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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract2023 GRANT BENEFICIARY AGREEMENT WITH AMPOWERING LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM THIS AGREEMENT, dated for reference purposes only as May 11, 2023, is by and between the City of Renton (the “City”), a Washington municipal corporation, and Ampowering (“Beneficiary”), a Washington Non-Profit Corporation and sets forth the terms and conditions under which the City will provide a grant to Beneficiary under the Tourism Promotion Grant Program (“Program”), authorized by the Renton City Council on December 5, 2022. The Program is funded through the Renton Lodging Tax (RMC 5-18) as authorized by RCW 67.285. The City and the Beneficiary are referred to collectively in this Agreement as the “Parties.” Once fully executed by the Parties, this Agreement iseffective as of the last date signed by both parties. RECITALS: WHEREAS, the State of Washington authorized for municipalities to collect excise tax on certain lodging businesses under Revised Washington Code (“RCW”) 67.28; and, WHEREAS, the City has authorized collection of a 1% (one percent) excise tax on certain lodging businesses in the City under Renton Municipal Code (“RMC”) 5-18, which is the “Lodging Tax”; referenced in the Agreement; and, WHEREAS, revenues from the Lodging Tax must be used for the purpose of tourism promotion and support; and WHEREAS, the City has established a Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (“LTAC”) to establish Application Criteria (Exhibit 1), review Applications (“Beneficiary’s Application” at Exhibit 2), and recommend expenditures from the Lodging Tax fund (“LTAC Recommendations” at Exhibit 3), each Exhibit is incorporated herein by reference; and WHEREAS, the City, through the LTAC, issued a Call for Application to entities seeking financial support for tourism related purposes, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 4 and incorporated by reference; and CAG-23-399 PAGE 2 OF 14 WHEREAS, the City, through LTAC, has reviewed the Application and determined that the Beneficiary is eligible for assistance under this Program and is promoting tourism related activities; and WHEREAS,the City Council on December 5, 2022, hasapproved a grant award to the Beneficiary. NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein, the Parties agree as follows: AGREEMENT 1. Grant Amount and Disbursement. a. Amount. The total amount to be awarded to Beneficiary under the program is up to fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) as a reimbursement for eligible expenses for each of two events, together totaling up to thirty thousand dollars ($30,000). Except as specifically provided herein, the Beneficiary shall be solely responsible for payment of any taxes imposed as a result of this Agreement. b. Award Disbursement. i.Reimbursement Request. On a monthly, or no less than quarterly basis during any quarter in which tourism promotion or support is completed, Beneficiary shall submit a reimbursement request in a format acceptable to the City (Exhibit 5) with supporting documentation including, but not limited to, invoices or reports demonstrating expenses for which reimbursement is sought. ii.Payment. Payment shall be made by City within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt and approval by the appropriate City representative of the invoice. iii.No waiver. Payment for any reimbursement shall not constitute a waiver by the City of any remedies it may have for any breach of this Agreement by the Beneficiary. iv.Tax implications. Grant funds may be taxable. Please consult your financial advisor/tax professional for guidance. If it is required by the IRS, a 1099 form will be issued to the Beneficiary. 2. Final Report: Together with the final reimbursement request, and in a format acceptable to the City (Exhibit 6), Beneficiary shall submit a final report detailing outcomes related to budget, activities, objectives, and attendance as first described in the Beneficiary’s application for the Grant. 3. Scope ofEligible Expenditures: Grant funds disbursed under this Agreementshallonly be used to pay or reimburse eligible expenses as described in the Criteria (Exhibit 1) and in the “Program Call for Applications” (Exhibit 4) PAGE 3 OF 14 a. Reimbursement Defined. “Reimbursement” means grant disbursement to Beneficiary upon receipt by the City of invoices and documentation demonstrating eligible expenses. b. No Duplication of Payment. No grant funds may be used to pay or reimburse costs for expenditures for which Beneficiary has received any other funding, whether state, federal or private in nature, for that same expense. 4. Beneficiary Responsibilities. a. False Statement. The Beneficiary understands and acknowledges that providing false information in the Application or on any documents submitted to the City or its designees as part of the Beneficiary’s participation in the Program may constitute fraud, justify termination of this Agreement, trigger the Beneficiary’s obligation to returnfunds, and may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties and/or sanctions. b. No Employee Relationship. The Beneficiary understands and acknowledges that neither the Beneficiary nor any officer, employee or agent of the Beneficiary shall be considered to be an employee of the City, nor entitled to any benefits accorded City employees, by virtue of the services provided under this Agreement. The City shall not be responsible for assuming the duties of an employer with respect to the Beneficiary or any employee of the Beneficiary. c. Non-discrimination.During the performance of this Agreement, the Beneficiary shall comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination laws, including but not limited to, chapter 49.60 RCW, Washington’s Law Against Discrimination, and 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the event of the