2024 SOMERSET COUNTY TOURISM GRANT APPLICATION

2024 SOMERSET COUNTY TOURISM GRANT APPLICATION

Due October 6, 2023 at 4:00pm
VISITOR CENTER GRANT
***All applicants must submit a W-9 along with their application****

Tourism Grants are made possible by an agreement between GO Laurel Highlands (GO LH)(Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau) and the county of Somerset. The money available for these grants is made possible by the collection of a lodging tax within the lodging community. This unique program allows for the enhancement and growth of a vibrant tourism product within the Laurel Highlands region. Grants are never a promise, but an opportunity.

Visitor Center Grants are available only for operation of a visitor center in a Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy recognized “Great Allegheny Passage Trail Town” in Somerset County. This includes expenses related to staffing the center (payroll, payroll taxes, and payroll fees).
GENERAL GUIDELINES:
- All tourism grants are required to have a 25% match. The match can be 25% cash or 12.5% cash and 12.5% in-kind match.
- Applicants with open grants prior to 2022 are not eligible to apply for a 2024 Grant.
- Events that will not be continued annually do not qualify for grant funds.
- Applicants must provide the exact information requested in order to not be disqualified. This includes a W-9 form, Budget Worksheet, 501(c)(3) Determination Letter, and full list of your Board of Directors if applicable.
- Cooperative grants (more than on tourism entity working together) are strongly encouraged.
- Fax transmittals, e-mails, or handwritten applications will not be accepted.
- Granting decisions will be determined and notification will be announced in December 2023.
- APPLICATION DEADLINE: The online portal will be open until 4 pm Friday, October 6, 2023. No applications will be accepted after this point.
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Please save your information along the way so that you can access your application in the future without losing your progress.

PART 1 | Contact Information
Full Legal Organization Name:*
County/Type of Grant you are applying for:*
Organization's Street Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Organization Website:
Contact Person:*
Title:*
Phone Number:*
E-Mail Address:*
example@example.com
What are the visitor center dates and hours of operation?*

PART 2 | Organization Information

Applications without proof of the Federal ID # will be disqualified.
Please Indicate your business type:*

501(c)(3)501(c)(6)For-Profit
Federal ID #:*
Organization(s) Mission Statement:*

0/100
Brief Description of Organization:*

0/150
Did your organization received a tourism grant in 2022 or 2023?*

YesNo
If yes, please indicate the total amount awarded:
If yes, please indicate the remaining balance from this grant:
Fiscal Sponsor Name (If Applicable)
Fiscal sponsorship is a formal arrangement in which a 501(c3) public charity sponsors a project that may lack exempt status.
Fiscal Sponsor Federal ID # (If Applicable)
Fiscal Sponsor Address (If Applicable)

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code

PART 3 | Grant Proposal Request

Character counts may be limited per box. Please fit the content within the allocated space.
Description of Project and the need: Describe the current need, problem, and/or opportunity and address how the grant will help with these issues or meet the goals stated here.*

0/500
Is this a cooperative project? If so, please supply the information for the additional entities below. Skip if answer is NO.
How will this project enhance or increase tourism in your County? (Your response to this question is vitally important to the committee's decision relative to your application)*

0/500
How will your organization measure the outcome of this project? How will the results/impact be measured?*

0/500
If you are a tourist attraction, please provide your annual visitation numbers for the past 3 years:*
How are the visitation numbers determined?*

0/200

PART 4 | Grant Proposal Request - FUNDING
2024 Tourism Grant Budget Worksheet

(Forms available for download at golaurelhighlands.com/grants)

All grant applicants must complete and submit the Grant Budget Worksheet. The worksheet must contain a detailed project budget. Additionally, please provide a supplemental worksheet which details the calculations for wages, taxes, fees and expenses such as: supplies, electric, etc. Grants submitted without required documentation will not be considered eligible for this year’s grant.

Vendor Name and Description of Activity: Please provide detail as to what you are purchasing, price of item, quantity and the number of months being covered if applicable regarding line item costs associated with this marketing project.

Matching Requirement: A 25% match is required. You must show how both the grant amount requested and the matches (both cash and in-kind) will be allocated among activities. The match MUST be at least 25% of the total cost of the activity. (i.e total cost $1,000.00, grant request $750.00, $250.00 match).

