Historic Restoration & Preservation Grants

Historic Restoration and Preservation Grants are awarded twice annually to organizations that directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry in Marfa. In accordance with state law, this grant is 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. Texas law does not limit such funding to structures that are owned by a public or nonprofit entity, or to whether the project is listed on a historic registry, but the City may choose to impose such limitations.

Deadlines
 

- The City of Marfa is accepting HOT applications for events occurring April 1 - September 30, 2024. Please send completed applications to jconners@cityofmarfa.com no later than 5 pm on ,  Monday  March 18, 2024

To Apply: 
 

Please submit your application electronically by the above deadline. Late applications will be considered based on availability of funds.
All applications must be submitted via email to jconners@cityofmarfa.com
 

Awards:
 

Historic Preservation and Restoration grants are generally awarded in the range of $2500 – $8000.
Organizations who are awarded grant funds must complete a Post-Project Report Form within thirty days following the event or project completion in order to be eligible for future funding. The City of Marfa must be properly credited, with the City’s Tourism logo included, on all advertising and promotion of the event or project.

Requirements:
 

By law of the State of Texas, the City of Marfa collects a Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) from hotels, short-term vacation rentals, and other lodging facilities. Under state law, the revenue from the HOT:

1. may be used only to directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry.
2. is limited to specific events and activities which, for the purposes of this application, include historical restoration and preservation projects and activities or advertising, soliciting, and promoting preserved historic sites or museums to attract tourists and hotel guests.
 

City Policy:
 

The City of Marfa accepts Historic Restoration and Preservation Grant applications from groups and businesses whose program fits into the above requirements. Requests for funds must be submitted in writing and accompanied by the official application by the listed deadline. The application will be reviewed by the City of Marfa HOT Fund Committee. This committee is appointed by council and is comprised of individuals from local tourism, arts, and preservation fields and by Marfa citizens. The applicant may be asked to be present at a meeting of the Committee to answer any questions regarding the application. Applicants will be notified one week prior to the meeting of the time and place for the review.

Based on the application, the City of Marfa HOT Fund Committee will make a recommendation to the City Council. The City Council will make the final decision on all requests.

Eligibility & Priority:

1. Priority will be given to events and entities based on their ability to generate overnight visitors to Marfa. If an event or project will not generate any meaningful hotel night activity, it is not eligible for receipt of hotel occupancy tax funds. Events can prove this potential to generate overnight visitors by:

• historic information on the number of room nights used during previous years of the same event;
• current information on the size of a room block that has been reserved at area hotels to accommodate anticipated overnight guests attending the funded event;
• historical information on the number of guests at hotel or other lodging facilities that attended the funded event (through surveys, guest directories, or other sources; and/or
• examples of the planned marketing of the programs and activities that will likely generate overnight visitors to local lodging properties from this event.

2. Priority will be given to organizations that rent the Tourism/USO Building or Marfa Activity Center for their event.

3. Events and activities will be further evaluated and scored based on:

• Cultural & Historic significance
• Organizational capacity for success
• Uniqueness and diversity
• Collaboration with other local organizations
• Appropriate budget