The Visitor Development Fund concentrates its giving on supporting conventions, meetings, and major visitor events—particularly efforts that bring conferences, sports events, and tourism to Portland. Most grants underwrite conference incentives, meeting support, event sponsorships, and attendee scholarships, signaling a focus on driving visitor traffic and economic impact through hosted events. The foundation’s portfolio is dominated by one large convention-support recipient but also includes targeted event and scholarship sponsors.
Visitor Development Fund Inc’s recent grantmaking is built around one large convention-and-meetings relationship and a smaller set of event-related awards that support visitor traffic. The biggest recent grant, $2,652,281 to Merc in Portland for support for conventions and meetings, shows the scale of that commitment. In the same pattern, the foundation made a $716,888 grant to the same Portland recipient in 2023 for the same purpose, suggesting an ongoing event-support role rather than isolated sponsorships. Beyond that anchor, the funder backs meeting-related scholarships, symposium hosting, and major visitor events. Recent awards include support for conference attendees, a closing reception, and a host fee tied to a professional association symposium. It also funded a marathon in Portland and an invitational tournament, which fits a portfolio centered on bringing people into the city for conferences, sports, and tourism-related activity. The grant list points to a foundation that funds event-specific projects, often with restricted purposes tied to operations, hospitality, or participation costs. Its giving is practical and transactional, aimed at making particular conventions and visitor events happen.
Convention and meeting support is the core theme in the current grant record. Visitor Development Fund Inc gave $2,652,281 to Merc for support for conventions and meetings, and also awarded $11,352 to Emerald X Inc for the same purpose. Meeting-related participant support appears as a separate thread. The foundation gave $78,500 to Tesol International Association for scholarships for national and international attendees and sponsorship of a closing reception, linking travel or attendance aid with event hospitality. Event-hosting and tourism-oriented sponsorships are also present. A $75,000 grant to Sports Events & Tourism Association covered a symposium sponsorship and 2024 host fee, while $25,000 to Brooksee LLC supported the Portland Marathon. A $75,000 grant to Rip City Mgmt LLC backed the PK85 Phil Knight Invitational, showing attention to visitor-producing sports events as well as professional gatherings.
Typical grant size is $11,352 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $78,500 at the 75th percentile, with one much larger convention-support award at the top of the list. The grant record also shows repetition: Merc received major support in both 2023 and 2024 for the same purpose, which points to recurring event support rather than a one-time award. The foundation funds organizations rather than individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. The pattern is best described as restricted, project-based grantmaking tied to specific conventions, meetings, and events.
$2.8M
$8.5M
$1.7M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $11K and $79K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$79K
About 33% of grants go to recipients in KS.
ALEX DAWES
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Highly concentrated: one very large grantee (MERC) receives the majority of dollars across repeated payments, while the remainder are modest, single-year event or sponsorship grants. Funding is tactical and event-driven rather than broad program investing.
Notable grantees: MERC (convention and meeting support), TESOL International Association (conference scholarships and reception sponsorship), Sports Events & Tourism Association (host fee/symposium sponsorship), Rip City Mgmt LLC (sports event/Phil Knight Invitational), Brooksee LLC / Emerald X Inc (portland marathon and convention support)
Grants are national, but they cluster heavily in Oregon. Portland recipients appear multiple times, including Merc, Rip City Mgmt LLC, and other convention-support awards. Outside Oregon, the list reaches Alexandria, Virginia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Pleasant Grove, Utah; San Juan Capistrano, California; Washington, D.C.; and Manhattan, Kansas. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 9 grants going to U.S. organizations.
The grant record centers on conventions, meetings, and visitor events. Recent awards covered support for conventions and meetings, scholarships for attendees, a closing reception, symposium sponsorship and host fees, a marathon, and a sports invitational.
Yes. Merc received $716,888 in 2023 and $2,652,281 in 2024, both for support for conventions and meetings. That repeated funding suggests an ongoing relationship around the same event-support purpose.
The typical grant sits at $11,352 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $78,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes one much larger award to Merc for conventions and meetings.
The foundation gives most often in Kansas by grant count, while 33% of its grants go to recipients in Oregon. Recent recipients also appear in Virginia, Ohio, Utah, California, Washington, D.C., and Kansas.
Recipients include event organizers, professional associations, convention-related companies, and sports-event hosts. Named recent grantees include Tesol International Association, Sports Events & Tourism Association, Rip City Mgmt LLC, Brooksee LLC, Emerald X Inc, International Citycounty Mgmt Assn, and Nacada the Global Community for Academic.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MERC | PORTLAND, OR | $2,652,281 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS |
| TESOL INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $78,500 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPSFOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES AND SPONSORSHIP OF CLOSING RECEPTION |
| SPORTS EVENTS & TOURISM ASSOCIATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2024 | SYMPOSIUM SPONSORSHIP - 2024 HOST FEE |
| EMERALD X INC | SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA | $11,352 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS |
| NACADA THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY FOR ACADEMIC | MANHATTAN, KS | $6,021 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS |
| MERC | PORTLAND, OR | $716,888 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS |
| RIP CITY MGMT LLC | PORTLAND, OR | $75,000 | 2023 | PK85 PHIL KNIGHT INVITATIONAL |
| BROOKSEE LLC | PLEASANT GROVE, UT | $25,000 | 2023 | LEISURE GRANT TO SUPPORT THE PORTLAND MARATHON |
| INTERNATIONAL CITYCOUNTY MGMT ASSN | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,361 | 2023 | CONFERENCE INCENTIVE AND REGISTRATION STAFFING ASSISTANCE |
MERC
$2,652,281SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS
TESOL INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
$78,500SCHOLARSHIPSFOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ATTENDEES AND SPONSORSHIP OF CLOSING RECEPTION
SPORTS EVENTS & TOURISM ASSOCIATION
$75,000SYMPOSIUM SPONSORSHIP - 2024 HOST FEE
EMERALD X INC
$11,352SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS
NACADA THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY FOR ACADEMIC
$6,021SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS
MERC
$716,888SUPPORT FOR CONVENTIONS AND MEETINGS
RIP CITY MGMT LLC
$75,000PK85 PHIL KNIGHT INVITATIONAL
BROOKSEE LLC
$25,000LEISURE GRANT TO SUPPORT THE PORTLAND MARATHON
INTERNATIONAL CITYCOUNTY MGMT ASSN
$7,361CONFERENCE INCENTIVE AND REGISTRATION STAFFING ASSISTANCE