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Downtown Portland’s Director Park, a European-style piazza featuring a fountain and ample outdoor seating, hosts events during the warmer months.

Travel Portland Event Sponsorships

Updated Feb. 11, 2026 3 min read

Travel Portland provides sponsorship support for events that align with our strategic goals to drive leisure demand, enhance our destination reputation, foster community goodwill and promote equity, diversity and inclusion in our destination. 

Sponsorship Guidelines

Events must fall into one of the categories below and meet the listed criteria to be considered:

Large Events

Up to $30,000 (depending on size of event)

• The annual event has been held in Portland for at least two years.
  • Exceptions may be made for newer events that are well-aligned with Travel Portland’s strategic priorities of culinary and/or women’s sports events. These events must meet all other criteria listed below.
• The event is open to the public (can be ticketed or not).
  • Conferences, conventions, business meetings, seminars, workshops, and political or religious events are not eligible.
• The event contributes to increased tourism demand and overnight visitation, by meeting at least one of the following criteria:
  • The event lasts a minimum of two consecutive days, or
  • The event organizer has contracted a block of rooms with a Portland hotel.
• The event is expected to attract attendance of at least 7,500 people, with at least 10% of attendees coming from at least 50 miles outside of Portland.
  • Event organizers will be asked to justify the expected attendance number based on historical attendance, pre-sale/RSVP demand, marketing plan/spend, social media following, data from similar events in other cities, or other means.
• The event is located in Portland. We prioritize events located in the central city (including Downtown, Old Town, Goose Hollow, Central Eastside, Lower Albina and Lloyd neighborhoods).
• Event organizers demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility through their programming, staffing and operations.
• The event contributes positively to Portland’s tourism economy and the city’s reputation as a tourism destination.

Large Event Sponsorship recipients will be required to submit a post-event report to Travel Portland no more than 30 days after the event, detailing how the funding support impacted event attendance.

Cultural Enrichment Events

Up to $2,500 per event  

• The event is hosted or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 nonprofit organization that services the City of Portland.
• The event must have been held annually for a minimum of two consecutive years.
• The event must be open to the public, whether ticketed or free.
• The event is an annual cultural celebration, cultural festival, cultural awareness event, and/or fundraiser (e.g., galas, scholarships, symposiums, and luncheons).
• The host organization or institution primarily serves multicultural communities, women, LGBTQIA2S+, unhoused populations and/or individuals with accessibility needs.
• The requested sponsorship must not exceed 15% of event budget or $2,500, whichever is less.

Sponsorship Request Process

Organizations seeking sponsorship are asked to create an account within Travel Portland’s grant and sponsorship platform and complete a request form.

Travel Portland then reviews requests, which may be accepted, denied or awarded at a lower gift amount. Travel Portland regularly receives more requests than we can support, so some requests may be denied. Denial of a sponsorship application request should not be viewed as a reflection of the event’s merit. Organizations will only be eligible for consideration for one sponsorship per fiscal year.

The sponsorship review and awarding process is aligned with Travel Portland’s fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). Organizations requesting sponsorship should reference the schedule below and submit completed applications before the application deadline.