Herald Standard: By Joyce Koballa

The tourism grant program for Fayette County’s nonprofit organizations will most likely require a 25 percent local match as one of several significant changes to this year’s application process.
The Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau on Wednesday hosted a grant chat to highlight the new criteria at the Park
Inn by Radisson in Uniontown.
“The purpose of the program is to increase visitation, enhance the visitor experience and increase overnight stays in
Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties,” said Reneé Seifert, LHVB president and CEO.
The annual grant program is administered by the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau and the Fayette County
commissioners.
Seifert said this year’s tourism grants total $455,080. Last year, Seifert said 49 grants were awarded totaling
$468,161.
According to Seifert, a percentage of the grants is funded by a tax on hotel lodging. “Because they’re coming from
user fees generated by hotels, it’s important that we do everything we can possibly do to maximize the return on this
particular investment,” she said.
In Fayette, that amounts to 50 percent of the county’s room tax that is appropriated for the grant program,
specifically established to support the nonprofit and forprofit
tourism assets.
As part of the new requirements, applicants will also need to submit a budget worksheet consisting of a detailed
marketing plan that identifies a target audience, proposed media, budget and project timeline.
This is the first year that forprofit
organizations can also apply, but they will be required to provide a dollarfordollar
match if awarded a grant.
The criteria and guidelines apply to marketing grants being sought for nonprofit
organizations, marketing programs,
capital projects, operational expenses and tourism education projects.
Currently, there is pending legislation for the 25 percent in matching funds introduced under House Bill 794.
Seifert said the requirement resulted from the money not being used within the provisions of the program for tourism
development and assets.
Seifert added that nonprofits applying for the grants are encouraged to find additional resources so they are not 100
percent reliant on the program.
According to Seifert, historical and cultural sites top the list of area attractions, based on results from a 2015 study
on the the Economic Impact of Tourism in the Laurel Highlands.
She noted the study found a key factor in attracting visitors to an area is feeling safe at their destination.
“The advantage that we have here is having three counties that all contribute to the marketing of the Laurel
Highlands … it’s a fact that we actually get a bigger bang for our buck,” said Seifert.
Since the program’s inception, $3.5 million has been awarded to tourismrelated
entities throughout the county.
In December, the Fayette County commissioners voted unanimously to expand grant eligibility to forprofit
tourismrelated
businesses.
According to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office’s most recent Annual Economic Impact Travel Report, travelers spent
more than $1.8 billion in the Laurel Highlands region in 2013.
The region also had the second highest share of travelers’ dollars going towards lodging and food and beverage
costs among the state’s 11 tourism regions.
The travel report also found that Fayette generated more than $660 million in visitor spending along with 5,818 jobs
in the tourism sector.
The deadline for grant applications to be submitted is March 4 with awards announced in midApril.
Funding is required to be fully utilized before Feb. 28, 2017.

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