The Tompkins County Tourism Program, upon the recommendation of the Strategic Tourism Planning Board (STPB), awarded over $220,000 in grants to 40 organizations following approval from the County Legislature. Grants were awarded in three categories:
- Tourism Project Grants – funding for efforts that draw visitors to Tompkins County for overnight stays or accomplish critical actions listed in the “2020 Strategic Tourism Plan.”
$137,500 was awarded for 21 applications
- Tourism Marketing & Advertising Grants – funding for marketing and advertising campaigns that attract visitors from outside Tompkins County.
$54,000 was awarded for 19 applications
- Community Celebrations Grants – funding for local events that convey our unique culture and history.
$28,838 was awarded for 22 applications
A detailed list of all grants awarded is attached. The Tourism Program will announce a fall round for Community Celebrations grants later this year. All funding for the Tourism Project grant and Tourism Marketing & Advertising grant has been allocated for 2019.
The Tompkins County Tourism Program annually invests over $2.5 million in local hotel room occupancy tax dollars in community-based tourism to promote economic development and enhance quality of life. This program is guided by the STPB. Tourism grants have supported the activities of dozens of local organizations contributing to local tourism and community vitality. In 2017 tourism in Tompkins County supported 3,700 local jobs, generated $216 million in visitor spending, and raised more than $16.2 million in local tax revenues.
Learn more at the Tourism Program website.
Spring 2019 Community Celebrations Grant Awards
|
Applicant Organization |
Celebration Name |
Date(s) |
Amount |
|
Center for Community Transportation |
Streets Alive! Ithaca |
Apr 28 & Oct 1 |
$1,400 |
|
Child Development Council |
Playdate in the Park |
June 26 |
$500 |
|
Danby Volunteer Fire Company, Inc. |
Danby Community Day |
Sep 21 |
$1,525 |
|
Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers, Inc. |
Celebrating Dorothy Cotton’s Legacy in Ithaca and Beyond |
May 10 |
$2,250 |
|
Southworth Library Association |
Dryden Holiday Celebration |
Dec 17 |
$1,500 |
|
Dryden Lake Festival, Inc. |
Dryden Lake Festival 2019 |
July 27 |
$1,500 |
|
Dryden Town Historical Society |
Homestead Heritage Fair 2019 |
Oct 5 |
$1,500 |
|
Finger Lakes Finns |
Fostering Finnish Folkways |
May 21 - Sep 29 |
$925 |
|
Greater Ithaca Activities Center, Inc. |
GIAC Festival of Nations |
Sep 7 |
$2,250 |
|
Groton Girl Scout Troop 41432 c/o Village of Groton |
Groton Community Night |
Aug 6 |
$750 |
|
Groton Olde Home Days |
Groton Olde Home Days |
Aug 23 - 25 |
$2,200 |
|
Ithaca Children’s Garden |
International Mud Day |
June 29 |
$1,500 |
|
Lansing Events Committee Inc. |
2019 Lansing Community Celebration |
June 6 - 7 |
$2,000 |
|
Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County |
Latinx Heritage Month |
Sep 15 - Oct 15 |
$1,000 |
|
Multicultural Resource Center |
First Peoples Festival |
Sep 28 |
$1,250 |
|
New Roots Charter School |
Rootstock |
May 18 |
$500 |
|
Newfield Memorial Day Committee |
Memorial Day Parade and Services 2019 |
May 27 |
$523 |
|
Town of Newfield |
2019 Newfield Music Series at Mill Park |
June 12 - Sep 11 |
$850 |
|
Triphammer Arts Inc. |
Watermusic/Dancing on the Trail |
July 12 |
$1,950 |
|
Historic Ithaca |
2019 Tompkins County Walk and Talks |
June 22 - Aug 24 |
$1,265 |
|
The History Center (on behalf of all TCHC Partners) |
TCHC Community Celebration |
May 10 |
$1,000 |
|
Town of Groton |
11th Annual Verne Morton Memorial Photography Show & Contest |
Aug 23 - 24 |
$700 |
|
TOTAL |
$28,838 |
Spring 2019 Tourism Project Grant Awards
|
Applicant |
Project Title |
Event Dates |
Award
|
|
2019 Science Olympiad National Tournament |
