Taos County reports lodgers‑tax grant growth, approves guideline changes and plans applicant workshop

Taos County on Feb. 3 received an update on the county’s lodgers‑tax grant program showing rising demand and adjustments to how awards are allocated.

Dylan Cox, economic development staff, told commissioners that applicants requested $814,143 across the most recent spring and fall cycles while commissioners and the Logistics Tax Advisory Board approved $591,304 in awards. As of Jan. 15, 2026, $135,864.17 had been reimbursed and $455,439.83 remained to be reimbursed, Cox said. He also reported that 88% of applicants received awards and that, because requests have grown faster than recommended awards, the average funded share of requests fell from about 88% in FY2024 to roughly 73% in the most recent round.

Cox said the advisory board has placed more emphasis on realistic budgets and project scopes and recommended improving applicant education. He announced a voluntary in‑person workshop on Feb. 25 in the Taos County chambers and the spring application window from March 3–March 31 to help prospective and returning applicants prepare more competitive proposals.

Following questions from commissioners about outreach to rural areas and whether the program can measure increases in gross receipts tax (GRT) attributable to funded events, Cox said tracking economic return will require coordination with New Mexico True and better applicant reporting of attendance and visitor origin in final reports.

The commission also considered and approved edits to the lodgers‑tax grant guidelines for FY2027. Revisions adopted by the board include adding guidance for Native‑run businesses (including information for Taos Pueblo enterprises), adding operable hyperlinks to county departments for business registration, moving program goals in the document for clarity, and including a logo‑acknowledgment requirement (failure to comply with acknowledgments may affect reimbursement eligibility). Cox said the county will allow fiscal sponsorships to enable events and informal entities to apply and clarified the state’s BTIN (business tax identification number) nomenclature change.

The commission did not change eligibility categories being allowed to apply; Cox said entities from nonprofits to fiscally sponsored events remain eligible. The updated guidelines and the Feb. 25 workshop were presented as measures to encourage realistic budgets and broaden access to funding.