Company’s noncompliance or refusal to comply with any nondiscrimination law, regulation, or policy, this Agreement may be rescinded, canceled, or terminated in whole or in part. d. Sole proprietorship or Individual. If the Beneficiary is a sole proprietorship or if this Agreement is with an individual, the Beneficiaryagrees to notify the City and complete any required form if the Beneficiary retired under a State of Washington retirement system and agrees to indemnify any losses the City may sustain through the Beneficiary’s failure to do so. 5. Insurance: Beneficiary shall secure and maintain: a. Commercial general liability insurance in the minimum amounts of $1,000,000 for each occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate for the Term of this Agreement. b. In the event that Work delivered pursuant to this Agreement either directly or indirectly involve or require Professional Services, Professional Liability, Errors and Omissions coverage shall be provided with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence. "Professional Services", for the purpose of this section, shall mean any Work provided by a licensed professional or Work that requires a professional standard of care. PAGE 4 OF 14 c. Workers’ compensation coverage, as required by the Industrial Insurance laws of the State of Washington, shall also be secured. d. Commercial Automobile Liability for owned, leased, hired or non-owned, leased, hired or non-owned, with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit, if there will be any use of Beneficiary’s vehicles on the City’s Premises by or on behalf of the City, beyond normal commutes. e. Beneficiary shall name the City as an Additional Insured on its commercial general liability policy on a non-contributory primary basis. The City’s insurance policies shall not be a source for payment of any Beneficiaryliability, nor shall the maintenance of any insurance required by this Agreement be construed to limit the liability of Beneficiary to the coverage provided by such insurance or otherwise limit the City’s recourse to any remedy available at law or in equity. f. Subject to the City’s review and acceptance, a certificate of insurance showing the proper endorsements, shall be delivered to the City before performing the Work. g. Beneficiaryshall provide the City with written notice of any policy cancellation, within two (2) business days of their receipt of such notice. 6. Records: Maintenance, Access, Disclosure. a. Records Maintained. Beneficiary shall maintain all records and accounts with respect to all matters covered by this Agreement, including personnel, property, financial, and programmatic records and documents. b. Retention Period. These records shall be maintained for as long as may be required by applicable Washington State records retention laws, but in any case for a period of six (6) years after all funds have been expended or returned to the City, whichever is later, to ensure proper accounting for all funds and compliance with the Agreement. c. Litigation or Audit. If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the six (6)year period provided in Section 4(b) above, the records shall be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved. d. Right of Access.The City, or itsauthorized representatives, shall have the right of access to records (electronic and otherwise) of Beneficiary in order to conduct audits or other investigations. e. Subject to Disclosure. Beneficiary acknowledges that records may be subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act, Ch. 42.56 RCW. i. To the full extent the City determines necessary to comply with the Washington State Public Records Act, Beneficiary shall make a due diligent search of all records in its possession or control relating to this Agreement and the Work, including, but not limited to, e-mail, PAGE 5 OF 14 correspondence, notes, saved telephone messages, recordings, photos, or drawings and provide them to the City for production. ii. In the event Beneficiary believes said records need to be protected from disclosure, it may, at Beneficiary’s own expense, seek judicial protection. Beneficiary shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City for all costs, including attorneys’ fees, attendant to any claim or litigation related to a Public Records Act request for which Beneficiary has responsive records and for which Beneficiaryhas withheld records or information contained therein, or not provided them to the City in a timely manner. iii. Beneficiaryshall produce to the Cityfor distribution any and all records responsive to the Public Records Act request in a timely manner, unless those records are protected by court order. The provisions of this section shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement. 5. Publications.Any publications produced with funds from this Agreement must display the following language: “This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by a grant from the City of Renton.” 6. Disclaimer by the City.The City expressly disclaims any and all responsibility or liability to Beneficiary or third persons for the actions of Beneficiary or third persons resulting in death, bodily injury, property damages, or any other losses resulting in any way from the performance of this Agreement or any other losses resulting in any way from the performance of the Agreement, or any subcontract thereto. This Agreement does not in any way establish an agency relationship between or among the City and/or Beneficiary. 7. Expenses Incurred in Excess of Program Award Funds. Beneficiary acknowledges that any expenses incurred in excess of Program Award Funds are the Beneficiary’s sole responsibility and will not be paid by the City. 8. Repayment of Funds. If any funds provided to Beneficiary were used in a manner that is not consistent or allowable as outlined in this Agreement, Beneficiary shall return funds to City in the amount determined to be ineligible. Beneficiary further agrees that it is financially responsible for and will repay the City any and all indicated amounts following an audit exception which occurs due to Beneficiary’s failure, for any reason, to comply with the terms of this Agreement. This duty to repay the City shall not be diminished or extinguished by the termination of the Agreement. 