Oregon Wine Industry

Oregon is the third largest viniferous grape growing region in the U.S., with 463 wineries

Industry Organization Grant Program

Industry organization grant opportunity

Download the program details in PDF format | Jump to request form

Overview:

The Oregon Wine Board (OWB) will accept written requests from Oregon-based wine industry not-for-profit (NFP) regional wine associations that seek to host and/or promote Oregon wine-related events that promote a regional event or activity that engages consumers, provides opportunity for wineries to sell wine and /or develops relationships with new and committed wine lovers.

At its discretion, the OWB also will entertain grant applications submitted from organizations who have written letters of support from a regional winery or winegrower association; and whose activity fiscally benefits a non-profit organization, with preference for those activities that contribute revenue collected from the event to regional wine or winegrower associations.

Grants up to $2000 may be requested. Each eligible applicant may apply once per fiscal year to support an eligible project.

Intended Uses of Grant Funding:

The grants are designed to assist in funding activities that support each NFP’s mission or that of other authorized grantees. Funds can be used for purposes authorized by the applicant’s board or steering committee, including professional grant writing assistance, reimbursements for expenses incurred by visiting members of the media or academics engaged on a project of importance to the requester’s purpose. Grant money can also be directed towards other activities as requested by a requester’s board insofar as such activities are consistent with the Oregon Wine Board’s emphasis on Research, Education, Media Relations and Marketing programs.

Awards require some level of hard dollar investment by the requesting organization. A dollar-for-dollar match is not required, but written requests should detail the funds to be made available by a requesting organization.

Eligiblity:

Funding requests must be presented in writing from a Steering Committee or a Board of Directors representing an Oregon wine industry NFP recognized in IRS tax code as tax-exempt. If a requesting organization does not have a 501(c) designation, they must be working in collaboration with a regional wine association having 501(c) status and be contributing revenue from the event to a community cause being run by a 501(c) organization.

Recipients awarded a grant who do not have a 501(c) designation are encournaged to contribute net revenue from the event to their regional wine association. A letter of support from a regional wine association must be uploaded to an application submitted by an organization that does not have a 501(c) designation. The submitter also must attest to the collaboration with and support of the regional wine association as well as the identified 501(c) that has been designated to benefit from the proceeds.

Applicants that do not possess a 501(c) status and do not provide proof of support from a 501(c) designated regional wine association and other NFP fiscal beneficiary of the project, shall be immediately rejected without further consideration.

Grants shall not be made to individuals regardless of 501(c) status.

Submission Requirements:

Applications may be submitted at any time during the fiscal year. Grants $2000 or less will be reviewed by OWB staff and selected Board members as deemed appropriate by the purpose and goals of the grant. All grants shall be reviewed within 30 days of submission. Grant recipients will receive an official letter from OWB that outlines the award or refusal of the grant request. Grants reporting requirements and expected due date, as well as terms for extending a project that may not be able to be completed in the proposed timeframe, shall also be provided along with the grant award approval letter.

Applications submitted for a previously funded program/event/activity shall only be funded if the applicant is expanding to include new audiences, additional services, or other entirely new aspects of the previously funded program/event/activity that helps them reach new intended goals. All of which must be fully defined and justified in the grant application.

NOTE: Grant requests in excess of $2000 require Board approval in a public OWB Board of Directors meeting. Requests are required to be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the next posted OWB Board meeting. Please plan accordingly.

Reporting Requirements:

Grant recipients are required to provide a report to OWB within 30 days of completing the project. The report template can be downloaded here and must be fully completed by the grantee within the alloted timeframe. Please review the template prior to submitting your application to ensure the requested project can meet the reporting requiements.

The project completion report provides OWB with the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program and determine if changes to the grant program and guidance are required. You are encouraged to mark your calendar upon receipt of grant award to ensure you are meeting this requirement. This is an essential part of the grant program that must be completed.

Expected Project Changes:

If a project must be extended to achieve the expected goal, the grantee must communicate the expected change(s) to OWB no later than 45 days prior to the OWB approved grant completion date, or as soon as the needed delay is identified.

If the scope of the project has changed since the applications was approaved, the grantee must notify OWB immediently in writing as soon as such changes have been determined by the grantee. OWB staff will work with the grantee to ensure the changes remain consistent with the intent of the grant program.

Such project changes, either in completion date or in scope must be communicated to OWB prior to the approved completion date of the project. Changes not reported prior to the completion date may be subject to funded reductions or adjustments depending on the status of the project at the time of approved expected completion.

Request Submission Process:

The OWB has designed an application form designed to provide the information required to evaluate and process the grant request. Each submission is to include the following:

  • The precise amount being requested up to $2,000;
  • The signature of the board or steering committee chair or an acknowledgment that the request is backed by the support of the board of the applicant organization or a regional wine association on behalf of the requesting applicant;
  • Confirmation of the NFP tax-exempt status, such as a tax ID number or any other identifier from founding documents establishing it as a tax-exempt 501(c) sub-classification;
  • A description, with relevant detail, of the project(s) the money will be used for;
  • The dollar contribution being made from a requesting organization’s own funds or other sources;
  • A date by which the grantee agrees to report back in writing to OWB on how the funding was invested, its accomplishments and how it impacted the intended region, goal or participants (as defined and required in the final report template).

    Amount:

    A maximum of $2,000 per applicant will be awarded between July 1and June 30 of each fiscal year. The Oregon Wine Board reserves the right to close the granting program upon reaching budgeted limits for the program or to put the program on hold as necessitated by decreases in the Grape Tax Assessment.

    Other Information:

    While funds are intended to be used during the fiscal year in which they are awarded, there will be no penalty for carrying them over into the subsequent year, provided that the grantee follows the instructions set forth in the Expected Project Changes section above. All changes to completion date and/or scope must be approved by OWB in writing and new deadlines or scope changes shall be set by mutual agreement between OWB and grantee.

    The Oregon Wine Board reserves the right to amend or terminate this grant program at any time. Any funds awarded but not spent will remain with the granted organization to which they were dispersed and must be used for the project described in the notice of award, unless otherwise approved by OWB as defined in the Expected Project Changes section above.

    Grant recipients will be listed in OWB’s Annual Report along with a summary of their project description.

     

    Grant Request Form

    IMPORTANT: If you do not see a confirmation message after submitting your form, it means we have not received your request. If this happens, please scroll back down the page to review any errors that may have occurred in your application.

    We will reach out to you for more information
    If not, please provide the name and brief description or the regional winery association or other NFP that will benefit from this project. Applicants that do not possess a 501(c) status and do not provide proof of support from a 501(c) designated regional wine association and other beneficiary of the project, shall be immediately rejected without further consideration.