- By Marcia E. Lynch
- Around Town
Print 
The Tompkins County Legislature has awarded spring 2014 tourism grants in five grant categories in the latest round of the County’s tourism grant program. The Legislature approved the awards, totaling around $358,000, at its April 15th meeting.
Tourism grants are funded entirely by Tompkins County room occupancy tax dollars. Not-for-profit organizations and municipalities are eligible for the funding to support a variety of events and tourism-related projects that hold potential to attract additional visitor spending and overnight stays, while enhancing local quality of life. Since completion of its 2020 Strategic Tourism Plan in 2012, Tompkins County has placed special emphasis on supporting projects that align with strategic priorities including promoting winter and mid-week activity, as well as advancing goals related to established and emerging types of tourism for Tompkins County: arts, culture and heritage tourism; agricultural and culinary tourism; tourism related to outdoor recreation and our outstanding natural features; edu-tourism; downtown Ithaca; sustainability tourism; sports tourism; and under-tapped niche markets.
Community Celebrations Grants support municipal observances or celebrations with meaning to the community. Spring 2014 grants totaling almost $24,000 were made to seventeen celebrations in Ithaca, Danby, Enfield, Groton, Lansing, Newfield and Trumansburg. Tourism Marketing and Advertising Grants assist with tourism-focused marketing of local programs; eleven Tourism Marketing and Advertising Grants were awarded totaling more than $29,000. Tourism Project Grants fund large-scale projects expected to produce overnight stays in Tompkins County, and New Tourism Initiative Grants help a variety of exciting new tourism projects get started. Nine Tourism Project Grants were awarded totaling over $78,000; and four New Tourism Initiative Grants were awarded totaling nearly $39,000.
In addition, $188,000 in Arts and Culture Organizational Development Grants were awarded to seven large existing local arts and culture organizations to strengthen their long-term financial planning and development efforts. The annual grants ranged from $17,000 to $40,000 and were awarded to the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, Hangar Theatre, History Center, Kitchen Theatre, Paleontological Research Institute (for its Museum of the Earth and Cayuga Nature Center), Sciencenter and State Theatre.
The County’s Strategic Tourism Planning Board (STPB) is responsible for developing recommendations for grant awards. “Our tourism grant programs help a variety of local partners develop memorable experiences for both visitors and residents. Their projects present this unique place that we call home in a way that builds on the special characteristics of our people, culture, history, environment, and economic activity”, says Tom Knipe, Senior Planner/Tourism Coordinator for Tompkins County. The County Legislature will consider grant award recommendations in a sixth grant category – its Tourism Capital Grant program – in May. A fall 2014 tourism grant round is expected to be announced in August for New Tourism Initiative, Tourism Marketing and Advertising and Community Celebrations Grants. No fall round will be held in the other categories.
Four New Tourism Initiative Grants were awarded as follows:
| Applicant | Project Title | Grant Award |
| Natural Heritage Trust | 2014 Ice Climbing Tourism Development | 13,800 |
| 7th Art Corporation of Ithaca | 2014 Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival | 18,000 |
| Cayuga Lake Watershed Network | 2014 CanYou Canoe Cayuga | 3,200 |
| Cayuga Lake Watershed Network | 2014 Cayuga Lake SUP Cup | 3,800 |
| | Total Awarded | 38,800 |
Nine Tourism Project Grants were awarded as follows:
| Applicant | Project Title | Grant Award |
| Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County | 2014 Spring Writes Literary Festival | $3,000 |
| Downtown Ithaca Alliance | 2014 Downtown Ithaca WinterFest | $14,000 |
| Downtown Ithaca Alliance | 2014 Restaurant Weeks | $5,000 |
| State Theatre of Ithaca | Winter Village Music 2015 | $14,000 |
| The History Center in Tompkins County | 2014 Ithaca Scottish Games | $5,000 |
| Paleontological Research Institution | 2014 Smithsonian Project | $7,000 |
| Ithaca Asian American Association | 2014 Finger Lakes International Dragon Boat Festival | $6,300 |
| Ithaca Shakespeare Company Inc | 2014 Summer Shakespeare Festival | $10,000 |
| Sciencenter | 2014 Curiosity Corner Outdoor Science Park | $14,000 |
| | Total Awarded | $78,300 |
Eleven Tourism Marketing and Advertising Grants were awarded as follows:
| Applicant | Project Title | Grant Award |
| 7th Art Corporation of Ithaca | 2014 Ithaca International Fantastic Film Festival | $1,925 |
| Cayuga Lake Watershed Network | 2014 CanYou Canoe Cayuga | $1,000 |
| Cayuga Lake Watershed Network | 2014 Cayuga Lake SUP Cup | $1,168 |
| Sciencenter | 2014 Sciencenter Website Redesign | $2,500 |
| Cayuga Lake Wine Trail | 2014 Cayuga Lake Wine Trail Holiday Shopping Spree Event | $5,000 |
| Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County | 2014 Spring Writes Literary Festival | $3,750 |
| Downtown Ithaca Alliance | 2014 Downtown Ithaca WinterFest | $3,000 |
| Downtown Ithaca Alliance | 2014 Restaurant Weeks | $5,000 |
| State Theatre of Ithaca | Winter Village Music 2015 | $2,000 |
| The History Center in Tompkins County | 2014 Ithaca Scottish Games | $2,000 |
| Paleontological Research Institution | 2014 Smithsonian Project | $1,666 |
| | Total Awarded | $29,009 |
Seventeen Community Celebrations Grants were awarded as follows:
| Municipality | Celebration | Award |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 First Peoples' Festival | $1,000 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 Food Justice Summit | $1,000 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 The GIAC Festival | $1,500 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 International MUD DAY! | $1,500 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 Latino Heritage Month | $1,500 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 Streets Alive! Ithaca | $1,000 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 - TCPL's 150 Years and Counting | $2,000 |
| City of Ithaca | 2014 Tompkins County Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony | $1,500 |
| Town of Danby | 2014 Danby Fun Day Committee | $1,375 |
| Town of Enfield | 2014 Enfield Harvest Festival | $2,000 |
| Town of Groton | 2014 - 6th Annual Verne Morton Memorial Photography Show and Contest | $770 |
| Town of Lansing | 2014 Celebrate Lansing! | $2,000 |
| Town of Lansing | 2014 East Shore Festival of the Arts (ESFOTA) | $1,239 |
| Town of Newfield | 2014 Finnishing Touches | $523 |
| Town of Newfield | 2014 Newfield Old Home Days | $2,000 |
| Village of Lansing | 2014 Migration Celebration | $950 |
| Village of Trumansburg | 2014 Tru-Ulysses Winter Festival | $2,000 |