9. Termination.The City reserves the right to terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause by giving ten (10) calendar days’ notice to the Beneficiary in writing. In the event of such termination or suspension, Beneficiary waives any right to un-distributed portions of the award. PAGE 6 OF 14 10. Conflict of Interest. a. Beneficiary designees, agents, members, officers, employees, consultants, and any other public official who exercises or who has exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to the Program during his or her tenure, or who is in a position to participate in a decision-making process or gain inside information with regard to the Program, are barred from any interest, direct or indirect, in any grant or proceeds of the Program, or benefit there from, which is part of this Agreement at any time during or after such person's tenure. b. The City’s Code of Ethics and Washington State law prohibit City employees from soliciting, accepting, or receiving any gift, gratuity or favor from any person, firm or corporation involved in a contract or transaction. To ensure compliance with the City’s Code of Ethics and state law, the Beneficiary shall not give a gift of any kind to City employees or officials. c. Beneficiaryalso confirms that Beneficiarydoes not have a business interest or a close family relationship with any City officer or employee who was, is, or will be involved in selecting the Beneficiary, negotiating, or administering this Agreement, or evaluating the Beneficiary’s performance of the Work. 11. Notices: Any notice required under this Agreement will be in writing, addressed to the appropriate party at the address which appears below (as modified in writing from time to time by such party), and given personally, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile or by nationally recognized overnight courier service. Time period for notices shall be deemed to have commenced upon the date of receipt, EXCEPT facsimile delivery will be deemed to have commenced on the first business day following transmission. Email and telephone may be used for purposes of administering the Agreement but should not be used to give any formal notice required by the Agreement. CITY OF RENTON Jessie Kotarski Economic Development Manager CED/City of Renton 1055 South Grady Way, 6th Floor Renton, WA 98057 Phone: (425) 430-7271 Email: jkotarski@rentonwa.gov BENEFICIARY Menka Soni Founder Ampowering 11878 175th Pl NE Redmond, WA 98052 Phone: (425) 418-7181 Email: soni_menka@hotmail.com 12. Waiver/Conflict of Terms. a. Any waiver by the Beneficiary or the City of the breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party will not operate, or be construed, as a waiver of any subsequent breach by either party or prevent either party from thereafter enforcing any such provisions. PAGE 7 OF 14 b. In the event of any inconsistencies between Beneficiary proposals and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail. Any exhibits/attachments to this Agreement are incorporated by reference only to the extent of the purpose for which they are referenced within this Agreement. To the extent a Beneficiary-prepared exhibit conflicts with the terms in the body of this Agreement or contains terms that are extraneous to the purpose for which it is referenced, the terms in the body of this Agreement shall prevail and the extraneous terms shall not be incorporated herein. 13. Modification. This Agreement may only be amended by written agreement signed by both Parties. 14. Severability. In the event any term or condition of this Agreement or application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other terms, conditions, or applications of this Agreement that can be given effect without the invalid term, condition, or application. To this end, the terms and conditions of the Agreement are declared severable. 15. Governing Laws.Any lawsuit or legal action brought by any party to enforce or interpret this Agreement or any of its terms or covenants shall be brought in the King City Superior Court for the State of Washington at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, King City, Washington, or its replacement or successor. Beneficiaryhereby expressly consents to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such court even if Beneficiary is a foreign corporation not registered with the State of Washington. 16. Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Beneficiary shall, at its cost and expense, protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City, its directors, officers, employees, and agents, from and against any and all demands, liabilities, causes of action, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, judgments, or awards of damages, arising out of or in any way resulting from the acts or omissions of Beneficiary, its directors, officers, employees, or agents, relating in any way to Beneficiary’s performance or non-performance under the Agreement. Beneficiary agrees that its obligations under this paragraph extend to any demands, liabilities, causes of action, or claims brought by, or on behalf of, any of its employees or agents. For this purpose, Beneficiary, by mutual negotiation, hereby waives, as respects the Cityonly, any immunity that would otherwise be available against such claims under any industrial insurance act, including Title 51 RCW, other Worker’s Compensation act, disability benefit act, or other employee benefit act of any jurisdiction which would otherwise be applicable in the case of such claim. These indemnification obligations shall survive the termination of the Agreement. 