WASHINGTON CO. LAUNCHES ONLINE HOT FUND GRANT PORTAL
Tourism organizations in Washington County have a new system for applying for Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) grant funds.
Washington County is rolling out an online portal where funding applicants can start and save their application as a draft, return and edit their application any time before submitting, view current and previous applications, submit required post-event reports, and keep tabs on important announcements and updates in a centralized location.
Commissioner Misti Hartstack Corn called the portal a great improvement over the previous application process, which she said could be cumbersome and repetitive. She said the new system is more user-friendly and allows for better documentation of applications.
HOT funds are awarded twice a year, once for the fall and again for the spring. Organizations utilize the funding for promoting events, mitigating costs of special projects, or covering operating expenses.
Applications for the fall 2026 funding cycle will open on May 4th and will stay open for two weeks until May 18th at 5 p.m. Review by the county’s HOT fund committee is anticipated in late May, with consideration by the commissioners court planned in early June. Approved applicants will be notified and awarded funding soon after.
The link to the new grant portal can be found here. Questions can be directed to Sherri Schmidt or Harrison Williams at sherri.schmidt@washingtoncountytx.gov or Hwilliams@washingtoncountytx.gov.