Civic Use Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for civic use rentals?

Charitable organizations with 501(c)3 status, and non-profits with broad impact to the community are our main focus, and are most likely to be approved. Must be located in Clinton or on South Whidbey.

How long do civic use agreements last?

Ongoing/recurring use agreements run through the end of each calendar year. However, all ongoing/recurring use agreements will be automatically considered for renewal by the board at the end of each year unless we hear from the renter that they no longer wish the agreement to continue.

How do rental payments work?
  • For single-use rentals, payments are due at the time an agreement is signed.
  • For ongoing/recurring rentals, payment for all use through the end of the calendar year is due when an agreement is signed, and then by Jan 31 for agreements extended into a new year.
Why can’t our organization use the Hall for free?

It costs money to maintain the Hall in good working order. The board has a fiduciary responsibility to the Hall’s members to ensure the continued viability and use of the hall for future generations. We rely on a combination of membership dues, donations, occasional grants, and rental fees to keep the Hall financially secure. Each use of the hall costs in terms of utilities, maintenance, cleaning and time. Our civic use agreement is meant to offer use of the Hall at lower costs for local nonprofits, but we cannot offer use of the Hall for free.

What happens if I need to change or cancel a rental?
  • Cancellations need to be made three weeks in advance. Any cancellation less than three weeks will lose the payment amount for that date. Cancellations made with at least three weeks notice will be refunded.
  • Date change requests need to be made three weeks in advance, and depend on availability. We would ask that date changes be kept to a minimum to help us reduce overhead for the civic use program.
  • Adding new/additional rental date(s) outside the scope of any existing rental agreement would require a separate rental agreement.
What other rules or fees apply?

Our standard rental terms and conditions (see p2 of standard rental agreement) apply to civic use agreements, with the following exceptions:

  • Security deposits are not required from civic use renters. However, any damage to the Hall caused by civic use renters will need to be paid. Failure to pay for damage to the Hall may result in cancellation of your civic use agreement. 
  • All renters are responsible for cleaning the hall after use, and for disposing of garbage and recycling. If any additional cleaning is needed as a result of your use of the hall, a fee may be assessed. We do this instead of charging a per-use cleaning fee in order to keep civic use costs down. But it relies on our civic use renters to be responsible in keeping the facility tidy and clean. Failure to pay fees or mistreatment of the hall may result in cancellation of your civic use agreement.