17. Complete Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the complete expression of the agreement between the Parties, and any oral representations or understandings not incorporated herein are excluded. The Parties may execute this Agreement in any number of 11-6-2023 Approved by Patrice Kent via 5/19/2023 email  PAGE9OF14  EXHIBIT1:  LODGINGTAX/TOURISMPROMOTIONGRANTPROGRAM APPLICATIONCRITERIA   APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 21, 2022 City of Renton 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Guidelines The City of Renton is soliciting project proposals that support and encourage tourism, cultural activities and tourism facilities in Renton, Washington. The funding source for projects awarded grant funds is the City’s share of taxes collected on overnight stays (hotel/motel/lodging) within the City of Renton. State law limits the use of lodging tax funds. All applications must be for one of the following uses: x Tourism marketing x Marketing and operations of special events and festivals x Operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by non-profit organizations x Operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned by municipalities or public facilities districts only For grant funding year 2022, the Renton City Council approved $545,000 in grants funded by lodging taxes. As Lodging Tax funds vary from year to year, there is no guarantee of the total amount awarded or if any grant awards will be made. Grant Applications: We now only accept an online application that is available on the VisitRentonWA.com/LTAC. No paper forms will be accepted, and you must submit a separate application for each project/grant request. All Applications must include: x Estimates of how funding the activity will result in increases to people staying overnight, traveling 50 miles or more, or coming from another state or country. x How your project will o generate economic benefit through overnight lodging, sale of meals and goods, and/or construction of tourism-related facilities o increase recognition of Renton throughout the region as a destination for tourism o increase opportunities for tourism by developing new visitor activities If you request it from them, local hoteliers will work with your organization to track information for your event or project. If you need assistance, be sure to contact them prior to submission, as priority will be given to those projects which encourage and track overnight stays. Applications must be submitted online no later than 4:30 p.m. (Pacific time) on Friday, October 21, 2022. No applications will be accepted after this deadline. Any questions concerning the application process may be directed to Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Specialist, at 425-430-7271 or jkotarski@rentonwa.gov. ~ Application Requirements & Instructions ~ City of Renton 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Guidelines General Information: x All applications will be reviewed by the City’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee for potential funding recommendations. x It is highly recommended that you present your proposal to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. We will have new LTAC members who may not be familiar with your event. Presentations will be November 8, 2022, beginning at 2pm via Zoom. Staff will reach out to schedule time slots. x Recommendations from the Committee will be presented for approval at the December 5, 2022 regularly scheduled City Council meeting (pending scheduling availability); grant recipients will be notified within 30 days. A Funding Agreement will be sent to you by the end of December. x You can upload any supporting materials online. Please limit your uploads to what is most relevant. x Funds will be paid on a reimbursement basis only. Organizations must first incur the expenses and then request reimbursement from the City on a specific reimbursement form that will be provided to you. If you received a grant in 2022 and your 2023 application is for the same event, you do not need to resubmit these items: o Your project summary o your IRS or State of Washington non-profit certification letters ALL Applicants must provide: x Proof of liability insurance including $1,000,000/occurrence and $2,000,000/general aggregate. The City reserves the right to waive this insurance requirement under certain circumstances. If your organization is awarded a grant, your insurance certificate must name the City of Renton as an “additional insured.” There are NO exceptions to this requirement. We expect organizations to renew their insurance prior to their project. x Active, non-expired City of Renton Business License. Information regarding acquiring a city business license can be found at rentonwa.gov/business. Email: licensing@rentonwa.gov or by phone 425-430-6851 SSELECTION PROCESS When the application solicitation period opens, City will employ every opportunity to inform potentially eligible applicants of the funding process and its eligibility criteria. When the solicitation period closes, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Chair or his/her designee will review applications for completeness and eligibility. Applications will then be evaluated by the City’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which will make funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council will make the final decision on project approval and funding levels. Staff will then consult with sponsors of approved projects to develop contracts and scopes of work. When the sponsors and Mayor sign the contracts, staff will notify sponsors to proceed. It is very important that applicants are aware of the following. x All contracts are reimbursement-based, i.e. the sponsor must expend funds on approved items and then seek reimbursement under terms of the governing contract. x Cost reimbursement will only be issued after the contract is signed by all parties (including the City). x The project approval process requires two key steps: a) The LTAC selection and recommendation for project approval; AND b) The Council’s approval of a spending plan. **Only eligible costs incurred after both steps of the approval process will be reimbursed for the project.