Back to list April 27, 2015 2015 Tourism Grant Program to Support Marketing Initiatives & Tourism Capital Improvements Cumberland Valley, PA (April 27, 2015) – Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) is pleased to announce another round of Tourism Grants. The Tourism Grant Program is administered under the destination marketing arm of CAEDC, the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau (CVVB). Since 2010, the CVVB has awarded over $260,000 in grants to fund over 50 projects representing heritage, cultural, agricultural and experiential tourism. In the 2015 grant program, up to $100,000 of the Cumberland Valley’s Lodging Tax Income will be designated for a grant program to support Marketing Initiatives and Tourism Capital Improvements in Cumberland County. For the purpose of this grant program, Marketing Initiatives and Tourism Capital Improvements are defined as projects that: Increase visitation and/or visitor experiences by improving or creating marketing materials including printed experiential brochures, professional photography and video, tourism product development or major event-related advertising in approved CVVB target markets Increase visitation and/or visitor experiences by improving wayfinding, non-public transportation, interior or streetscape appearances, event facility improvements or technology Enhance visitor experiences by increasing Historic Markers, interpretive signage, banner flags, and information centers In order to be eligible to participate in the Tourism Grant Program, applicants must be located in Cumberland County, PA and be a for-profit, not-for-profit or governmental enterprise. The applicant must be able to match each grant dollar by half and requests may not exceed $25,000. Applicants must also adhere to the 2015 Tourism Grant Program time frames below. 2015 TOURISM GRANT PROGRAM TIMELINE: Deadline for Communicating Intent to File – June 26, 2015 Deadline for Applications to be Submitted – July 31, 2015 Awards will be Announced – August 29, 2015 Award Letters will be Distributed – October 2015 Awards Announced at Tourism Conference – November 4, 2015 Final Project Report – No later than May 5, 2017 Awards are made on the basis of merit and determined by an independent Grant Review Panel. This grant program is funded and administered by the CVVB. New for the 2015 Grant Cycle, the CVVB created two applications to make the process easier for smaller requests. If you’re requesting under $2,500 you may fill out the shorter application. Requests exceeding $2,500 will still need to complete the full application. Click here to learn more about the 2015 Tourism Grant Program or download the following documents to get started. Tourism Grant Overview Tourism Grant Program Details Tourism Grant Application – Requests Less than $2,500 Tourism Grant Application – Requests Exceeding $2,500 If you have any further questions about the Tourism Grant Program please contact Ashley Kurtz, at (717) 240-7192 or [email protected]. For larger projects, CAEDC encourages partners to consider the Tourism Infrastructure Loan Fund (TILF). The TILF was established by CAEDC to provide capital to businesses in the tourism industry for acquisitions and facility improvements. Learn more about this program here. About Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau The mission of the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau is to promote Cumberland Valley as a tourist destination, attract visitors to the area, enhance the visitor’s experience, and to encourage and promote overnight stays.
