Visit 29 Palms Events Program
Program Goals
Visit 29 Palms Events Program supports events and programming that strengthen Twentynine Palms as a tourism destination. Through strategic investment in both established and emerging events, the program seeks to:
- Increase overnight visitation and lodging demand within the City of Twentynine Palms.
- Support events and programming that activate Twentynine Palms for visitors and enhance the overall visitor experience.
- Foster the long-term growth and sustainability of events and ongoing programming that contribute to the local tourism economy and advance Visit 29 Palms' destination marketing objectives.
Aligned with the city’s five destination pillars—Outdoor Recreation; Arts & Entertainment; Health & Wellness; Food & Beverage; and Stargazing & Astronomy—the program supports public tourism-focused experiences that elevate the city’s brand, reach key travel segments, and promote overnight visitation.
Full Program Guide: Download the FY 2026–2027 Visit 29 Palms Events Program Guide for complete program details and requirements.
Funding Overview & Opportunities
This program is funded by the Visit 29 Palms TBID through a 1.5% tourism assessment generated from overnight stays at hotels, motels, RV resorts, and vacation rentals in the City of Twentynine Palms, and reinvested into tourism promotion, marketing, and public event development.
Event Funding: Funding is available for up to $30,000 per event to support public events and programming that help increase tourism and overnight stays in Twentynine Palms while aligning with one or more of Visit 29 Palms' five destination pillars.
Matching Funds Requirements: Applicants must provide at least 25% of the total project budget as matching funds. Visit 29 Palms TBID funds may cover up to 75% of the total project budget. This ensures a shared investment in the event’s success and demonstrates the applicant’s financial commitment.
Program Eligibility
Who Can Apply: Non-profit organizations, businesses, and independent event producers are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have prior event-planning experience to ensure successful and professional execution. Residency in Twentynine Palms is not required.
Event Location: The event, or a significant portion of the proposed event, must take place within the City of Twentynine Palms, and TBID stakeholders must be marketed in the promotion of the event. Events that occur only partially within the city may still be considered; however, the extent of activities taking place within city limits will be taken into consideration when determining award amounts. Preliminary venue agreements or Letters of Intent must be submitted as part of the application.
Target Audience: Events must target overnight visitors to the City of Twentynine Palms and demonstrate a clear strategy for supporting increased lodging demand.
Event Timing: While events can be scheduled at any time, there is particular interest in events and programming held during non-peak months (November–February and May–September) as well as midweek (Monday–Thursday). Ongoing programs and event series that help drive consistent visitation, activate the City, and enhance the visitor experience are strongly encouraged. This supports Visit 29 Palms’ goal of fostering year-round tourism and increasing occupancy in hotels, motels, RV resorts, and vacation rentals during these periods.
ADA Accessibility: As required by the City of Twentynine Palms funding agreement, the event or program must be held at a venue that complies with applicable Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards.
Venue Eligibility
Event producers must consult with the City of Twentynine Palms Planning Department prior to selecting or confirming an event venue. Planning staff can help identify venues that are appropriate for the proposed event and provide guidance regarding permits, approvals, and other requirements.
Venues that have not been previously reviewed by the Planning Department may still be considered; however, event producers are responsible for obtaining all necessary approvals and complying with applicable City requirements. Early coordination with Planning is strongly encouraged, as venue review and permitting can be a significant component of the event planning process.
City of Twentynine Palms Planning Department
For information regarding venue eligibility and permitting, please contact City of Twentynine Palms Community Development Director, Keith Gardner:
Phone: (760) 367-6799 ext. 1008
Email: kgardner@29palms.org
City of Twentynine Palms Facilities
For information regarding City facility availability, please contact City of Twentynine Palms Community Events Coordinator, Kiovanni Cabrera:
Phone: 760-367-7562 ext. 1025
E-mail: kcabrera@29palms.org
List of City Facilities: twentyninepalms.recdesk.com/Community/Facility
Application Workshops & Deadlines
The program offers two funding cycles in Visit 29 Palms' 2026-2027 fiscal year. Prior to each application deadline, applicants are encouraged to attend a workshop to learn about program goals, application requirements, available resources, and to ask questions about the application process. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications in advance of the deadline.
Round One: Events scheduled January – June 2027
- Application Workshop: September 3, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (Freedom Plaza Community Center; 6547 Freedom Way, Twentynine Palms)
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2026, by 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Round Two: Events scheduled July – December 2027
- Application Workshop: First week of March 2027
- Application Deadline: April 1, 2027, by 12:00 p.m. (noon)
Application Process & Requirements
Event applications and supporting documents must be submitted online through the Visit 29 Palms website. A complete application must include the Visit 29 Palms Events Program Application Form, Visit 29 Palms Event Budget Worksheet, and a Preliminary Venue Agreement or Letter of Intent from the event venue. Early submission is encouraged.
Application materials and online submission instructions are available in the How to Apply section below.
Application Questions
The Visit 29 Palms Events Program Application Form collects information about the applicant, proposed event, funding request, anticipated tourism impact, marketing strategy, and prior event production experience. Applicants should be prepared to provide the following:
Applicant & Event Information: Organization and primary contact information; event name, date(s), venue(s), and scheduling flexibility; total projected event cost and funding request; proposed use of Visit 29 Palms funding; and event website and social media links.
Event Overview (200–400 words): An overview of the proposed event, including projected attendance and projected room nights in the City of Twentynine Palms, along with the lodging or hospitality partners and methods that will be used to project and document overnight visitation.
Destination Alignment: Identification of the Visit 29 Palms destination pillars supported by the event: Outdoor Recreation, Arts & Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Food & Beverage, and/or Stargazing & Astronomy.
Marketing Strategy (200–300 words): An overview of the event’s marketing strategy, including how marketing efforts will support the projected number of room nights.
Prior Event Production Experience (200–400 words): A description of the applicant’s prior event production experience, including the types and scale of events previously managed and the applicant’s role in their planning and execution.
Acknowledgment of Financial & Program Requirements: Confirmation that the applicant understands the program’s 25% matching requirement and two-phase funding schedule, and has reviewed the City of Twentynine Palms Grant Agreement and requirements governing the use of awarded funds.
Review the City of Twentynine Palms Grant Agreement
Download the Visit 29 Palms Events Program Application Form
Event Budget Worksheet
Applicants are required to download, complete, and submit the Event Budget Worksheet as part of their application. The worksheet provides a complete overview of projected event revenue, funding sources, expenses, proposed use of Visit 29 Palms TBID funds, and required matching funds.
Following the event, funding recipients must update the same worksheet with actual event revenue and expenses and resubmit it as part of required post-event reporting.
Download the Event Budget Worksheet
Application Scoring
Applications are first reviewed by Visit 29 Palms TBID staff for accuracy, completeness, and eligibility. Eligible applications are then independently scored by a five-member Review Committee. Applications must meet the minimum scoring threshold of 32/40 points (80%) to advance to the Visit 29 Palms TBID Advisory Board for funding consideration. Funding decisions and awards are made in public session, at TBID Advisory Board meetings.
Applications are evaluated and scored on a 40-point scale as follows:
• Economic Efficiency (10 points) How effectively the requested TBID funds support TBID's goals. Recurring events, event series, and ongoing programming may demonstrate greater economic efficiency.
• Feasibility & Track Record (10 points) The feasibility of the proposed event given the applicant's previous experience and ability to successfully execute the event.
• Marketing (10 points) The strength of the applicant's marketing strategy to attract visitors to Twentynine Palms, generate overnight stays, and promote TBID stakeholders.
• Alignment with TBID Mission & Tourism Goals (10 points) Alignment with the TBID's mission, goals, and pillars, and a demonstration of understanding of the program requirements and objectives.