** COMPETITIVE CRITERIA Because of the limited amount of funding available to support assistance requests, proposals will be evaluated on a competitive basis. Applications that meet the threshold criteria will be presented to the review panel for evaluation and scoring based on the following criteria. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee may recommend full, partial or no funding for each project. The review panel will independently determine the level of funding for each project based on each project’s individual merit and components. A maximum of 100 points can be awarded in this area. 1. Project Impact. How will the City of Renton and/or the citizens be impacted by this project? 25 points 2. Clarity. Does the proposal clearly and concisely present a definite, well-described product for which the City’s assistance is being sought? If appropriate to do so, does the proposal describe how the City- supported product will be integrated into a larger effort (e.g., a brochure which promotes a cultural event: does the proposal describe the brochure as well as summarizing the purpose and scope of the event and the role the brochure will play in its success)? 20 points 3. Cost-effectiveness. Does the project propose an efficient, economical use of the City’s funds? 20 points 4. Degree of match. What is the proponent's percentage of matching resource? A match of at least 25% of the total project value (City funds plus sponsor’s share) is required; a higher rate will improve a project's stature accordingly. 10 points 5. Marketing. How will the proposed project be marketed and how will that marketing recognize the City’s participation? 10 points 6. Innovation. Does the project represent an unusual approach, or does it move the City’s Hotel/Motel program in a useful new direction? 10 points 7. Cooperative nature. What kind and degree of inter-organizational or inter-jurisdictional partnership does the project exhibit? 5 points BBONUS POINTS The City has an interest in spreading the impacts of tourism more evenly over the entire year, expanding overnight stays, and in acting as a partner with other jurisdictions that collect their own Hotel/Motel funds. Bonus points will be accorded to proposals that can convince the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee that, if funded, the projects will advance these goals. A maximum of 20 additional points can be awarded in this area. 1. Off-season development. Will the project promote tourism development during the off-season (September 1 through June 30)? 10 points 2. Overnight visitorship. Has the project convincingly established that it will attract overnight visitorship? If so, does it quantify the anticipated stays and offer a credible method for corroborating the projections? 10 points  PAGE10OF14  EXHIBIT2:  LODGINGTAX/TOURISMPROMOTIONGRANTPROGRAM BENEFICIARY’SAPPLICATION  CAUTION: This email originated from outside the City of Renton. Do not click links, reply or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. From:noreply@yourwpsite.email on behalf of Ampowering To:Jessie Kotarski Subject:New submission from 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Application Date:Friday, October 21, 2022 5:12:12 PM Attachments:Budgetfor2023_LTARenton_WomenFestival.pdf Today's Date 10/21/2022 Project or Event Title Global Women Festival 2023 Name of your Organization Ampowering Contact Person and Title Menka Soni, President Contact person email address soni_menka@hotmail.com Phone (425) 418-7181 Organization Address 11878 175th PL NE Redmond, WA 98052 India Map It Type of Organization Non-Profit Has your organization previously received a Lodging Tax Grant from the City of Renton? Yes Which type of category your project falls under per RCW 67.28.1816? Special event or festival Funding Amount 5HTXHVWHG35,000$ZDUGHG Project Summary Same as our most recent grant application Project scope of work We wanted to call current Miss Universe this year, but due to her conflict of schedule we are not able to call her this year and we will be calling her next year and cost to invite celebrities like her is close to $30k, but it attracts a big crowd to come and watch her speak. We launched small biz bazaar concept to help support small businesses and next year, our trade show will be much bigger as we make progress in this year. We are now hiring additional dedicated resources to help with social media promotions and next year, it will be much bigger but will cost us additional. We are including a big art show for 2022 show, and it will be a big hit for both 2022 and 2023. List the beginning and ending date of your project December 2023 What's your plan to encourage more overnight stays in Renton hotels to replenish the hotel/motel lodging tax fund? How specifically will you measure if people travel more than 50 miles or stay overnight? Adding “Where to Stay” details in our website and other promotions so that peoplecan check & book upfront. It helps to promote hotels upfront. All contestants & their families will stay in City of Renton for 1- 2 nights. Our 2022 plan includes inviting all local restaurants and business to participate andsupport the show as vendors to help us promote them. Every year we promote ourvendors and sponsors by sharing their website and other business details upfront tohelp them get promotion. We will be inviting local business and artists to participate in the show There will be guests and participants now coming from different parts of WA and will be reserving rooms in Renton to stay closer to the venue. We conduct pre shows, prelims, auditions and conferences, various meet & greet sessions as part of this show. Our pageant winners will be part of most of the events happening in Renton and will promote tourism in Renton. We are organizer of various events in Renton and take responsibility to promote tourism in Renton. Bringing more media to promote Renton. Which Renton Hotels will you be working with? Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle/Renton Hilton Garden Inn Seattle/Renton Hyatt Regency Lake Washington OYO Renton Attendance What is your predicted overall attendance? Of your total attendance, how many do you predict will travel over 50 miles? Of your overall attendance, how many do you predict will be from out of state OR out of country? Of your overall attendance, how many will pay for overnight lodging? Of your overall attendance, how many will NOT pay for overnight lodging? 2000 400 50 50 1950 Budget Budgetfor2023_LTARenton_WomenFestival.pdf Application Certification I agree to the privacy policy. I understand the City of Renton and Washington state limitations placed on use of Lodging Tax funds and certify that the requested funds will be used only for the purposes described in this application or as approved by the City Council. I understand use of funds is subject to audit by the State of Washington. I have read and understand the criteria by which our application will be evaluated and understand that if our application is selected for funding, we will be required to enter into a binding agreement with the City to ensure completion of the project Name Menka Soni Certification I certify that my statements are true and have approval from my board/agency to apply for this grant. I have read and understand the City of Renton Grant Guidelines and will provide all documentation requested by the City in support of this application. I consent to having this website store my submitted information to process this grant application. 1 Budget for 2023 AmPowering Global Women Festival Expenses Amount Venue 20,000 Lights & sound 12000 Sashes & Crown 2500 Stationery, Misc. Items 600 Trophies, Flowers etc. 2500 Event Manager & Other workforce expenses (may need to adjust for any changes POST COVID) 2000 Printing - Banner, Flyers, Brochures, Yard Sign 2000 Marketing / Advertisement Expenses / social media influencers and resources 8000 New Jersey Pageantry Fee 3000 Judges & Pageant Food Expense 3000 Make Up & Hair of Pageants 4000 Hotel, Food & Airfare of Judges & invited celebrity guests 30,000 City Permits & Insurance 400 Entertainers & transportation 4000 Total Expense 94000 Revenue Vendor & Sponsors 12000 Tickets& Fee 30000 Matching donations from Microsoft / Boeing / Expedia 17000 Tourism Grant from City of Renton 35000 Total Revenue 94000 2 Intend Use of Grant Amount Requested Amount $35,000 Venue 15000 Marketing & Advertisement expenses 4000 Hotel, airfare & food of judges and invited special guests 8000 Entertainers & Media 8000 Total 35000 CAUTION: This email originated from outside the City of Renton. Do not click links, reply or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. From:noreply@yourwpsite.email on behalf of AmPowering To:Jessie Kotarski Subject:New submission from 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Application Date:Friday, October 21, 2022 4:39:04 PM Attachments:BudgetNAFW2023.png NAFW-Intended-Fund-Use.png Today's Date 10/20/2022 Project or Event Title North America Fashion Week 2023 Name of your Organization AmPowering Contact Person and Title Menka Soni Contact person email address soni_menka@hotmail.com Phone (425) 418-7181 Organization Address 11878 175th PL NE Redmond, WA 98052 United States Map It Type of Organization Non-Profit Has your organization previously received a Lodging Tax Grant from the City of Renton? Yes Which type of category your project falls under per RCW 67.28.1816? Special event or festival Funding Amount Project Summary Same as our most recent grant application. Project scope of work 5HTXHVWHG35,000$ZDUGHG NAFW 2022 was a great event that witnessed over 25 designers including designers who travelled across USA as well as international. We received over 400 model casting requests from models all over USA & international. Over 250 diverse set of models were selected to participate. There were over 50 hair & makeup artists and celebrities as special guest and as audience. There was wide social media and international news, and it will be released in 4 episodes as a reality show for biggest South Asian TV Channel called TV Asia. with millions of viewership. This is a biggest achievement and next year it will grow further. This event and production have huge potential to grow if there is enough funding to support. The name has gone out and growing bigger, we need to involve more international media, influencers, celebrities and renowned designers to make it a level of Milan, Paris & London Fashion Week. Most importantly it is benefitting communities in need, supporting small businesses and helping talent to grow. Our focus for this year was on sustainable & ethical fashion which is need of today and tomorrow and we are already taking early steps. We were able to promote Renton's newest TopGolf facility as our venue for model casting this year. We checked all parameters of DE&I for the city by being most diverse, inclusive & equitable fashion event that was celebrated by everyone irrespective of age, shape, size, caste, nationality, status, ability and even geographical boundaries. From corporate like Macy's to City, State government, to having Mayor of Burien as anchor, Komo news channel anchor, Seattle Chief of Police, Redmond Chief of Police to model for Macy's. To increase the level of the show and help tourism in the city, we need to focus on bringing: Attracting more international designers from USA & Overseas. Inviting more international media to travel and do coverage of the event. We need to pay for their flight tickets, lodging etc. for celebrities, media and influencers for marketing Inviting celebrities to attract more crowd. Make it multi day event. Make it also a fashion award ceremony. List the beginning and ending date of your project September 2023 What's your plan to encourage more overnight stays in Renton hotels to replenish the hotel/motel lodging tax fund? How specifically will you measure if people travel more than 50 miles or stay overnight? Inviting out of state and overseas celebrities, influencers, media, designers, models, photographers, performers to come and be part of the show. Measuring directly by hotel room nights booked and indirectly by surverys. Which Renton Hotels will you be working with? Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle/Renton Hilton Garden Inn Seattle/Renton Hyatt Regency Lake Washington OYO Renton Attendance What is your predicted overall attendance? Of your total attendance, how many do you predict will travel over 50 miles? Of your overall attendance, how many do you predict will be from out of state OR out of country? Of your overall attendance, how many will pay for overnight lodging? Of your overall attendance, how many will NOT pay for overnight lodging? 2000 250 50 45 1960 Budget BudgetNAFW2023.png Application Certification I agree to the privacy policy. I understand the City of Renton and Washington state limitations placed on use of Lodging Tax funds and certify that the requested funds will be used only for the purposes described in this application or as approved by the City Council. I understand use of funds is subject to audit by the State of Washington. I have read and understand the criteria by which our application will be evaluated and understand that if our application is selected for funding, we will be required to enter into a binding agreement with the City to ensure completion of the project Name Menka Soni Certification I certify that my statements are true and have approval from my board/agency to apply for this grant. I have read and understand the City of Renton Grant Guidelines and will provide all documentation requested by the City in support of this application. I consent to having this website store my submitted information to process this grant application. Upload any supporting documentation, including proof of insurance and your IRS determination letter if not previously provided to the City of Renton. Refer to the 2023 Grant Guidelines for a full list of documents required to be submitted with your application. NAFW-Intended-Fund-Use.png PAGE11OF14 EXHIBIT3: LODGINGTAX/TOURISMPROMOTIONGRANTPROGRAM LTACRECOMMENDATIONS  PAGE12OF14  EXHIBIT4:  LODGINGTAX/TOURISMPROMOTIONGRANTPROGRAM CALLFORAPPLICATIONS     1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 | 425-430-6400 | rentonwa.gov | CITY OF RENTON FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 17, 2022 City of Renton Contacts Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Manager, 425-430-7271 Kristi Rowland, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, 425-430-6947 City of Renton accepting applications for 2023 Tourism Promotion Grants Deadline for applications is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2022 RENTON, WA – The City of Renton has opened the application process for 2023 tourism promotion grants. Non-profit organizations operating events or installations designed to attract tourism to Renton are encouraged to apply. Events need not occur within the Renton city limits. However, they must show measurable drive-in tourism within the city limits. Organizations may apply for multiple events. Capital expenditures are not eligible for funding. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) reviews applications and forwards funding recommendations to Renton City Council, which makes the final determination. LTAC encourages applications involving multiday events, including athletics and events promoting diversity and inclusivity. Additionally, the committee seriously considers projects with a proven record of attracting overnight visitors. The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2022, and finalists will present to LTAC on November 8 via Zoom. The committee will make its final recommendations in December. Interested parties can find the application and more information online. Questions concerning the application process may be directed to Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Manager, at 425-430-7271 or via email at jkotarski@rentonwa.gov. Washington state's Hotel-Motel Tax, collected on all in-city lodging stays of less than 30 days, funds Tourism Promotion Grants. About the City of Renton The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 107,500 (2022), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace, and favorable business climate have attracted nationally recognized companies wishing to provide employees and their families with an 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 | 425-430-6400 | rentonwa.gov | outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, Super Bowl Champion (2014) Seattle Seahawks, two-time (2016 & 2019) MLS champion and CONCACAF Champion (2022) Seattle Sounders FC (in 2024), and the eternal resting place of rock icon Jimi Hendrix. More information is on our website, in news releases, or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Nextdoor.  