June through December apply in the Spring Application Period. These time frames are recommendations only – applications can be submitted in an earlier application period if the applicant has the information available to complete the sponsorship application. For example, if the event is scheduled in February 2028, an application could be submitted in the Spring 2026 Application Period.
Applications for events or programs occurring during or immediately following the current application period may not be considered. For example, if an event is scheduled for October 15 and the application is submitted in the Fall application period (due by September 30), award determinations and payments will not be available before the event occurs and the application may not be considered.
The City typically receives between on average 25-50 applications in an Application Period, with the most applications received in the 2026 Spring Application Period at 62 applications.
On average, the program has received approximately $100,000 per fiscal year (July – June) in budgeted funds during the biennial budget. The total budgeted amount per fiscal year is allocated between the two Application Periods each year. The budgeted amount may fluctuate between fiscal years due to budget adjustments and other emerging priorities.
The average award is between $2,500 – $5,000. While the program allows for awards up to $10,000, very few applications have been awarded the maximum amount.
The City has an agreement with the Tower Theatre that allows the City to identify a few dates a year for a community event to have the non-profit rental fee waived ($1,300 value). The City is now offering a portion of these limited number of days as part of the Community Sponsorship Program. The City also reserves a few days for Welcoming Week events and a few City-hosted events at the Tower Theatre.
City Use Days at the Tower Theatre do not cover the rental of the Encore Room. The sponsorship can only be applied to the rental of the full theater.
Yes! Since the City has a very limited number of City Use Days available to award, applicants with events at the Tower Theatre are encouraged to apply for both a monetary sponsorship award and a City Use Day award on the sponsorship application. The City may choose to award either the City Use Day or a monetary sponsorship, based on availability and budget.
Due to the high volume of applications received and the very limited funds available, applications for events and programs that are free, open to the public, and most closely align with City priorities and Council goals are usually prioritized for funding. Fundraisers and other events and programs that don’t have a clear connection to City core services are generally not prioritized for an award.
The City recognizes a few event types each year as priority events: a summer Pride event, a Juneteenth event, a 4th of July Parade, a Veteran’s Day Parade, and a Holiday Parade. Applications for events that are associated with these priority event types may also be prioritized for funding. These events also qualify for in-kind support, which usually involves City staff time and use of City equipment like road barricades.
Applicants submitting a Sponsorship Application during the Fall Application Period (August 1 – September 30) can expect to receive a response regarding an award decision by the end of October, with award payments distributed in November.
Applicants submitting a Sponsorship Application during the Spring Application Period (February 1 – March 31) can expect to receive a response regarding an award decision by the end of the April, with award payments distributed in May.
Sponsorship applications are reviewed by the Sponsorship Review Committee, which is made up of several City staff representing City departments across the organization. Applications identified by the Sponsorship Review Committee are recommended to the City Manager for a reward. The City Manager has final approval of Sponsorship awards.
Yes! A few things to consider for returning applicants:
- If an award has already been granted for the same applicant during the current fiscal year (July – June), then new applications from other applicants may be prioritized for that application period.
- A successful application during one fiscal year does not guarantee City sponsorship for subsequent applications, so returning applicants are strongly encouraged to have multiple funding sources identified for ongoing support.
Applications submitted to the Community Sponsorship Program should include a detailed description of the event or program that includes:
- The connection to City priorities and services. For example, does this event help promote existing City programs, like water conservation?
- How the community is invited to participate. For example, is it free or low-cost with scholarship opportunities?
- How an inclusive and welcoming environment will be supported for community members. For example, will there be resources available in multiple languages?
- A detailed budget that outlines multiple funding sources and a detailed description of how City funds, if awarded, would be applied to the budget.
Applications that address all of the above points are more likely to meet the criteria considered by the Sponsorship Review Committee as they consider which applications to prioritize for an award recommendation.
If your application is selected for a sponsorship award, the City will email the applicant contact listed on the application from the sponsorships@bendoregon.gov email address.
Once selected, the applicant will be requested to complete a form outlining more details of the event or program and how City funds will be used. Additionally, the applicant will be requested to provide a Certificate of Insurance meeting the City’s insurance requirements.
Once the completed form and Certificate of Insurance are received, the Sponsorship Agreement will be available for the City Manager and the applicant the sign. The Sponsorship Agreement outlines how the applicant may use City sponsorship funds for the event or program.
Once the Sponsorship Agreement is signed by all parties, then a check payment will be issued to the applicant for the full amount of the sponsorship awarded.
With several steps required to be completed prior to issuing payment, a successful applicant can expect to receive funds about a month after notification of the award:
- For the Fall Application Period, payment is likely to be received in November.
- For the Spring Application Period, payment is likely to be received in May.
Sponsorship award amounts are dependent on the Community Sponsorship Program’s available budget and the number of awards being issued for that application period. If the requested amount is not feasible given the available funds, a different award amount may be granted.
Post-Event/Program Reporting (Optional)
Recipients of the Community Sponsorship Program are not subject to reporting requirements. However, recipients may submit a post-event or post-program summary to sponsorships@bendoregon.gov to share how the City’s contribution impacted the event or program. This summary can 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.
Awardees
Below you will find a report and list of all sponsorship and grant awards for the 2025-2027 Biennium: