Raleigh/Wake Hospitality Tax Funds - 2025-2026

Wake County, North Carolina, and the City of Raleigh are soliciting proposals through RFP #25-088 for the 2025-2026 Competitive Funding Process for Hospitality Tax Funds. The procurement seeks organizations to develop partnerships and leverage resources for supporting the development and enhancement of arts, cultural, sports, or convention facilities within Wake County. Proposers must meet specific minimum criteria, including fully locating the project within Wake County, ensuring consistency with statutorily defined purposes, having a minimum capital project value of $100,000, and requesting interlocal funding less than 50% of the total capital project cost. The evaluation team will score proposals based on return on investment, facility demand, project feasibility and viability, project readiness, and alignment with stakeholder principles. Key dates include a pre-submittal virtual meeting on September 15, 2025, and proposal submissions due by November 6, 2025, at 2:00 PM EST, with final award decisions anticipated in mid-February 2026 by the Wake County Board of Commissioners and Raleigh City Council.

The opportunity appears open to a wide range of organizations, with no specific set-aside designations mentioned. Proposers must demonstrate commitment of at least half of the non-hospitality tax funding, and interlocal funds are intended to be the last dollars entering the project. The total funding available is $23.5 million, with a maximum award anticipated at $5.5 million, distributed in two phases: $15.5 million through joint City/County funding and $8 million through County-only funding. Proposals must include detailed information about project overview, budget, timeline, operating plan, visitor estimates, and organizational capabilities. The funding is contingent upon comprehensive financial documentation, including a detailed audit form (Attachment 3) that tracks receipts and expenditures across multiple program categories. Organizations must also comply with various legal and regulatory requirements, including insurance provisions, E-Verify, and anti-discrimination regulations.