Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Funding Request Application

January 1 - December 31, 2024

Hotel Occupancy Tax Revenue Issues

The use of HOT funds is dictated by State law and defined in the Texas Tax Code (Subtitle D. Local Hotel Occupancy Taxes; Chapter 351. Municipal Hotel Occupancy Taxes). The HOT funds are generated as a result of a person who pays for the use or possession, or for the right to the use or possession of a room in a hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast, with a cost of $2 or more each day, and is ordinarily used for sleeping not on a permanent basis. There is a two-part test that EVERY expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax must meet to be valid:

Part One: Every expenditure must DIRECTLY enhance and promote tourism AND the convention and hotel industry.

Part Two: Every expenditure of the hotel occupancy tax must clearly fit into one of the six statutorily provided categories for expenditure of local hotel occupancy tax revenues, which are defined below:

• Convention Centers & Visitor Information Centers: the acquisition of sites for and the construction, improvement, enlarging, equipping, repairing, operation and maintenance of convention center facilities or visitor information centers or both.

• Registration of Convention Delegates:  the furnishing of facilities, personnel, and materials for the registration of convention delegates of registrants.

• Advertising and Conducting Solicitations and Promotional Programs to Attract Tourists and Convention Delegates:  advertising and conducting solicitations and promotional programs to attract tourists and convention delegates of registrants to the municipality or its vicinity.

• Promotion of the Arts:  the encouragement, promotion, improvement and application of the arts, including instrumental and vocal music, dance, drama, folk art, creative writing, architecture, design and allied fields, painting, sculpture, photography, graphic and craft arts, motion pictures, radio, television, tape and sound recording, and other arts related to the presentation, performance, execution and exhibition of these major art forms.

• Historical Restoration and Preservation Projects or Activities: historical restoration and preservation projects or activities of advertising and conducting solicitations and promotional programs to encourage tourists and convention delegates to visit preserved historic sites or museums: (a) at or in the immediate vicinity of convention center facilities of visitor information centers; or (b) located elsewhere in the municipality or its vicinity that would be frequented by tourists and convention delegates.

• Sporting Event Expenses Related to Sporting Events Which Substantially Increase Economic Activity at Hotels:  for a municipality located in a county with a population of 290,000 or less, expenses, including promotion expenses directly related to a sporting event in which the majority of participants are tourists who substantially increase economic activity at hotels and motels within the municipality or its vicinity.

Application Process

1. Application Submission Deadline:  Funding requests for HOT will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. All submission deadlines for each quarter are included in the application packet. Applications must be submitted to the Snyder Chamber of Commerce, 2302 Avenue R, Snyder, Texas 79550 by 4:00pm on the deadline date. Late submissions will not be accepted. The Snyder Chamber of Commerce will accept multiple applications from individuals or groups. However, each project or event should be submitted on a separate application form, and during the appropriate funding period.

2. Applicant Presentation Deadline:  All applications submitted by the deadline will be presented to the Snyder Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Dates of presentations for each quarter are included in the packet. Any and all applicants are REQUIRED to make a presentation to the Snyder Chamber of Commerce on behalf of their application, limited to a maximum of five minutes. Times are available strictly on a first-come/first-served basis by calling the Snyder Chamber of Commerce at 325-573-3558.

3. Notification by Snyder Chamber of Commerce:  Notification will be sent to applicants informing them of the decision made by the Snyder Chamber of Commerce. Correspondence may include requirements of other materials due and deadlines for submission of the same. The decisions of the Snyder Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors will be final. Applicants receiving funding are entering into an agreement with the Snyder Chamber of Commerce and are required to execute all subsequent documentation as described.

4. Deadlines for Additional Documentation:

   a) Invoicing: Applicant shall submit an invoice at least forty-five (45) days before event. Invoices should be mailed or delivered to the Snyder Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 840 or 2303 Avenue R, Snyder, Texas 79550.

   b) Post-Funding Analysis and Proofs of Payment: Must be submitted not later than sixty (60) days following the event. The Post-Funding Analysis should mirror the budget presented in applicant’s original application and include proofs of payment in the form of receipts or copies of receipts that reflect actual monies expended, and room rental surveys from the local hoteliers. Unspent funds must be returned or repaid to the Snyder Chamber of Commerce.  Lack of post-funding analysis information will affect future funding opportunities.

