Room Tax Grant

ROOM TAX GRANT INFORMATION AND APPLICATION

The 2023 Application year/2024 spending year closes on november 15, 2023. to be considered for funding, all applications must be postmarked by november 15, 2023. 

Content includes:

  • General Information
  • Eligibility
  • General Grant Conditions
  • Application Submission Process
  • Application Review Process
  • Grant Application

The Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency offers 30% of Susquehanna County’s room tax money to go towards grants to help organizations promote and develop tourism in Susquehanna County. The Agency will review these applications as part of a pre-application process to ensure applicants meet the requirements. Qualifying applications will then be forwarded to the Agency’s Grant Board and the Susquehanna County Commissioners for review.

GENERAL CONDITIONS:

  • An organization must:
    • Be a bona fide, officially recognized not-for-profit organization 501(C)(3) or 501(C)(6) or a branch of local or county government.
    • Have a least one year of audited fiancial reports.
    • Have a proven positive record of advertising to bring patrons and audience members from outside of the county.
  • All grants must have a 25% cash or in-kind match.
  • Grant funds will not be provided for sectarian religious expenses.
  • Grant funds will not be awarded for food or refreshments, travel, entertainment or operational expenses (payroll, insurance, utilities, etc.)
  • Grant funds may be used to match federal and state funds, but are not considered private donations. They can only be used to match grants that are being used for projects that will directly impact tourism within the region.
  • All publicity and promotional campaigns undertaken with grant funds must include the following statement:

“Funded in part by the Susquehanna County Room Tax Fund through the Susquehanna County Promotion and Tourism Agency”

  • Recipient must provide a direct link from its respective website to the Susquehanna County Promotion and Tourism Agency website, www.visitsusqco.com
  • Recipient will have one year from the from the time of fund disbursement to spend grant funds/complete projects.
  • Recipient must provide adequate proof that funds received were used for their intended purpose through:
    • Submission of tear sheets
    • Media billings or any other similar documentation
    • Properly executed vouchers, invoices, cancelled checks and/or records detailing the nature and propriety of the charges
    • Receipts
  • Applicants must complete all sections of the application and submit all supporting documents to be considered for funding.

GRANT CATEGORIES:

  • Special Event or Exhibit or Expansion/Improvement of Current Business/Attraction – must:
  • Be open to the public.
  • Be in Susquehanna County.
  • Promote tourism in the county.
  • Be advertised outside of the County.
  • Marketing & Promotional Projects – must:
    • Directly correlate with increasing tourism within Susquehanna County.
    • Target promotion outside of the County.
  • Historical Preservation Project – must:
    • Be used to improve, restore, or preserve existing historical sites/buildings that are relevant to the area’s culture, history, and sense of identity.
    • Be an existing tourist draw or have the potential to add to the tourism attractions within the area.
    • Not be a capital improvement project – i.e., sidewalks, sewers, etc.
    • Not be a private residence or business.
  • Wayfinding Aids:
    • Consideration will be given to groups proposing to develop maps, signage or other tools which would be of assistance to visitors in the area.

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to:

Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency
(570) 278-5980
31 Lake Ave, Montrose, PA 18801

Download the Application