OTAB Committee

Occupancy Tax Advisory Board (OATB)

Committee Members

Rik Blyth, Chairman, Lodgers

Carlos Medina, At Large

Sam Gerberding, Lodgers

Bonnie Bennett, Tourism Related

Ray Sandoval, Tourism Related

Vacant, Santa Fe County

OTAB is a tax advisory board that recommends grant awards from the lodgers' tax revenue to nonprofits that help market Santa Fe for tourism purposes. The OTAB Committee meets monthly on the fourth Friday of each month.

Click here for the OTAB Application.

The OTAB 2026 grant application is open from July 1, 2025, and will close on September 19, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
 

Required in person OTAB presentations will be scheduled for October 9th and/or 10th of 2025 at the Santa Fe Convention Center Admin. Conference Room, 201 W. Marcy St. Santa Fe, NM 87501.

Event Criteria

Ideally, the proposed event shall take place during the shoulder season of Santa Fe's tourism calendar: January - April, November, and December, excluding holidays. The evaluation also considers the days of the week, other events on the calendar, and the size of the event.

Events at other times of the year can be considered. However, they will not be given as strong a rating as a comparable event in the shoulder season timeframe. Funding and planning of the events shall be public/private partnerships that seek to attract tourists younger than 56 that are on message with TOURISM Santa Fe.

The events shall exhibit the potential to generate strong overnight lodging business or build regional or national excitement, recognition of but not limited to culture, art, history, food, natural beauty, and outdoor activities. Ideally, the event that is being proposed should be four months out to ensure significant planning time.

OTAB funds should not be used to supplement fundraising efforts or goals.

Applicant Criteria

Applying organizations must have an IRS-determined nonprofit corporation status with a tax identification number or umbrella under a fiscal agent on file.

• Copy of current Business License
• New Mexico State Gross Receipts-Withholding Certificate (CRS-1)
• Copy of IRS determination letter acknowledging the nonprofit status
• Proof of Insurance as indicated on item number 13 of the application

Applicants will submit the funding application and supporting documents, including the pre-event budget breakdown, along with 11 copies mailed or delivered to the attention of the OTAB Administrator at

For questions regarding OTAB or OTAB funding, please contact Shirley Spencer, Administrative Manager, at 505-955-6208 or sjspencer@santafenm.gov.