Grants For Tourism Businesses in Cumberland County
Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) is the official Destination Marketing Organization serving Cumberland County. CAEDC’s tourism efforts exist to generate visitor volume and spending by attracting business and leisure visitors, meetings or conventions and events to Cumberland Valley. CAEDC promotes Cumberland Valley as a tourist destination, attracts visitors to the area, enhances the visitor’s experience, and encourages and promotes overnight stays. Destination marketing efforts are funded by a county lodging tax that is assessed on each overnight stay in Cumberland Valley.
Since 2010, CAEDC has offered a variety of grant opportunities to Cumberland County partners to increase visitation to Cumberland Valley or enhance the visitor experience in a measurable way. There are currently three tourism-specific grant programs available.
Application Cut-Off
Applicant Notification
Grant Agreement Drafted
February 6, 2026
May 8, 2026
August 7, 2026
November 6, 2026
April 1, 2026
July 1, 2026
October 1, 2026
January 5, 2027
May 1, 2026
August 3, 2026
November 2, 2026
February 2, 2027
Tourism Product Development Grant
Eligible applicants can apply for $25,000 – $500,000 in grant funding for physical product development projects (including construction, furniture, fixtures and equipment) that increase the number of products, experiences and services that will draw overnight visitors to Cumberland Valley. Though all applications with tourism merit will be considered, the program’s focus areas are outdoor recreation, agritourism, group facilities and downtown development. Applicants may only have one open Tourism Product Development Grant at a time. Prevailing Wage applies to Tourism Grant Funds.
Tourism Partnership Grant
Eligible applicants can apply for $2,500 – $10,000 in grant funding for physical product development projects (including construction, fixtures, furniture and equipment) that increase the number of products, experiences and services that will draw overnight visitors to Cumberland Valley. Though all applications with tourism merit will be considered, the program’s focus areas are outdoor recreation, agritourism, group facilities, downtown development and historical/cultural signage. Applicants may only have one open Tourism Partnership Grant at a time. Prevailing Wage applies to Tourism Grant Funds.
Destination Sales Grant
Eligible applicants can apply for $3,000 – $100,000 in grant funding for multi-day event expenses that increase group and conference overnight travel to Cumberland Valley, including: bid fees, facility and shuttle rentals, speaker or performer fees, and marketing and advertising. Projects requesting over $10,000 in grant awards must meet minimum overnight room requirements. Organizations may only have one open Destination Sales Grant for a given event at a time.
Other Funding and Financing Opportunities
CAEDC offers a selection of financing programs, funding solutions and incentives for all types of businesses. Tourism partners could also be eligible for the Tourism Infrastructure Loan Fund.
Tourism Grant Awards
Since 2010, CAEDC has awarded over $3.7 million to over 230 tourism grant projects.
Tourism Grant Awards