Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Committee
Under State Law, the City of Marfa collects a Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) from hotels, short-term vacation rentals, and other lodging facilities & uses the funds to award Partnership Grants to qualifying events and activities through the Hotel Occupancy Tax Fund Grant Advisory Committee. The HOT revenue is limited to specific events and activities to attract tourists and hotel guests and is used to promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry.
The committee is appointed by City Council and is comprised of representatives from local tourism, arts, and preservation fields, as well as Marfa citizens. The committee makes recommendations to City Council, based on the merits of the applications. City Council then makes the final decision on all requests.
Here’s a brief list of available grants:
- Historic Restoration & Preservation Grants are restricted to enhancing historical restoration and preservation projects and activities or to advertising, soliciting, and promoting preserved historic sites or museums to attract tourists and hotel guests and are awarded twice each year.
- Advertising Reimbursement Grants are awarded quarterly to organizations for advertising, solicitations and promotions that directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry in Marfa. Grant monies are given on a reimbursement basis only and are awarded quarterly.
**For Advertising Reimbursement Grants both this Application and Post Event Form need to be completed.
- Arts & Culture Grants are restricted to the encouragement, promotion, improvement, and application of the arts and are awarded twice annually. An art facility or event can demonstrate impact by showing that hotel nights are booked due to their activity or that hotel guests attended their arts event. Eligible forms of art include all types of instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture, design and allied fields, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic and craft arts, film, video, radio, television, sound recording, and other arts related to the presentation, performance, execution, and exhibition of these art forms.
The HOT Grant Committee meetings are based on grant deadlines. Grant applicants may be asked by the committee to present at a review meeting and answer any questions regarding the application. Applicants will be notified of the time and place for the review one week prior to the meeting.
Committee Members:
Mayor Manny Baeza
Mayor Pro Tem Raul Lara
Tourism Director Jenna Conners
