SCPTA 2025/26 Room Tax Grant

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Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency

ROOM TAX GRANT APPLICATION

2025 Grant Year/2026 Spending Year

CONTENT INCLUDES:

General Information
Grant Conditions
Grant Categories
Contact Information
Deadlines
Grant Application
Scoring Rubric

GENERAL INFORMATION:

The Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency offers 30% of Susquehanna County’s room tax money to go towards grants to help organizations promote and develop tourism in Susquehanna County. The Agency will review these applications as part of a pre-application process to ensure applicants meet the requirements. Qualifying applications will then be forwarded to the Agency’s Grant Committee and then to the Susquehanna County Commissioners for final review and grant awards.

GRANT CONDITIONS:

➢ An organization must:

• Be a bona fide, officially recognized not-for-profit organization 501(C)(3) or 501(C)(6) or a branch of local or county government.

• Have at least one year of audited financial reports.

• Have a proven positive record of advertising to bring patrons and audience members from outside of the county.

➢ All grants must have a 25% cash or in-kind match.

➢ Grant funds will not be provided for sectarian religious expenses.

➢ Grant funds will not be awarded for food or refreshments, travel, entertainment or operational expenses (payroll, insurance, utilities, etc.)

➢ Grant funds may be used to match federal and state funds, but are not considered private donations. They can only be used to match grants that are being used for projects that will directly impact tourism within the region.

➢ All publicity and promotional campaigns undertaken with grant funds MUST INCLUDE the following statement: “Funded in part by the Susquehanna County Room Tax Fund through the Susquehanna County Promotion and Tourism Agency”

➢ Recipient MUST provide a direct link from its respective website to the Susquehanna County Promotion and Tourism Agency website, www.visitsusqco.com

➢ Recipient will have one year from the from the time of fund disbursement to spend grant funds/complete projects.

➢ Recipient must provide adequate proof that funds received were used for their intended purpose through:

• Submission of tear sheets

• Media billings or any other similar documentation

• Properly executed vouchers, invoices, cancelled checks and/or records detailing the nature and propriety of the charges

• Receipts

➢ Applicants must complete all sections of the application and submit all supporting documents to be considered for funding.

GRANT CATEGORIES:

➢ Special Event or Exhibit or Expansion/Improvement of Current Business/Attraction – must:

• Be open to the public.

• Be located in Susquehanna County.

• Promote tourism in the county.

• Be advertised outside of the County.

➢ Marketing & Promotional Projects – must:

• Directly correlate with increasing tourism within Susquehanna County.

• Target promotion outside of the County.

➢ Historical Preservation Project – must:

• Be used to improve, restore, or preserve existing historical sites/buildings that are relevant to the area’s culture, history, and sense of identity.

• Be an existing tourist draw or have the potential to add to the tourism attractions within the area.

• Not be a capital improvement project – i.e., sidewalks, sewers, etc.

• Not be a private residence or business.

➢ Wayfinding Aids:

• Consideration will be given to groups proposing to develop maps, signage or other tools which would be of assistance to visitors in the area and enhance enjoyment.

CONTACT US:

Questions regarding the application process should be directed to:

Staci Wilson, Director

Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency

(570) 278-6614 or 570-767-4151

Mailing: PO Box 218/31 Lake Ave, Montrose, PA 18801

Office: 88 Chenango St., Montrose, PA 18801

tourism@visitsusqco.com

Applicants must complete all sections of the grant application and submit all required supporting documents. Submit the application and requested attachments to: tourism@visitsusqco.com; Or mail/hand-deliver to:

Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency

31 Lake Ave/PO Box 218

Montrose, PA 18801

DEADLINES

All mail-in applications must be postmarked by Friday, October 17, 2025; hand-delivered applications must be submitted at the Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency office (88 Chenango St., Montrose) by 4 p.m. on October 17, 2025; all online or email applications and attachments MUST be received at tourism@visitsusqco.com by 11:59 p.m., October 17, 2025.

Applications MUST BE complete by the deadline to be considered for funding.

