CARLISLE, PA (September 12, 2011) - The Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce that a second round of grants will be available for 2011. In the spring of 2011, the Tourism Grant Program awarded $13,075 to four organizations that received funds to support the Civil War Sesquicentennial and agri-tourism areas of interest.
In the fall 2011 grant program, up to $40,000 of the Cumberland Valley's Lodging Tax Income will be designated for a grant program to support three strategic areas of interest. The three areas include; Experiential Brochure Printing, Experience Creation and a Signage Program. "We're pleased to be able to offer a second grant program this fall, with a specific focus on product development and Cumberland Valley branding," said Director of Tourism, Shireen Farr.
The Tourism Grant Program will fund the printing and design of experiential brochures including walking tours, driving tours, water tours, etc. The program will also fund product development and associated materials that support an experience. For example, factory/production tours, farm/agricultural experiences, guided history walks, etc. The third area of interest the program will fund is the printing and design of signage including the Cumberland Valley brand. Examples include pole banners, flags, bulletin boards, kiosks, etc.
Applicants must submit the 2011 Tourism Grant Application within the timeframes listed below. Applicants must be able to match each grant dollar by half and requests may not exceed $10,000. Click here to view the official guidelines and application.
2011 Tourism Grant Program Timeline
Applications will be available: Monday, September 12, 2011
A grant writer's conference will be held: Friday, September 23, 2011
Deadline for applications to be submitted: Friday, October 14, 2011
Awards will be announced: Friday, October 28, 2011
Award letters & agreements will be distributed: Friday, November 18, 2011
The grant writer's conference will be held at 10 a.m. at the Cumberland Valley Visitors Center, 33 W. High St., Carlisle on September 23, 2011. If you have any further questions about the 2011 Tourism Grant Program please contact Shireen Farr, at (717) 240-7196 or shireen@visitcumberlandvalley.com.
The Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau is also part of Pennsylvania's Dutch Country Roads region, the number one visited region in PA, a true vacation destination where country meets city and the past lives side-by-side with the present.
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.