Program Administration
Event Agreements: Approved applicants must enter into separate agreements with Visit 29 Palms TBID and the City of Twentynine Palms prior to receiving funds. The TBID Agreement outlines marketing, promotional, and reporting requirements, while the City Agreement outlines legal, insurance, financial, and compliance requirements associated with the award. All required agreements and supporting documentation must be signed and returned within 30 days of issuance. Failure to do so may be considered a withdrawal from the program and result in forfeiture of the award.
Review the Visit 29 Palms TBID Event Agreement
Review the City of Twentynine Palms Grant Agreement
Funding Release Schedule: Once approved, event funds are distributed in two phases. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the awarded funding is released prior to the event, with the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) released following the event and submission of all required post-event reporting.
Post-Event Reporting: Funding recipients must submit all required post-event reporting within four (4) weeks of the event, or conclusion of ongoing programming. Required reporting includes Visit 29 Palms’ post-event summary, an updated Event Budget Worksheet reflecting actual event revenues and expenditures, and the City of Twentynine Palms Post-Event Financial Report documenting expenditures paid for with TBID funds. Complete post-event reporting requirements and instructions are detailed in the Post-Event Reporting section below.
Amendments & Exceptions: The Visit 29 Palms TBID Advisory Board may revise these guidelines as needed to maintain the effectiveness and fairness of the Event Funding Program. The Visit 29 Palms Events Subcommittee may approve changes to event dates, venues, or programming if the change occurs within 45 days of the original date and does not conflict with another scheduled event. Recipients are required to self-report changes to the approved event application budget and planned use of TBID funds. Any reduction to the total event budget must be reported prior to the event, as it may affect the approved TBID funding amount.
Review Committee Eligibility & Conflict of Interest: To ensure a fair and transparent review process, Review Committee members may not apply for funding during their term of service and are ineligible to serve if they have a close familial relationship (spouse, parent, or child) or an employer/employee relationship with an applicant seeking funding during the same application cycle. These requirements help prevent conflicts of interest and support an impartial evaluation process.
Post-Event Reporting
Detailed below is the format for the post-event summary required for all events receiving funding through the Visit 29 Palms Events Program. Completed post-event reporting must be submitted within four (4) weeks following the event. This summary accompanies two required financial reporting documents, which are detailed below.
Event Overview: Provides basic event information, including the event name, date(s), location, event organizer or organization, TBID funding awarded, and total event attendance.
Event Budget Summary: Provides a high-level summary of the event’s original projected budget and actual expenditures, along with confirmation that all required matching funds were provided.
Performance Summary: A brief summary of the event, including event highlights, marketing efforts, attendance results, and any notable outcomes or measures of success.
Lodging & Overnight Visitation: Overview of lodging results from participating TBID lodging properties associated with the event, including identification of participating Visit 29 Palms TBID lodging properties, total room nights generated, and method used to track/verify room nights.
Event Photos & Marketing Assets; Links to event photos and/or videos that may be used by Visit 29 Palms for tourism marketing purposes.
Optional Visitor Feedback & Survey Results: If attendee surveys or visitor feedback were collected, please provide a brief summary or attach results.
Post-Event Financial Reporting
In addition to completing Visit 29 Palms’ post-event summary report, recipients must submit two required financial reporting documents within four (4) weeks following the event:
Visit 29 Palms Event Budget Worksheet: Recipients return to the same budget worksheet submitted as part of their application, updating the worksheet to include actual event revenues and expenditures.
City of Twentynine Palms Post-Event Financial Report: Using the City’s required financial reporting template, this report documents and itemizes event expenditures paid for with TBID funds.
Download the City of Twentynine Palms Post-Event Financial Report Template
How to Apply
To apply for funding through the Visit 29 Palms Events Program, prepare the three required application documents and submit them online by the applicable application deadline.
1. Download and complete the Visit 29 Palms Events Program Application Form
2. Download and complete the Visit 29 Palms Event Budget Worksheet
3. Obtain a Preliminary Venue Agreement or Letter of Intent
4. Submit Your Application Online