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To meet Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency Objectives the project must do one or a combination of the following:

- Promote or encourages overnight visitor stays in Susquehanna County (multi-night, early & mid-week stays or weekend-long stays)

- Promotes and encourages events, programs and projects that bring visitors to the county

- Promotes and encourages events, programs and projects that ensure local spending and attract a variety of people to the county

- Support initiatives that provide new or improved amenities that will enhance visitor experience

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First Name *     Last Name *
Organization *
Area Code     Phone Number     Applicant Email *
Signature *
Date *

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Organization Name *
Tax ID Number *
Address *        City *     State *     Zip * Email *     Website

Area Code *     Phone Number *
Contact Name (if different or in addition to the applicant)

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GENERAL INFORMATION* This field is required.Please mark the category that best aligns with your project application. Refer to the general instructions for detailed description of the categories.

Event or Exhibit

Marketing & Promotion

Historical Preservation

Wayfinding

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Grant RequestTotal room tax grant funding your organization is requesting. Reminder: A 25% match is required for all room tax grant funds.

Please enter the total amount in room tax grant funds your organization is requesting.

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Matching FundsIdentify the source(s) of the 25% required match

Volunteer hours ($34.79/hr)

Other Allowable Sources

General Fund

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Mission Statement* This field is required.Provide the applicant organization's mission statement or statement of purpose.

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Project Name* This field is required.Title of the project or project component for which you are seeking grant funds

Name of Project

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Project Summary* This field is required.Provide a BRIEF description of the proposed project.

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Tourism Impact* This field is required.Room tax grant revenue is generated through overnight stays in the county. What are the goals, how will you promote the destination or experience, and what measurable outcomes will this project achieve? (e.g., increased visitation, extended stays, local economic impact)? How does it support or enhance your community’s tourism identity?

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Project Plan* This field is required.Provide an overview of your project plan or marketing strategy as it relates to room tax grant funding only. (Include only how room tax grant funds will be spent for your project) Marketing/Promotion Applicants: Advertising and promotion timeline for out-of-county markets/distribution plan, types of products, (brochures, rack cards, billboards, print advertising, TV commercials, websites, PAID targeted social media) as well as lodging packages and/or any other planned marketing initiatives or partnerships. Event/Exhibit, Historical Preservation, and Wayfinding applicants: Include details of project execution/implementation.

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How do you measure event attendance?What method do you use to determine the number of visitors to your site?

Zip Codes Collected

Point-in-Time Count

Gate/Ticket/Registration Count

We Do Not Measure Attendance

We Guess-timate

Other

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2024 Visitors total
2025 Visitors (through Aug 31, 2025) total thru 8/31/25

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Project Prioritization* This field is required.If your project is not selected for funding or receives partial funding through the grant, how would you alter your marketing or project plan? Are you seeking additional funds from other sources for this project? Explain your project/marketing priorities. For example: Scenario: A marketing grant request for $2000, receives $1000 in funding. The grant committee wants to know how you would utilize that funding to provide the greatest impact.

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Partnerships & CollaborationWhat business, community or regional partners are involved in this project, and what roles will they play?

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Target AudienceWho is your primary tourism target market (e.g., day trippers, weekend visitors, families, outdoor enthusiasts), and how will this project attract them to your event or destination?

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Overnight TourismHow will this project specifically encourage overnight visits rather than day trips?

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Other materials required:

Upload each item as a pdf, jpg or docx file. Clearly label the file, for example: AgencyName_AnnualBudget

Organization’s Annual Budget (budget summary sheet only; indicate plans for any large reserves of cash on hand).
Copy of last year’s audited financial statement or copy of IRS 990 form or IRS 990 postcard.
List of the organization’s Board of Directors and positions.
Itemized budget of project. If this is an annual event, include the last year’s final financial report.
Wayfinding projects: If applying for Wayfinding, indicate the type of sign, total estimated cost, sample photo/drawing of the design (if available), size and location of sign.

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File UploadREQUIRED FORMS: Annual Budget; Prior year's audited financial statement or copy of IRS 990 form or IRS 990 postcard; Board of Directors (names/titles); Project or Event Budget ( Annual Events - prior year final financial report); Wayfinding sign type, est. cost, photo/rendering of design, size & location). Digital files preferred, but printed copies will also be accepted. ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED TO BE CONSIDERED FOR GRANT FUNDING.

Drag and drop files here

Select files to upload

Max. file size: 10.6MB

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SCPTA Grants Committee Scoring RubricThe Susquehanna County Promotion & Tourism Agency Room Tax Grant Committee will utilize this scoring rubric for applications. Following the committee's review, the applications will be forwarded to the Susquehanna County Commissioners who make the final grant funding determination.

Grants committee scoring rubric, assigning weighted points for general information, project description, project plan; proposed budget and tourism objectives.