2019 Science Olympiad National Tournament |
May 31 - June 1 |
$9,500 |
|
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail |
Winery Property Wayfinding Signage |
May 1 - Aug 1 |
$3,000 |
|
Community Arts Partnership |
Spring Writes Literary Festival |
May 2 - 5 |
$3,000 |
|
Community Arts Partnership |
Greater Ithaca Art Trail |
N/A |
$1,000 |
|
Downtown Ithaca Alliance |
2019 Winter Light Festival |
Dec 5 - 15 |
$11,000 |
|
Friends of Stewart Park, Inc. |
Paddle, Pedal & Play Festival (P3Fest) |
Aug 31 |
$9,000 |
|
Greater Ithaca Activities Center |
GIAC's Festival of Nations & Gus Macker Tournament |
Sep 7 & 8 |
$16,000 |
|
Historic Ithaca |
Downtown Architecture Tours & More |
N/A |
$7,000 |
|
Ithaca Children's Garden |
Engaging exhibits and essential signage to connect visitors to the living world |
N/A |
$3,000 |
|
Ithaca College Office of Sponsored Research |
Qinfolk Festival | QTPOC Film, Arts & Mental Health |
Oct 5 |
$2,000 |
|
Ithaca Festival |
Silent Disco |
May 31 - June 2 |
$5,000 |
|
Ithaca Shakespeare Company, Inc. |
2019 Summer Shakespeare Festival |
July 11 - 28 |
$7,500 |
|
Ithaca Underground |
Big Day In #15 and Naked Noise #11 |
Dec 1 & Apr 15, 2020 |
$2,500 |
|
Kitchen Theatre Company |
Kitchen Theatre Company Production of TRIBES |
June 2 - 23 |
$13,000 |
|
Opera Ithaca Incorporated |
Opera Ithaca Collaboration: La Boheme with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra |
Sep 28 & 29 |
$8,500 |
|
Paleontological Research Institution |
Bees Exhibit |
N/A |
$7,500 |
|
Sciencenter |
Sciencenter Wayfinding Evaluation and Upgrades |
N/A |
$10,000 |
|
Tea Leaves Inc |
Ithaca Reggae Fest |
June 29 |
$8,500 |
|
The Cherry Arts, Inc. |
2019-20 Cherry Arts Production Enhancement Funding |
N/A |
$4,000 |
|
Triphammer Arts Inc. |
Opera Cowpokes Alive! Outdoor Music and Dance Performances |
Aug 1 - 4 |
$3,000 |
|
Wizarding Weekend |
Wizarding Weekend 2019 |
Oct 26 |
$3,500 |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$137,500 |
Spring 2019 Tourism Marketing and Advertising Grant Awards
|
Applicant |
Project Title |
Event Dates |
Award |
|
Community Arts Partnership |
Spring Writes Literary Festival |
May 2 - 5 |
$2,000 |
|
Community Arts Partnership |
Greater Ithaca Art Trail |
N/A |
$2,500 |
|
Community Arts Partnership |
Fingers Lakes Pottery Tour |
May 11 & 12 |
$3,500 |
|
Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County |
Open Farm Days 2019! |
Aug 10 & 11 |
$4,000 |
|
Discovery Cayuga Lake [CTA] |
New Collaborations on Cayuga |
N/A |
$3,500 |
|
Downtown Ithaca Alliance |
2019 Winter Light Festival |
Dec 5 - 15 |
$3,000 |
|
Hangar Theatre |
More the Merrier Campaign |
Dec 8 -22 |
$5,000 |
|
Historic Ithaca |
Downtown Architecture Tours & More |
N/A |
$3,500 |
|
Ithaca College Office of Sponsored Research |
Qinfolk Festival | QTPOC Film, Arts & Mental Health |
Oct 5 |
$4,000 |
|
Ithaca Festival |
Silent Disco |
May 31 - June 2 |
$3,000 |
|
Ithaca Shakespeare Company Inc |
2019 Summer Shakespeare Festival |
July 11 - 28 |
$1,000 |
|
Ithaca Underground |
Big Day In #15 and Naked Noise #11 |
Dec 1 & Apr 15, 2020 |
$2,000 |
|
Kitchen Theatre Company |
Kitchen Theatre Company Production of TRIBES |
June 2 - 23 |
$4,000 |
|
Opera Ithaca Incorporated |
Opera Ithaca Collaboration: La Boheme with Cayuga Chamber Orchestra |
Sep 28 & 29 |
$2,500 |
|
Paleontological Research Institution |
Bees Exhibit |
N/A |
$3,000 |
|
Tea Leaves Inc |
Ithaca Reggae Fest |
June 29 |
$4,000 |
|
The Cherry Arts, Inc. |
2019-20 Cherry Arts Production Enhancement Funding |
N/A |
$1,000 |
|
Village of Trumansburg |
2019 Trumansburg Farmers Market Marketing and Advertising |
N/A |
$1,500 |
|
Wizarding Weekend |
Wizarding Weekend 2019 |
Oct 26 |
$1,000 |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$54,000 |