Application Deadlines

First Quarter Requests:

Events occurring between February 1 - April 30, 2024

Deadline for Application: November 3, 2023

Proposal Presentations: November 7, 2023

Second Quarter Requests:

Events occurring between May 1-July 31, 2024

Deadline for Application: Feb. 23, 2024

Proposal Presentation: March 11, 2024

Third Quarter Requests:

Events occurring between August 1- October 31, 2024

Deadline for Application: May 26, 2024

Proposal Presentation: June 12, 2024

Fourth Quarter Requests:

Events occurring between November 1, 2024 – January 31, 2025

Deadline for Application: August 26, 2024

Proposal Presentation: September 11, 2024

Applications and all required attachments are due by 4:00pm on the date of application deadline

Please Note: Letters will be emailed to notify applicants of dates and times of presentations, etc. Should there be any changes in dates, times, or locations of meetings, each applicant will be notified by mail and/or phone call. Each applicant should make sure that they provide a good address and phone number so that no one misses important correspondence with any such notifications.

• Any LATE HOT applications will be subjected to a 12.5% penalty. Any first-time event requesting funds, the event will not be penalized for a late application.

• LATE POST REPORT FORM (due no more than 60 days after event is completed, lack of post-funding analysis information will affect future funding opportunities) will be subjected to a 12.5% penalty for future funding.

• Also 12.5 % will be withheld of the allocated money until the 60-day post event report has been submitted and final payment will be made.

Funding Policy

1. City of Snyder Hotel Occupancy Tax funding will support qualified events/activities/facilities but is not intended to be the primary funder for events/facilities.

2. The MAXIMUM amount of funding per event or facilities application for the fiscal year is $20,000. (Applicants who can’t justify a request for the maximum amount stated above are advised to request only an amount for which they may qualify.)

3. The Snyder Chamber of Commerce will accept multiple applications from individuals or groups; however, each event/request must be submitted on a separate application and during their designated funding period in which the event occurs.

4. It is critical that this application be filled out completely and accurately as it is the primary source by which funding determinations will be made. It is the responsibility of the applicant to specifically explain how the funds will be used in eligible ways.

5. The Snyder Chamber of Commerce HOT Fund committee will review all applications, as submitted quarterly, and recommendations will be given to the board of directors at its regular meeting. Priority will be given to applicants based on their documented ability to directly promote tourism AND the hotel industry in the City of Snyder by “being likely to cause increased hotel activity in Snyder lodging venues.” Applicants must demonstrate the potential to generate increased hotel or convention activity by:

   a) Providing historical information on the number of room nights used during previous years of the same event/facility.

   b) Providing examples of marketing programs and activities likely to generate or encourage overnight visitors to the City of Snyder lodging properties.

6. No other outside events, projects, charities, or the like which are also sponsored by the host organization may profit from Hotel Occupancy Tax funding of the particular event/facility funded. Funds must be used to attract overnight visitors.

7. If applying for advertising:

   a) All advertising must be done in advance of the event; facilities must document a timeline for advertising their venue.

   b) Must utilize legitimate media sources that target audiences at least 50 miles outside of the City of Snyder, i.e. direct mail, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, billboards.

8. All advertisements are to include appropriate representation for the City of Snyder Hotel Occupancy Tax including the current Snyder Chamber of Commerce logo, (available on the "Resources" page on the chamber website), and/or a website listing for the City of Snyder Lodgers at www.snyderchamber.org. Lack of recognition will affect future funding opportunities.

9. THE SNYDER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO INDEPENDENTLY SURVEY HOTELS, MOTELS, INNS, AND BED-AND-BREAKFAST ESTABLISHMENTS FOR EVENT/FACILITY THAT RECEIVE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDS. IF A MAJORITY OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS REPORT LITTLE OR NO BENEFIT FROM THE APPLICANT’S EVENT/FACILITY IT SHALL BE NOTED FOR FUTURE FUNDING REQUESTS. HOTEL STAYS SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED BY THE COORDINATOR.

10. Applicants are on notice that, while the Snyder Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors makes decisions based on estimated budgets and projections, documentation of how granted funds were spent must be actual costs supported by proofs of payments. Any monies not used or not used lawfully must be returned or repaid to the Snyder Chamber of Commerce within sixty (60) days of the event, along with the completed post-funding analysis.

11. The final accounting of funds must mirror the items outlined in the Applicant’s original application and in the Fund Expenditure Report.

PLEASE NOTE: All final funding decisions will be made by the Snyder Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.