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 tourism grant opportunities to fill current needs of Cumberland County’s tourism efforts.

CAEDC is pleased to announce that three tourism grant opportunities and a tourism infrastructure loan fund are available to tourism partners. Grant applications are received on a rolling basis. Partners may only have one open Tourism Grant Project at a time.

Tourism Product Development Grant

Eligible applicants can apply for $25,000 – $250,000 in grant funding for soft product development and asset product development projects that increase visitation to Cumberland Valley or enhance the visitor experience in a measurable way.

Destination Sales Grant

Eligible applicants can apply for $10,000 – $100,000 in grant funding for event expenses including bid fees, facility and shuttle rentals, and marketing and advertising to support overnight group travel to Cumberland Valley.

Tourism Recovery Grant

Eligible applicants can apply for $2,500 – $10,000 in grant funding for purchase of equipment, marketing or advertising to new audiences, development of new experiences or deferred maintenance projects that maintain or increase the number of products, experiences and services that draw overnight visitors to Cumberland Valley.

Other Funding and Financing Opportunities

CAEDC offers a selection of financing programs, funding solutions and incentives for all types of businesses.

Past Grant Awards

Since 2010, CAEDC has granted over $1.9 million to 199 tourism grant projects.

Past Tourist Grants