The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau (HVAB), in conjunction with the Centre County Board of Commissioners, has begun accepting applications for the 2023-24 Tourism Grant program.
The annual Tourism Grant program funds marketing, tourism development and, in some cases, facility improvement projects designed to generate visitation to Happy Valley – with a particular emphasis on overnight stays – and that enhance the overall visitor experience.
Applications will be accepted until close of business on April 14, with funding awarded in late May/early June. The application and information about the program are available at happyvalley.com.
The program is funded by the county’s hotel occupancy tax.
“Visitation to Happy Valley continues to rebound, which means the Tourism Grant program continues to grow,” HVAB President and CEO Fritz Smith said in a news release. “After some lean years, we welcome the opportunity to provide more robust funding to eligible projects. At the same time, interest in the program is keeping pace with that growth, so we anticipate an exciting, but competitive, grant program year.”
Last year, 10 new projects, including this month’s inaugural Happy Valley Comics & Collectibles Convention, received funding from a pool of nearly $670,000. In total, 65 projects from 61 applicants received Tourism Grants.
Smith anticipates that approximately $750,000 will be available for the 2023-24 program.
“The Tourism Grant program has done so much to develop our tourism assets over the years, which benefits not only those who visit but those who call Happy Valley home,” a statement from the Board of Commissioners said. “We look forward to the start of another program year, and the new ideas and project enhancements from this year’s applicants.”
Questions can be directed to JosiahJ@happyvalley.com or LesleyK@happyvalley.com.