Qualifying In-kind Matches: In-kind donated services or materials by a professional company. For in-kind services and/or donated materials documentation must be provided and include a description of the work performed, date/dates of the services and the hours donated and the hourly rate. All tourism grants are required to have a cash or in-kind match of at least 25%.

In-kind volunteer work is only acceptable for events (such as festivals) and only for the time that they are volunteering at the event. The volunteer’s time is valued at $12/hour and must be documented, including dates, services they provided, and hours of service.
VISITOR CENTER GRANTS

Operation of a visitor center in a Great Allegheny Passage Conservancy recognized “Great Allegheny Passage Trail Town” in Somerset County, including expenses related to staffing the center (payroll, payroll taxes, and payroll fees).

EXPENSES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT FUNDING:
- Food, lodging, mileage, and transportation costs
- Purchase or rental computers, software, projectors, and other equipment, food trucks and business vehicles
- Payments for a grant writer to write the grant
- Payments to staff for managing advertising campaigns related to grant
- Personnel costs and/or salaries except for the Visitor Center Grants
- Telephone expenses
- Postage and handling expenses
- Purchase of brochure racks
- Envelopes, letterhead, business cards, and miscellaneous office supplies
- Membership dues, sponsorships, and talent/dignitary honorariums
- Office space rental
- Physical construction of billboards
- Gift cards, t-shirts, mugs, and items for resale including items for giveaways
- Sectarian religious purposes
- Signage for onsite property that promotes your individual entity
EXCEPTION:

Standard operational expenses such as rent, utilities, insurance, payroll, postage, etc., with the exception of the approved expenses directly related to the operation of a seasonal visitor center.
Please enter the dollar amounts for your grant below:*
If you are submitting volunteer or in-kind services as part of your grant match, please provide a breakdown of services including the hours donated, the hourly rate, total amount and a description of the service provided.
Other funding sources and amounts include:

0/200

PART 5 | Completion

All acknowledgements must be made and all required corresponding files attached for this application to be submitted.
Applicants are reminded that this grant is not a permanent allocation and that there is no guarantee of a grant being made at any time in the future.

I/We affirm that all information in this application and all attachments are true and correct to the best of my/our knowledge, and that the receipt of any grant funds relative to this request will be used for the purpose detailed within this application. I/We agree to abide by all local, state, and federal laws and regulations. I/We understand that the Tourism Grant Review Committee will require a Second Half Reporting form (if applicable), Final Reporting form, Grant Expenditure form, copies of all expenditure invoices, proof of payment for all expenditures, and copies of materials produced for advertising and printed material, before and after photographs if applicable to verify the expenditure of any grant funds received, and I/We agree to furnish said documentation according to reporting dead-lines. I/We further understand that the expenditure of grant funds received might be subject to audit and/or further verification and I/We agree to cooperate with any such audit or verification process.

I/We agree to the grant terms and conditions as per the 2024 Criteria and Guidelines for the County Tourism Grant Program.
Authorize your submission*

I agree to all of the terms and conditions of the tourism grant program.
Name (print):*
Title:*
Signature:*

Clear
Documents that are REQUIRED FOR UPLOAD:
- A completed W9 Form (ALL Applicants).
- A completed budget worksheet (ALL Applicants).
- IRS 501(c3) Determination letter (Non-Profits).
- Board of Directors List with addresses (if applicable).
Upload your W-9 Form (REQUIRED)*

W-9 is REQUIRED.
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Upload your Budget Worksheet (REQUIRED)*

Budget worksheet is REQUIRED
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OTHER DOCUMENTATION - Upload your IRS 501(c3) Determination Letter (if you are a non profit), Board of Directors List (if applicable), and any other documentation here.

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Today's Date:*

MonthDayYear
Date
Should be Empty:

2024 SOMERSET COUNTY TOURISM GRANT APPLICATION

VISITOR CENTER GRANT

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

PART 1 | Contact Information

PART 2 | Organization Information

PART 3 | Grant Proposal Request

PART 4 | Grant Proposal Request - FUNDING

PART 5 | Completion