PAGE13OF14  EXHIBIT5:  LODGINGTAX/TOURISMPROMOTIONGRANTPROGRAM REIMBURSEMENTREQUESTFORM  2 šŠ‹„‹–ͷ ‘†‰‹‰ƒšȀ‘—”‹•”‘‘–‹‘ ”ƒ–”‘‰”ƒ ‡‹„—”•‡‡–‡“—‡•– ‘”   ǣ    ǣ ǣ CHECKLIST FOR REIMBURSEMENT Evaluation Report ‹ƒŽ‡’‘”– ‘”ȋˆ‘”ˆ‹ƒŽ”‡“—‡•–•‘Ž›Ȍ ‘’›‘ˆƒ”‡–‹‰Ȁ’”‘‘–‹‘ƒŽƒ–‡”‹ƒŽ•‹ŽŽ—•–”ƒ–‹‰—•‡‘ˆ–Š‡‹•‹–‡–‘Ž‘‰‘ ‡˜‡—‡Ȁš’‡•‡”‡’‘”–ˆ‘”‡˜‡–Ȁ’”‘Œ‡…– ˜‘‹…‡•™‹–Š’”‘‘ˆȀ†‘…—‡–ƒ–‹‘‘ˆ’ƒ‹†•–ƒ–—• ––ƒ…Š‡†  ‘”ͻ Date Invoice # Description Advertising Promotional Event Misc. Total ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ ‘–ƒŽ•̈́̈́̈́̈́̈́ As grantee, I certify to the best of knowledge and belief the billed costs of disbursements are in accordance with the terms of the project and that the reimbursement represents the Hotel/Motel Tax specifications under Senate House Bill 5647 and which have not previously been requested. —–Š‘”‹œ‡†‰‡–‹‰ƒ–—”‡ ƒ–‡ FOR CITY USE ONLY —’’‘”–‹‰†‘…—‡–ƒ–‹‘ˆ‘”‡š’‡•‡•ƒ”‡†‡–‡”‹‡†–‘„‡‡Ž‹‰‹„Ž‡ˆ‘””‡‹„—”•‡‡– —†‡”–Š‡‘†‰‹‰ƒš —†’”‘‰”ƒǤ š’‡†‹–—”‡•™‡”‡‹…—””‡†„‡–™‡‡–Š‡‡Ž‹‰‹„Ž‡†ƒ–‡•‘ˆ–Š‡…‘–”ƒ…–ƒ‰”‡‡‡–Ǥ  Ǧͻˆ‘”Šƒ•„‡‡”‡˜‹‡™‡†Ǥ ‡‹„—”•‡‡–•—„‹––‡†–‘–Š‡‹–›‘Žƒ–‡”–Šƒ‡…‡„‡”͵ͳǡʹͲʹ͵Ǥ  PAGE14OF14  EXHIBIT6:  LODGINGTAX/TOURISMPROMOTIONGRANTPROGRAM FINALREPORTFORM ’‡…‹ƒŽ˜‡–Ȁ ‡•–‹˜ƒŽƒ”‡–‹‰Ȁ‘—”‹•”‘‘–‹‘ ƒ…‹Ž‹–› ”‰ƒ‹œƒ–‹‘ǣ —„‹––‡†›ǣ ‘–”ƒ…–‘ǣ …–‹˜‹–›ƒ‡ǣ …–‹˜‹–››’‡ǣ …–‹˜‹–›–ƒ”–ƒ–‡ǣ…–‹˜‹–›†ƒ–‡ǣ Total Activity Cost$ 7RWDODPRXQWRI5HQWRQORGJLQJWD[IXQGVUHTXHVWHG 7RWDODPRXQWRI5HQWRQORGJLQJWD[IXQGVDSSURYHG DEFINITION OF METHODOLOGY FOR QUESTIONS BELOW: This methodology is defined by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee and is used for reporting to the Legislature about the use of lodging tax for each jurisdiction. x Direct Count:Actual count of visitors using methods such as paid admissions or registrations, clicker counts at entry points, vehicle counts or number of chairs filled. A direct count may also include information collected directly from businesses, such as hotels, restaurants or tour guides likely to be affected by an event. x Indirect Count:Estimate based on information related to the number of visitors such as raffle tickets sold, redeemed discount certificates, brochures handed out, police requirements for crowd control or visual estimates. x Representative Survey: Information collected directly from individual visitors / participants. A representative survey is a highly structured data collection tool, based on a defined random sample of participants, and the results can be reliably projected to the entire population attending an event and includes margin of error and confidence level. x Informal Survey: Information collected directly from individual visitors or participants in a non-random manner that is not representative of all visitors or participants. Informal survey results cannot be projected to the entire visitor population and provide a limited indicator of attendance because not all participants had an equal chance of being included in the survey. x Structured Estimate: Estimate produced by computing known information related to the event or location. For example, one jurisdiction estimated attendance by dividing the square footage of the event area by the international building code allowance for persons (3 sq. ft.). x Other:(please describe) šŠ‹„‹–͸ ‘†‰‹‰ƒšȀ‘—”‹•”‘‘–‹‘ ”ƒ–”‘‰”ƒ ‹ƒŽ‡’‘”– ‘” OVERALL ATTENDANCE Enter the total number of people predicted to attend this activity/event (this number would have been submitted on your application for funds); the actual number of people who attended this activity/event; and the method used to determine attendance. PREDICTED:# ACTUAL (ESTIMATED):# METHODOLOGY (definitions provided above): EXPLAIN TRACKING METHOD: 50+ MILES ATTENDANCE Enter the total number of people who travelled greater than 50 miles predicted to attend this activity/event (this number would have been submitted on your application for funds); the actual number of people who travelled more than 50 miles to attend this activity/event; and the method used to determine attendance. PREDICTED:# ACTUAL (ESTIMATED):# METHODOLOGY (definitions provided above): EXPLAIN TRACKING METHOD: OUT OF STATE / COUNTRY ATTENDANCE Enter the total number of people from outside the state and country predicted to attend this activity/event (this number would have been submitted on your application for funds); the actual number of people from outside the state and country who attended this activity/event; and the method used to determine attendance. PREDICTED:# ACTUAL (ESTIMATED):# METHODOLOGY (definitions provided above): EXPLAIN TRACKING METHOD: PAID FOR OVERNIGHT LODGING ATTENDANCE Enter the total number of people predicted to pay for overnight lodging in Renton to attend this activity/event (this number would have been submitted on your application for funds); the actual number of people who paid for overnight lodging and attended this activity/event; and the method used to determine attendance. PREDICTED:# ACTUAL (ESTIMATED):# METHODOLOGY (definitions provided above): EXPLAIN TRACKING METHOD: DID NOT PAY FOR OVERNIGHT LODGING ATTENDANCE Enter the total number of people predicted to attend this activity/event without paying for overnight lodging in Renton (this number would have been submitted on your application for funds); the actual number of people who attended this activity/event without paying for overnight lodging; and the method used to determine attendance. PREDICTED:# ACTUAL (ESTIMATED):# METHODOLOGY (definitions provided above): EXPLAIN TRACKING METHOD: PAID LODGING NIGHTS Enter total predicted lodging nights in Renton (this number would have been submitted on your application for funds); and actual number of paid lodging nights-(One lodging night = one or more persons occupying one room for one night); and the method used to determine attendance. PREDICTED:# ACTUAL (ESTIMATED):# METHODOLOGY (definitions provided above): EXPLAIN TRACKING METHOD: Please describe any other information that demonstrates the impact of increased tourism attributable to the special event, festival, or tourism-related facility. RENTON SPECIFIC QUESTIONS: Did you experience a higher number of tourists this year? If not, what do you think was a contributing factor? Did you complete all of the items on your Scope of Work consistent with your application submitted to the Renton Lodging Tax Advisory Committee? If not, which items do you still need to complete? Do you plan on completing those items with your own resources? If so, when? Do you plan to do anything differently next year to expand your event, increase tourism to Renton, or increase visitors to your facility?