Visit Bucks Co. Awards $279K To Nonprofits

BENSALEM, PA — Bucks County's official tourism promotion agency has awarded $279,000 to 43 local nonprofits it says benefit the industry.

Visit Bucks County awarded the grants this month at the Bucks County Visitor Center in Bensalem.

The Visit Bucks County Tourism Grant program was set up more than 10 years ago to help develop and enhance nonprofit tourism initiatives. It's funded by a portion of the money from the lodging tax paid by visitors who stay overnight in hotels, bed and breakfasts and home-shares.

Since the program began, Visit Bucks County has awarded more than $4.6 million to 110 groups. Grant money can be used for advertising, new exhibits, signage, restorations, website design, marketing and more.

In the past, money from the grants has been used to make improvements at the County Theater and the painting and restoration of the historic Gambrel Roof House in Fallsington. It's helped fund the Bucks County Children's Museum's "Make Your Mark" pin wall exhibit, marketing efforts for Michener Art Museum exhibitions, the Bucks County Community College Foundation's Bucks County Plein Air Festival and the Bucks County Wine Trails marketing work.

Beginning in 2020, one grant recipient each cycle will be recognized as the Charles H. Martin Grant Recipient, in recognition of Commissioner Martin's commitment to starting and supporting the program.

The Fall 2019 recipients of the grant are:

• Acting Naturally Inc.
• ActorsNET of Bucks County
• African American Museum of Bucks County
• The Andalusia Foundation
• AOY Art Center
• The Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County
• Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve
• Bristol Riverside Theatre
• Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow
• The Bucks County Children's Museum
• The Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society
• The Bucks County Wine Trail
• Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce
• Churchville Nature Center
• The Conservatory of Music
• Delaware River Towns Chamber of Commerce
• Experience Yardley
• Friends of Washington Crossing Park
• Heritage Conservancy
• Historic Fallsington Inc.
• James A. Michener Art Museum
• Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum
• La Fiocco
• Lenape Chamber Ensemble
• Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Museum
• Bucks County Historical Society's Mercer Museum
• New Hope Celebrates, Inc
• Newtown Arts Company
• Newtown Chamber Orchestra
• Newtown Historic Association
• Newtown Theatre
• The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center
• Pearl S. Buck International
• The Pennsbury Society
• Perkasie Towne Improvement Association
• Quakertown Alive!
• Raising the Bar
• Snipes Farm and Education Center
• Startup Bucks
• TMA Bucks Foundation
• TWIN RIVERTOWN PROJECTS, INC.
• Village Improvement Association
• Warminster Symphony Society

Applications for the next tourism grant are due on April 1, 2020. Details regarding the tourism grant application process can be found on Visit Bucks County’s website.