CITY EVENT SERVICES PROGRAM

The program is a standardization of the process to provide City services and direct financial support to community special events, with the goal of improving the equitable distribution of support for events that benefit communities in Tacoma.

This program was conceived to provide an equitable and consistent process to support events in our community aligning with the City of Tacoma’s goals to ensure all Tacoma residents are valued and have access to resources. The program further seeks to reduce impacts of unplanned and unbudgeted requests for City of Tacoma services to ensure optimal stewardship of public funds.

To be eligible to receive City Event Services support, events must first be designated as either a Citywide Event or a City of Tacoma Sponsored Event through the Special Events grant funding application process. Information on these two event designations, including criteria, eligibility, and application process can be found here.

To apply, interested parties must participate in the annual Special Event Grant Funding process. The application period for 2025 events is anticipated to open in September 2024. Eligible applicants will be able to request potential awards of financial grant funding and/or designation as a Citywide Event or City of Tacoma Sponsored Event.

The application period for events in each calendar year is anticipated to open in August of the preceding year.

Support resources and informational Q&A sessions will be made available prior to the application opening. Interested applicants may sign up to receive updates here.

Applicants are scored on categories of merit (35%), equity (35%), community impact (20%), and capacity to present the event (10%). To be eligible, applicants must receive a minimum of 60% of the overall available points (as scored by the CERC), including no less than 50% of the available points in each category. The City Events and Recognitions Committee (CERC) reviews all applications.

Events designated as City of Tacoma Sponsored Events will receive traffic control devices such as barriers and signs, as available within City departments, to support the traffic and crowd control and public safety of the event. Events will remain responsible for paying all costs associated with City of Tacoma personnel or additional services provided to the event.

All events approved as either a Citywide Event or a City of Tacoma Sponsored Event must submit a complete special event permit application including a professionally drafted comprehensive traffic control plan (where required) for their event no less than 90 days prior to the event. No City resources will be allocated to an event that has not submitted a complete application and traffic control plan regardless of the designation awarded through the grant application process.

• City-owned equipment will be provided on an as-available basis. A decision on availability of City-owned equipment will be made no later than 45 days prior to the event.

• Should multiple designated events request City-owned equipment during the same period, priority will first be given to Citywide Events then to City of Tacoma Sponsored Events. Subsequent priority within each category will be given on a first-come, first-served basis determined by the date/time the Special Event Permit application, including complete traffic control plan, was received after the release of the grant application each preceding year.

Should City-owned equipment not be available due to other obligations, event organizers, regardless of the event designation, will be responsible for providing all equipment pursuant to the submitted traffic control plan at their own cost.

• City-owned equipment for Citywide Events will be delivered to, set up, and removed from the event by City of Tacoma personnel.

• City-owned equipment for City of Tacoma Sponsored Events will be delivered to and picked up from a single point on the boundaries of the permitted event location at a mutually agreed time. Event organizers will be responsible for setting and striking all equipment in alignment with the traffic control plan.

• Event organizers who fail to set the equipment according to the approved traffic control plan or who do not remove and set all equipment at the pickup point after the event will be ineligible for future designation as a Citywide Event or City of Tacoma Sponsored Event.

• Event organizers will assume through written agreement all liability for use and deployment of the equipment. Event Organizers will be responsible for any damage to the equipment during Event and will reimburse City of Tacoma for cost of repairs or replacement.

• Events recognized as Citywide Events are eligible for a maximum Special Events contribution (City events services plus Special Events grant funding) of $40,000, unless the City of Tacoma is a presenting partner of the event (i.e. 4th of July Summer Blast).

• Events recognized as City of Tacoma Sponsored Events are eligible for a maximum Special Event contribution (City events services plus special events grant funding) of $25,000, unless the City of Tacoma is a presenting partner of the event.

• Support from other City of Tacoma programs (i.e. Tacoma Creates, Environmental Services, Barrier Relief Program etc.) is not included within the calculation of the maximum Special Event contribution.

An individual event producer will be eligible to have up to two events designated as Citywide Event and/or City of Tacoma Sponsored Event in any one calendar year.

Events not recognized as Citywide Event or City of Tacoma Sponsored Event will remain responsible for paying all costs associated with City of Tacoma personnel and services, and for obtaining all traffic plan and production equipment at their sole cost and expense. Such events may be eligible for other city support programs, such as the barrier relief program .