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August 05, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tompkins County Tourism Program Announces Fall 2014 Funding Opportunities

Tompkins County organizations planning Community Celebrations or 
projects with potential to draw visitors from outside Tompkins County 
are invited to apply for a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism 
Program. Organizations who are interested in helping implement Tompkins 
County's 2020 Strategic Tourism Plan are particularly encouraged to 
apply. Grant guidelines and instructions are available on Tompkins 
County's website: www.tompkinscountyny.gov/tourism 
.

Applications for the following grant programs will be due online by 
11am, Friday September 19, 2014.

*New Tourism Initiative Grants* are for projects that have occurred less 
than three years in a row and that support implementation of the County's 
2020 Strategic Tourism Plan 

Maximum award: $25,000

*Tourism Marketing and Advertising Grants* provide a dollar for dollar 
match for marketing and advertising expenses for campaigns that target 
potential tourists whose visit is likely to result in an overnight stay. 
Maximum award: $5,000.

*Community Celebrations**Grants* provide assistance to events and 
programs endorsed by a municipality that are free and open to all and 
planned by community members as a benefit to the community. Maximum 
award: $2,000.

The overarching goals of the Tompkins County Tourism Program are to 
promote economic development and enhance quality of life, and oversight 
and strategic direction for the program are provided by the Strategic 
Tourism Planning Board. These grants are awarded by the Tompkins County 
Legislature and are funded entirely by County hotel room occupancy tax 
dollars. They have supported the activities of dozens of local 
organizations contributing to tourism in Tompkins County which overall 
generates more than $174 million in local economic activity, $13 million 
in local tax revenues, and 3,400 local jobs.

A workshop for potential grant applicants will be held on Tuesday, 
August 19th from 4:00 to 5:30 pm at the Tompkins County Chamber of 
Commerce at 904 East Shore Drive, Ithaca. The workshop is free and open 
to all. RSVPs appreciated to tknipe@tompkins-co.org.

Contact:Tom Knipe, Senior Planner / Tourism Coordinator
607-274-5560, tknipe@tompkins-co.org